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Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating trade facilitation reforms as it seeks to improve the efficiency of cross-border trade, strengthen regional integration and enhance Zambia’s competitiveness.
Speaking at the opening of the National Trade Facilitation Committee Technical Meeting in Lusaka at Intercontinental hotel on Thursday, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary, Lillian Bwalya, said government was making steady progress in implementing reforms designed to simplify trade procedures and reduce barriers to commerce.
Bwalya said the meeting was an opportunity to review progress, assess ongoing initiatives, identify implementation challenges and agree on practical measures to further streamline trade.
She said discussions focused on key priorities under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, including Coordinated Border Management, the connection of border agencies through the government Wide Area Network (GWAN), strengthening the Simplified Trade Regime and upgrading the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).
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“Government had made significant progress since the committee’s last meeting, particularly in advancing Coordinated Border Management and implementing the Border Management and Trade Facilitation Act No. 8 of 2025,” Bwalya said.
She said the legislation provided the legal and institutional framework for the National Trade Facilitation Committee, strengthened coordination among border agencies and supported the implementation of the Single Window system.
Bwalya also welcomed the establishment of a Gender and Youth Responsive Technical Working Group, saying it would help ensure that trade reforms address the needs of women and young people participating in trade.
She disclosed that Zambia has so far implemented 72.3 percent of its commitments under the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, with the implementation period running from February 2018 to December 2038.
Bwalya urged government institutions, the private sector, cooperating partners and committee members to maintain close collaboration to sustain the pace of reforms.
Meanwhile, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner of Customs, Ernest Singande, stressed the need for stronger collaboration between government agencies and the private sector to create a more efficient and predictable trading environment.
“Improving systems, simplifying registration processes, upgrading infrastructure and addressing regulatory bottlenecks would support smoother economic activity and attract greater investment,” Singande said.
He called for continued dialogue among stakeholders, saying closer cooperation would enhance Zambia’s competitiveness, facilitate trade and align the country’s trade systems with international best practices.
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