NAIROBI, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The East African Business Council (EABC), a regional private-sector trade lobby, on Monday called for the removal of barriers related to COVID-19 to boost trade among countries in the region.
EABC CEO Peter Mathuki said the lowering and harmonization of COVID-19-related charges in the East African Community (EAC) will ease the cost of doing business and boost intra-EAC trade.
"This is set to support businesses to be more resilient and rebound amidst the COVID-19 pandemic," Mathuki said in a statement.
Non-tariff barriers related to COVID-19 continue to hinder cross-border trade due to different measures on the pandemic in the region, he said.
COVID-19 tests are priced differently in each partner state in the six-member economic bloc while containment measures are varied, Mathuki noted.
He said Tanzania and Burundi are now charging a standard rate of 11,000 shillings (about 100 U.S. dollars) for both nationals and foreigners while other partner states' charges vary.
"The EAC Secretariat should fast-track regional coordination and harmonization of measures on COVID-19 for economic resilience and growth of the EAC bloc," Mathuki said.
The lobby also called for the establishment of a common quarantine period in the region and fast-tracking of the waiting time for COVID-19 test results.
"The lack of harmonization of COVID-19 testing rates in accredited laboratories and uncoordinated waiting time for the test results is disrupting cross-border trade," Mathuki said.
He said different preventive and restrictive measures undertaken by EAC partner states to control the spread of COVID-19 have significantly slowed down trade, movement of persons and integration.
"The trickle-down effects of these measures have also been felt across affiliated industries and the rest of the economy," Mathuki said.
He said lowering and and harmonizing non-tariff barriers related to COVID-19 will also enable businesses to tap into the opportunities availed by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
"AfCFTA prioritizes addressing challenges in trade policy, productive capacity, hard and soft infrastructure, trade information and market integration which are critical for doing business in the continent," he said. Enditem
