TRADERS URGE SADC ZCCM-IH INVESTS $250, 000 IN GOLD LAB COUNTRIES TO OPEN BORDERS
COUNTRIESin the Southern and African Region Community (SADC) and other trading blocs should open borders to promote the integration agenda as the Covid-19 vaccine is being rolled out.
Borders should be open as governments harmonise policies and improve business among countries in the same regional block if regional integration is to be attained.
This is according to the Southern Africa Cross Border Traders Association (SACBTA) Secretary General, Jacob Makambwe.
Mr Makambwe said in an interview that opening up borders would also support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which Zambia recently ratified.
“The closure of borders within the SADC region has affected the small scale trad
cause of the simplified trade $250, 000 has been
certificate which was not proinvested in setting up a
vided at the border posts laboratory that will establish gold
most information desks content in ore which will be bought from artisanal and small scale gold do not have people due to miners Zambia. lockdowns.
ZCCM-IH has set up the laboratory in The certificate is provided partnership with Karma Mining Services under the Simplified Trade and Rural Development Limited in Regime which is an arrangeConsolidated Gold Company. ment implemented by the
Chief Executive Officer, Mabvuto Common Market for Eastern Chipata, explained that the purpose of and Southern Africa members the joint venture was to develop a gold to formalise and improve the processing and trading operation in
performance of the small- Zambia.
scale cross border traders. Mr Chipata said the investment was
“Another challenge that we in line with one of ZCCM-IH’s strategic
have is that many countries objectives of value creation which was
have continued to extend the to diversify its investments away from
lockdowns that has affected copper to other minerals such as gold ers especially. We have seen tegration agenda,” he said. the “As clearing Karma Mining of goods Services because and Rural Development, our and other precious metals. the rolling out of the vaccines He said traders were willing there expertise is more is in on gold the processing, demand but we are mostly working
He said this during the laboratory in many countries but we are to be vaccinated so that they of with the artisanal certificate and small of scale origin gold miners.’’ media tour in Lusaka yesterday.
still wondering how countries could continue trading.
“This is also in line with Government’s which most of our small scale within the SADC region would Mr Makambwe complained classification of gold as a strategic ore that would be received traders from various have no reach. not consider to open borders. that the extended lockdown resource for Zambia,” he said. miners, who would get a fair “The share simplification and of sim
Consolidated “So what we Gold are calling Company for is Chief had affected value the for their clearing material. of plified trade certificate is Executive for countries Officer, such Faisal as BotswaKeer, explained goods as there “As Karma was more Mining deServices not and provided Rural at the border that na and the laboratory Zimbabwe would must be open able to mand for Development, the certificate our expertise of because is in gold there is not trade process the borders about for 30 the samples movement per day. origin which processing, most small-scale but we are mostly information working trade desk beof Mr goods Keer and said the services. laboratory This was is critical traders do with not artisanal have access and small to. scale cause gold borders are still closed,” to going determine to affect the the gold regional accurately in in the This, he miners. explained, was be Makambwe said.