By Phiwa Sikhondze
The government of Eswatini through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Trade in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the European Union (EU) has launched an online platform called the Trade Obstacle Alert Mechanism (TOAM).
The TOAM will allow businesses to report trade obstacles they may face when doing cross-border trade.
The TOAM is an initiative of the ITC and is developed in collaboration with public and private institutions at the national and regional levels. The TOAM facilitates the identification and elimination of obstacles faced by companies, such as non-tariff barriers and other constraints, when exporting or importing goods and services.
This mechanism has an online platform that connects companies and relevant agencies, allowing them to exchange information about trade obstacles, and an institutional mechanism that ensures the cooperation of the different actors involved in the resolution of problems reported through the online platform.
The TOAM aims to improve the business environment and regional economic integration, assist national and regional authorities in the design of trade facilitation policies, and provide the public and private sectors with the training and equipment needed to deepen the understanding of regulatory and procedural obstacles.
In the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the TOAM will also cover trade in services, giving the government and the parties involved a way to fully gather the spectrum of challenges and difficulties of service providers working with foreign clients.
Speaking on Eswatini TV’s ‘Kusile Breakfast Show’, the acting Director of the International Trade Department of the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Trade, Khetsiwe Dlamini, highlighted the impacts and benefits of the mechanism. She stated that the TOAM will help the country address business obstacles and contribute to a more conducive business environment.
“We have noted that business people spend a lot of resources trying to solve challenges they encounter whenever they engage in international trade activities. The mechanism will help business people to deal with obstacles more efficiently,” she said.
She added that the TOAM will also support the digital transformation and inclusion agenda of the country, which aims to enhance the efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness of the economy.