Abstract
M.Phil. (Industrial Policy)
Trade facilitation has become an important mechanism to create a better trading environment. By reducing barriers of trade and high transaction costs it has yielded significant positive results. The main aim of the research was to assess the impact of trade facilitation on export trade performance using the case of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Simplified Trade Regime (STR). An assessment of the role of STR as a trade facilitation measure on export performance between the Zambia and Malawi Border. The study used the qualitative methodology and data was gathered from various stakeholders including the cross border trader’s association, the farmers’ association, custom officials and government officials. The main findings were that the Simplified Trade Regime had made some positive contribution towards volumes of export trade but there was still low uptake of the Simplified Trade Regime which is discussed in detail in the paper. There is still limited data and analysis on the impact of small-scale cross-border export trade, the research provides more evidence and additional academic knowledge on the impact of trade facilitation on export performance. The paper makes recommendations on area for improvement in the implementation of the COMESA STR.