Les Seychelles vont rejoindre la Zone de Libre Echange du Comesa
It has been approved for Seychelles to join the COMESA Free Trade Area (FTA) in 2008 with a list of sensitive products.
The sensitive list consists of products that have an impact on revenue or have socio-economic considerations for the country.
This came to light at the 24th COMESA Council of Ministers Meeting which took place recently in Lusaka, Zambia.
Seychelles was being represented at the meeting by a delegation led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Patrick Pillay.
According to a communiqué from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the COMESA Secretariat has agreed to provide various capacity building activities for Customs as well as for other stakeholders. Seychelles will have to await these activities as well as the launching of the computerized Customs Management System (ASYCUDA) before activating membership of the FTA.
The Council of Ministers also established an EPA Ministerial Sub-committee of which Seychelles is an appointed member to undertake regular analyses and assessment of the ongoing EPA negotiations and the issue of regional integration, the communiqué said.
The Council also discussed ongoing COMESA programmes, administrative and budgetary matters pertaining to COMESA as a Regional Economic Block and various COMESA institutions and co-operating partners briefed the Council of Ministers on their work programmes for 2008, added the communiqué.
A COMESA Summit has been scheduled for May 2008 in Zimbabwe.
The Council of Ministers is one of the highest decision making bodies of COMESA, which is an all-embracing development organization involving co-operation in all economic and social sectors.
