Malawi asks Mozambique to remove non-tariff barriers

Malawi has asked the government of Mozambique to remove non-tariff trade barriers impeding competitiveness of Malawian products in Mozambique and other international markets.

Ministry of Trade Principal Secretary Christina Chatima made the appeal yesterday in Nampula, Mozambique during a trade mission meeting between the two countries facilitated by the Agricultural Commercialisation Project (Agcom) with the aim of linking producers, traders and buyers.

She said: “Following the signing of the revised bilateral trade agreement in November this year, the two countries now need to start removing some of the non-tariff trade barriers that are negatively affecting Malawi products to find better markets abroad.”

Chatima said the non-tariff barriers to trade include Contra Marca and transit challenges.

“Contra Marca is a code that is issued to a clearing agent automatically once the agent submits information into the Single Window System in Mozambique. Malawi has expressed concern on delays experienced by clearing agents in getting the Contra Marca,” she said.

Chatima further said that transit challenges are other non-tariff barriers affecting Malawian traders, producers and buyers in Mozambique.

She said: “Small-scale cross-border traders face challenges when transiting through Mozambique because they were required to pay 50 rand to have their passports stamped and needed to always produce a receipt of the forex they were carrying.”

Chatima said the traders are also required to show proof that they had a minimum of 3 000 rand stamped in their passport when such a requirement was phased out in South Africa.

She said Malawi has also been reporting complaints to Mozambique on escort fees on sugar consignments transiting through their country. However, the Secretary for Trade said she was happy that Mozambique is now committed to start removing these non-tariff trade barriers.

During the meeting, Chatima also asked the Mozambique government to expedite implementation of the one stop border post which was signed by the two countries on November 30 this year in Salima.

In his remarks, Mozambique Ministry of Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Jorge Fernando Jairoce said that he was happy with the trade mission visit by Malawi delegates to Nampula.

“Malawi and Mozambique are now in a historical good moment in terms of trade, commerce and industry because we are enjoying a healthy trade relationship,” he said.

On non-tariff barriers to trade, Jairoce said that Mozambique has heard about the barriers that hinder the economic relationships between the two countries as presented by Malawi during the meeting.

In November this year, Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi and his Malawi counterpart Lazarus Chakwera signed bilateral trade agreements on trade and mineral resources which opened a new era of trade ties between the two nations.