GOVERNMENT has urged Tanzania to reduce transit charges levied on Zambian logistic companies.
Ministry of commerce, trade and industry permanent secretary, Kayula Siame said that the cost of doing business with Tanzania was presently too high.
Ms Siame explained that the cost of doing business in Tanzania for Zambian logistic companies was too high due to transit charges levied on them and poor road infrastructure.
She said this when the Tanzanian Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Professor Joseph Buchweishaija, paid a courtesy call on her.
“I hope the Tanzanian Government will resolve these challenges in trade as soon as possible. There is need for Zambia and Tanzania to strengthen bilateral trade,” Ms Siame said.
Mrs Siame also raised a concern over the accessibility of information on trade between the two countries at Nakonde One Border Post.
She said effective communication was required to traders so as to simplify trade.
In response, Professor Buchweishaija said that he would ensure English was added on all documents that were issued in Swahili to avoid trade barriers.
Professor Buchweishaija said Tanzanian trader’s faced challenges when acquiring transit permits in Zambia.
He explained that there was no authorisation office in Nakonde that assisted Tanzanian traders as this facility was only accessible in Lusaka.
