The European Union – EU, through the Southern African Development Community – SADC Trade Related Facility – TRF Project, has given Zambia a grant of € 800,000 to implement trade related interventions in the Gold Mining and Agro-base local communities.
“Preceding this, the government received an initial grant of €420, 000 which was used in setting up the project management unit and implementing start up interventions on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS), Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), Trade Facilitation and Promotion among others,” Commerce Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Kayula Siame said this in a statement availed to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT.
She therefore disclosed that € 800,000 funding will build on the specific activities which have been embarked on the aforementioned intervention areas.
“Among the specific activities implemented include formalising twelve Mining Cooperatives in Rufunsa and Petauke districts, an exercise which was undertaken in partnership with Ministry of Mines, Procurement of Gold Panning and Mining Equipment for the Mining Cooperatives. The equipment includes four Gold detectors; one Microscope, Two Shaking Tables.”
“And the procured equipment is expected to be officially handed over within this month. The equipment which is yet to be procured include four Sluice Boxes and twelve Panning dishes. The contracted Supplier who was engaged to supply this equipment failed to deliver and the contract was, therefore, cancelled. The Ministry is expected to relaunch the tender, she explained.
Siame highlighted other interventions made hinged on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). “The University of Zambia (UNZA) School of Veterinary Medicine and Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) working in collaboration with other Associations in the aforesaid agro-based target sectors were engaged to build food safety management systems based on industry needs.
I can confirm that the Needs Assessments were undertaken in the sectors and thirty two module have been developed for the sectors. Given the funding received, therefore, UNZA and ZABS are expected to finalise the modules and provide training and mentorship sessions to selected farmers and processors. Once the trainings and mentorships sessions are conducted, the selected farmers and processors will be certified in Hazard Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Good Agriculture Practices (GAP),” she noted.
The ministry is optimistic that these and other interventions earmarked in the project will make meaningful impact and considerably compliment results ensuing from interventions of other projects, the permanent secretary added.
The SADC Trade Related Facility (TRT) project for Zambia is being implemented with the aim to assist Zambia implement commitments made under the SADC protocol on Trade. It has been funded by the European Union (EU) though SADC at cost of €1,400, 000.
With the main objective of attaining higher level of compliance and implementation of commitments made thereby contributing towards sustainable growth and trade development in the country.
