Comesa invites bids for market access enhancement funds

THE Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has asked its members to bid for funding of up to 150 000 Euros to support market access.

The funds will be provided under a technical assistance facility (TAF) established with support from the European Union, said the bloc in a latest media update.

The key activities for support fall under the Comesa regional enterprise competitiveness and access to markets programme (RECAMP) financed through the 11 European Development Fund (EDF 11).

The facility is meant to cater for priority needs of member states on the implementation of the Comesa regional integration agenda at the national level.

Comesa comprises 21 member States among them Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho, Kenya, Rwanda, Djibouti, Burundi and Zimbabwe.

“The maximum threshold for any member state application is 150 000 Euro while the minimum threshold will be 50 000 Euro, per year,” said Comesa.

“All eligible member states have the opportunity to submit requests, which will be assessed by the Secretariat with the successful requests awarded necessary resources for implementation, in line with the Comesa rules and procedures.

“This is the first call of applications to be launched under the programme and it is expected that member countries will take opportunity and benefit from the facility.”

Comesa has clarified that only interventions related to Result Area 1 of the RECAMP were eligible for support. Result Area 1 entails sustainable enhancement of the competitiveness and market access of small and medium enterprises and other entities in the targeted value chains or sectors.

“This is expected to enhance market access and business linkages in the targeted sectors,” said Comesa.

Under the Result Area 1, it is envisaged that the capacities of beneficiary firms related to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and regional standards and quality management will be improved.

This includes the social and environmental standards required under the World Trade Organisation and/or EU market.

The RECAMP is an innovative approach to regional cooperation, which complements other support mechanisms available for the Comesa secretariat and its member States. Its objective is to increase private sector participation in sustainable regional and global value chains by enhancing their access to markets and improving business and investment climate.-chronicle.cl.zw