The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
BULAWAYO export-focused small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been equipped with the requisite technical assistance that will assist them to be able to access new markets and have an appreciation of how to trade effectively in the global landscape.
These SMEs underwent a three-day capacity-building training that began on Monday and ended on Wednesday.
During the training the SMEs were capacitated with the requirements which will help them understand the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) meant to promote trade between Eastern and Southern Africa and Europe.
Zimbabwe is part of the group of countries in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) that signed the interim EPA (i-EPA) agreement with the European Union (EU) in 2009.
The agreement is expected to boost bilateral trade and investment flows and thereby contributing to the creation of jobs and further economic growth in the ESA partners, while also promoting their sustainable development.
To support the management and implementation of ZEPA, the Government of Zimbabwe commissioned the Technical Assistance (TA) to the Zimbabwe EPA Support Project (TAZEPA) in August 2018, which works in conjunction with ZimTrade to develop both new exporters and advanced exporters.
In an interview on the sidelines of training, Crown Agency expert responsible for the training Dr Dennis Choguya said the programme was meant to avail technical assistance to exporters.
“As you might be aware the Government of Zimbabwe in 2009 signed an economic partnership agreement with the EU. As part of the implementation stage of that economic partnership agreement, the EU has found it necessary to avail technical assistance to our exporters so that they are better prepared to take advantage of exporting to the EU markets,” said Dr Choguya.
He said they were assisting the SMEs exporters to understand better how they can trade more effectively in the global landscape and information documentation, regulatory compliance when exporting, and the different payment methods and options that are available.
Dr Choguya said the training also tackled in-depth the issue of international commercial terms as these were the backbone of various sales contracts that the exporters were going to sign.
“These are known as the incoterms, widely-used terms of sale, which are a set of internationally recognised rules which define the responsibilities of sellers and buyers. They will enable the SME exporters to understand their obligations as the sellers and the obligations of the buyers,” he added.
“Also seeing that these incoterms have just been reviewed less than three years ago it is a good time that our exporters get full knowledge on how to use them and take advantage of the market that will be opened by exporting to the EU, as part of what the Government is doing to open up new markets.”
ZimTrade Southern Region client advisor, Mr Kudakwashe Tirivavi said they began with Level 1 where they were training on export practice and procedures for new exporters last week and this week it was Level 2 training for advanced export practice and trade finance for developed exporters.
He said: “This week we focused on developed exporters these are people who are established and already exporting but you will find that our exporters from especially from the Southern region and in Zimbabwe from our manufacturing sectors they are mostly exporting regionally in the SADC region.”
“So, the purpose of this TAZEPA is to try to stretch their minds and capabilities, especially with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which has been introduced we want them to also start exporting further north in Africa and even into Europe.”
