Professor Kabudi said non-tariff barriers stifled the movement of goods and services across borders, depriving the growth of intra trade in the region.

The bloc seeks to grow intra-regional trade optimally, it has made some important reflections on the challenges that tend to hinder trade within.

Within the spirit of this year’s adopted theme, ‘A Conducive Environment for Inclusive and Industrial Development, Increased Intra-Regional Trade and Job Creation’, I would like SADC to spare no effort in realizing its commitment to implement pertinent matters that have been discussed during the Summit, said Professor Kabudi.

The SADC regional industrialization strategy should strengthen intra-regional trade by working with other member states to remove unnecessary non-tariff barriers, stimulating economic growth and development through prioritizing energy and infrastructure projects to make the region energy sufficient and need to strengthen peace in the region.

The discussions at the Summit underscored that while tariffs have progressively fallen, the key challenge to intra–regional trade are non-tariff barriers that stifle the movement of goods and services across borders.

Reducing non-tariff barriers is a great start for boosting trade within and outside the region and this one of the areas that the region hopes to have regular engagements on, said Professor Kabudi.

The incoming SADC Chair of the Council of Ministers also reiterated that during Tanzania’s tenure as SADC chairship it will seek to facilitate such engagements to keep the momentum.