SADC and Tripartite Partners Advance Trade for Small-Scale Cross-Border Traders
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), in collaboration with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC), has taken a major step towards strengthening regional trade for small-scale cross-border traders.
The announcement follows the Tripartite Regional Technical Meeting on the pilot implementation of the Tripartite Simplified Trade Regime (TSTR), held in Dar es Salaam from 24–27 March 2026.
The meeting convened trade and customs officials, Cross-Border Traders Associations (CBTAs), Joint Border Committees (JBCs), and youth and women trader groups from Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania. Discussions focused on enhancing collaboration and formalising commitments to pilot and operationalise the TSTR at selected border posts.
The TSTR, supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), seeks to make cross-border trade more accessible, efficient, and cost-effective, particularly for small-scale and informal traders, including youth and women.
AGRA’s support includes simplifying border procedures, strengthening border systems, and promoting policies that increase opportunities for traders, most of whom deal in agricultural products. Agriculture-driven small-scale cross-border trade contributes approximately 43% of Africa’s official GDP, highlighting its pivotal role in regional economic growth.
The initiative also aims to scale up bilateral agreements already signed between the four pilot states, with plans to formalise at least four new bilateral Simplified Trade Regime (STR) agreements, furthering regional integration and trade opportunities.
The unified TSTR builds on existing COMESA, EAC, and SADC frameworks, introducing a harmonised system with a common product list, simplified documentation, and predictable procedures to reduce trade barriers and improve efficiency at border posts.
Speaking at the meeting, Ms Flavia Busingye, Director of Trade and Customs at the EAC and Chairperson of the Tripartite Task Force, highlighted the need to align policies and institutional frameworks to streamline regional trade rules.
Ms Balness Sumani, Senior Customs Officer at COMESA, emphasised the importance of harmonising the TSTR to ensure equitable access to benefits under the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA).
Ms Phemelo Maiketso, SADC Head of Gender, stressed the crucial role of small-scale traders, particularly women, in sustaining livelihoods, strengthening food systems, and driving intra-African trade. She called for the accelerated rollout of the unified TSTR in support of the African Union Agenda 2063.
On behalf of the Tanzanian government, Ms Flaviana Piloty Nyasebwa, Senior Economist at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, welcomed Tanzania’s nomination as a pilot country and highlighted the strategic importance of the Northern and Nacala Corridors for regional connectivity and economic growth.
Three border posts have been selected for the pilot phase: Mwami-Mchinji (Zambia–Malawi), Mandimba-Chiponde (Mozambique–Malawi), and Kasumulu-Songwe (Tanzania–Malawi). These sites will serve as practical testing grounds for the unified TSTR, providing insights to guide a broader regional rollout.
