East Africa heads of state should re-open borders to facilitate cross border trade between regional citizens, trade advocates have said.
The Civil society bodies including The Eastern African Sub-Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) in partnership with SEATIN, Urgent Action fund Africa among others note that the closure of borders literally killed businesses of small –scale traders who could not afford transporting their goods in trucks.
Speaking at the closure of a two-day dialogue on assessing the impact of Covid-19 of trade in EAC, the Executive Director at EASSI Sheila Kawamara-Mishambi said whereas the impact of the pandemic varies from one country to the other, its effect on the socio-economic lives and wellbeing of women is appalling with a definite increase in the levels of poverty and inequalities.
She explained that the effect of the lock down saw women on border districts sneak through bushes with their goods and this way, they were raped, assaulted and their goods stolen in the process by the security officials at borders.
She noted that the opening of borders will facilitate the smooth and safe running of trade for women in the informal sector who constitute more than 75% of traders.
SEATIN Executive Director, Jane Nalunga urged the EAC heads of states to put aside their political differences and work together towards fighting Covid-19 out of the region as this is the only way to facilitate and boost trade in the region.
A section of women who work in markets appealed to government to extend to women in markets loans at lower interest rates to help them revamp their business that have been badly hit by COVID-19 induced lockdown.
