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Bilateral trade between Zambia and Tanzania reached approximately US$11.85 billion between 2023 and 2025, the 5th Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting which is currently being held at Permanent Secretary level in Tunduma has learnt.
Zambia and Tanzania have also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral trade, removing barriers, and enhancing regional integration and help increase trade.
The two countries underscored the strategic importance of the trade corridor and pledged concrete action to improve border efficiency, according to a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday by Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Principal Public Relations Officer Everness Nankala.
Senior officials from both countries noted the need to address non-tariff barriers, and boost trade flows under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Opening the session, Zambia’s Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Liilian Bwalya said trade between the two countries stood at US$10.36 billion in 2023, US$677.2 million in 2024 and recovering to US$815.4 million in 2025.
“Despite this volatility, the bilateral relationship shows strong underlying potential,” Bwalya said.
She pointed to opportunities in export diversification, improved trade facilitation along the Central Corridor, reduced logistics costs, and the removal of non-tariff barriers as key drivers for future growth.
To strengthen trade flows, Bwalya announced that the country had made significant reforms such as lifting the ban on night driving for trucks and public service vehicles through Statutory Instrument No. 27 of 2026, effective 20 April 2026.
“The measure is expected to enable uninterrupted logistics operations and reduce transit times for strategic commodities,” she said.
Bwalya stated that Lot 1 of the Nakonde Border Expansion Project was completed and commissioned by President Hakainde Hichilema on March 19, 2026.
She said the project was designed to ease congestion and improve trade facilitation at one of the busiest border posts on the Zambia–Tanzania corridor.
Bwalya said the committee was an essential mechanism for candid dialogue, problem-solving, and ensuring no trade challenge remained unaddressed.
“Zambia and Tanzania share a rich history of cordial relations, founded on solidarity, partnership, and a shared vision for mutual development,” she said.
Bwalya commended the Technical Experts Committee for resolving 6 out of the 19 outstanding Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB’s0), a significant part of which were expected to be addressed by the Ministries of Finance from both countries.
She stressed that the Zambia–Tanzania trade corridor remained critical for bilateral and regional commerce, calling for improved border operations and streamlined regulation to ensure seamless movement of goods and services.
Read More: Africa targets efficient transport corridors to drive trade growth —Report
Tanzania’s Deputy Permanent Secretary for Industry and Trade, Aristides Mbwasi, described Zambia as one of Tanzania’s most important economic and trading partners in the SADC region.
“The JTC is a “vital instrument” for translating high-level commitments from reciprocal state visits by President Samia Suluhu Hassan and President Hakainde Hichilema between 2023 and 2025 into concrete actions with tangible benefits,” he said.
Mbwasi said Tanzania was prioritising industrialisation, trade expansion, and infrastructure investment under President Samia’s leadership, and remained committed to removing trade barriers and promoting investment.
He echoed President Hichilema’s vision of a “borderless” Africa, aligning it with joint efforts to harmonise procedures and enhance border cooperation.
Both Permanent Secretaries commended technical experts for their “dedication and professionalism” and said the experts’ report provided a solid basis for decisions.
The 5th JTC meeting began at expert level on May 4, 2026, and concludes with a Ministerial Meeting on May 7, 2026 and Technical sessions are expected to tackle outstanding trade issues and map next steps for enhanced cooperation.
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