COMESA is moving to broaden its Simplified Trade Regime (STR) to include transport, tourism, finance, and business services, a development that promises to simplify cross-border trade for small-scale entrepreneurs and boost regional economic integration.
Director of Trade and Customs Division at COMESA, Christopher Onyango, emphasised on Tuesday that services already account for about 50 per cent of GDP in most member states.
Speaking at the official opening of a two-day Regional Awareness Workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe, Onyango said the expansion will create employment opportunities and strengthen cross-border trade.
“Extending the STR to services will expand opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs, promote formalisation through simplified procedures, empower women and youth who dominate small-scale trade, and strengthen regional value chains,” Onyango noted.
The workshop, which brought together stakeholders including policymakers, traders, and the media, aimed to discuss operationalising the proposals and piloting services under the expanded STR framework.
Officials highlighted that the inclusion of services would provide a structured path for small traders to access wider markets while reducing administrative hurdles.
In a speech read on her behalf by Engineer Francis Gondo, the Chief Guest, Mavis Sibanda, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Zimbabwe, described the expansion as a game-changer for small-scale service providers.
“The expansion of COMESA's Simplified Trade Regime to include services will enable small-scale service providers to access new markets and share their expertise across the region,” Sibanda said.
She highlighted that the move will create fresh opportunities for traders to provide essential services such as transport, repairs, ICT, tourism, and financial support, reducing compliance barriers and increasing incomes.
Lourdes Chamorro, Chargée d’Affaires and Deputy Ambassador at the European Union in Zimbabwe, also welcomed the initiative.
“This move will drive inclusive growth, boost competitiveness, and deepen regional integration within COMESA,” Chamorro said, praising the decision for its potential to empower entrepreneurs and foster economic resilience.
Experts at the workshop emphasised that expanding the STR to cover services aligns with broader regional strategies to formalise small-scale trade.
Simplified procedures are expected to reduce the bureaucratic challenges often faced by micro and small businesses, particularly women and youth, who constitute a majority of service providers in COMESA member states.
The inclusion of services in the STR is designed to promote regional value chains by enabling easier movement of service providers across borders.
Traders offering essential services will now have more opportunities to operate formally, improving access to finance, networks, and technical support, while simultaneously contributing to the growth of the regional economy.
Onyango and other officials emphasised that the initiative is also a step toward addressing informal trade challenges that have historically hindered economic growth.
By formalising small-scale service trade, COMESA hopes to enhance competitiveness, reduce barriers to entry, and provide a transparent framework for service providers to thrive.
The two-day Regional Awareness Workshop in Harare will continue discussions on operationalising the proposals and piloting the inclusion of selected services, signalling a significant milestone for small-scale traders seeking regional expansion.
As COMESA moves to implement the expanded STR, officials say the initiative will create tangible benefits for entrepreneurs, improve incomes, and foster inclusive growth across the member states, ensuring that services, which make up a substantial portion of GDP, play a central role in regional economic integration.
