Mozambique and Malawi have launched a project to facilitate mobility and small-scale cross-border trade, a joint initiative.

The ceremony took place in the Malawian city of Blantyre and was witnessed by the Malawian Minister of Internal Security, Ken Zikhale Ng'oma, and the director general of the National Institute for Mozambican Communities Abroad (INACE) Armando Muiane, representing the Mozambican Minister of Foreign Affairs, Verónica Macamo.

Funded by the World Bank as part of the Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity Project (SACCP), the initiative introduces the cross-border mobility facilitation card, which aims to modernize border management and facilitate small-scale trade in the Nacala and Beira Corridors, north and central Mozambique, respectively.

The project, according to a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted by AIMThe aim is to simplify and speed up border procedures, reduce costs for traders and increase the volume of goods traded.

The border movement facilitation card (e-Pass) is designed to simplify and modernize the mobility of the two countries' cross-border communities, as well as unlocking new economic opportunities.

The new e-Pass system will also reduce delays and increase the volume of goods traded between Mozambique and Malawi, especially for women, who represent almost 70% of small-scale cross-border traders living close to the borders.

Powered by the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the e-Pass reflects regional and global efforts to facilitate mobility and free trade, while contributing to better control of the migratory movements of cross-border communities by replacing the current paper-based card.

At the event, Malawi's Minister of Internal Security highlighted the project's positive impact on regional integration and the promotion of sustainable trade, and underlined the importance of stakeholder involvement for the initiative's success.

(Photo DR)