Victoria Falls Hosts SADC Talks on Removing Trade ...

Victoria Falls Hosts SADC Talks on Removing Trade Hurdles

Rutendo Mazhindu- Zim Now Reporter

The Government of Zimbabwe, in partnership with the Southern African Development Community, will host the 40th SADC Technical Barriers to Trade Cooperation Structures meetings from March 24 to 28, 2025, at Peniel Retreat Centre in Victoria Falls.

The high-level gathering is set to bring together key stakeholders from SADC Member States to strategise on eliminating technical trade barriers and fostering seamless intra-regional commerce.

Central to the discussions is the TBT Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade, which provides a framework for harmonizing trade standards and regulations across the region.

Speaking ahead of the event, Cesarino Benjamim, Senior Programme Officer for Standards, Quality, Accreditation, and Metrology at the SADC Secretariat, highlighted the meeting’s significance.

“This platform allows Member States to track the implementation of SQAM activities and resolve any trade barriers that hinder regional economic growth,” he said.

The SADC TBT Cooperation Structures include specialized bodies such as the SADC Cooperation in Standardization, the SADC Cooperation in Accreditation, and the SADC Cooperation in Legal Metrology, among others. These bodies play a critical role in ensuring that standards, accreditation, and metrology regulations are in line with international best practices.

Barbara Lopi, Head of Communication and Public Relations at the SADC Secretariat, also emphasized the importance of the meetings in promoting trade liberalization.
“Harmonizing technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures will promote economic development and facilitate a free trade area in the region,” she noted.

The annual meetings will assess the progress of SQAM programs across SADC, review the implementation of the TBT Annex, and chart the way forward to further strengthen regional trade integration.

Stakeholders from both the private and public sectors, as well as regional and international organizations, are expected to participate in the deliberations.

Their contributions will help shape policies aimed at enhancing industrial growth, improving investment conditions, and boosting trade efficiency within the region.