DAR ES SALAAM, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers has approved revised regional guidelines to ease cross-border transport operations in the region amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A statement issued on Tuesday night at the end of a one-day extraordinary virtual meeting of the SADC Council of Ministers hosted by Tanzania said the approved guidelines were aimed at harmonizing and coordinating COVID-19 response measures.
The approved guidelines were tailored to promote safe trade and transport facilitation for economic growth and poverty alleviation in the SADC region, said the statement.
The statement added that the approved guidelines were also aimed at facilitating the adoption and implementation of harmonized standard operating procedures for management and monitoring of cross-border road transport at designated points of entry and COVID-19 checkpoints.
Palamagamba Kabudi, Tanzania's Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation and chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers meeting, called on the SADC region to continue exhibiting determination and solidarity while addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kabudi said it was important to put up stringent measures to contain the pandemic, and work as a coordinated unit in nurturing the very aim of integration amongst member states, which is to boost intra-regional trade.
Stergomena Lawrence Tax, SADC executive secretary, said unhindered facilitation of movement of people and industrial goods across borders was a necessary step now as member states were beginning to come out of the lockdowns to resume normal business and industrial operations.
"All indications show that until a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 is found, which might take a while, the region has to remain pragmatic and vigilant by considering both health requirements and socio-economic imperatives," she said. Enditem
