The Consumer Unity and Trust Society – CUTS has applauded government’s commitment of creating an adequate policy space for the promotion of domestic and international trade, that will ensure full participation of local industries.
On April 2nd, 2019, government through the Ministry Trade launched the National Trade Policy – NTP and the National Export Policy – NEP aimed at streamlining tariffs in order to increase the export of high value products and support the growth of local infant industries.
CUTS center coordinator Chenai Mukumba told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in an interview that the NTP and NEP will promote safety and fair trading in the economy, safeguard local industry from the adverse effects of unfair trading practices and increase the participation of local businesses in the economy through preferential procurement.
She said this will have a great impact for the consumers who are ultimate beneficiaries of trade agreements and that it will improve the welfare of Zambian consumers by providing them with access to a wide variety of more affordable goods.
Makumba stated that the institution supports policies that work in the best interest of consumers hence the trade policy is a positive move which should be executed in ways that benefit stakeholders.
“On February 10th 2019, President Lungu signed the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement-AfCFTA, an agreement that envisions the liberation of both trade in goods and services in the first phase of negotiations and will extend to investment, competition policy and intellectual property in the second phase. In light of Zambia signing this agreement, the importance of the NTP and NEP launch cannot be over emphasized,” she said
She added that international trade between different countries is an important factor in raising people’s living standards, providing employment and enabling consumers to enjoy a great variety and options of goods and services.
She however cautioned consumers to expect a wide variety of affordable good and services to be available on the market and that the institution is available to support domestic production and consumption of local goods and services.
