The second COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Trade Negotiating Forum (TTNF) held in Lusaka on 12-14 March 2012 has agreed to harmonize the Free Trade Area negotiations to avoid duplication when dealing with issues of the customs. Speaking in an interview with e-comesa, Senior Trade Expert at the COMESA Secretariat, Mr Mwansa Musonda said the tripartite has made headway in the implementation of the Tripartite Free Trade Area because all the three regional economic communities that have joined hands have agreed on working in harmony. He revealed that the Tripartite Trade Negotiating Forum agreed on the following major resolutions during the meeting:
- The interpretation of negotiating principals or boundaries to govern their negotiations until the launch is effected.
- A schedule of meetings to be held for negotiations within a specified time frame. The agreed time frame for negotiations is 36 months from the time the first meeting was held.
- That technical working groups be created to work on specific issues to be negotiated starting with the initial two groups to look at the customs issues and another one to look at the standards and Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues.
The meeting also provided a platform for the Member States to be transparent and build trust in all the negotiation processes by exchanging vital information. This includes tariffs, and information on customs duties.
The meeting was attended by 24 countries out of the 26 Member States from the three Regional Economic Communities (RECs). The third negotiating meeting will be held in May 2012, and it will emphasize the elimination of customs duties and other trade barriers affecting Member States.