Africa-Press – Malawi. The United Kingdom (UK) has announced new measures that will make it easier for Malawi and other African countries under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) to trade with it.
Local exporters and entrepreneurs would benefit from the new package of UK trade reforms, designed to simplify access to the UK market and strengthen economic ties between the UK and developing countries.
A statement published by the British High Commission indicates that the reforms include simplified rules of origin that will enable Malawian exporters to source inputs for finished goods from across the continent while maintaining tariff-free access to the UK market.
It says the change is expected to support not only UK-Africa trade but also intra-African commerce, helping to unlock the African Continental Free Trade Area’s estimated $3.4 trillion potential.
In the statement, UK Minister for Development Jenny Chapman is quoted as saying the shift in the UK’s approach to developing country partnerships would be mutually beneficial.
“These new rules will make it easier for developing countries to trade more closely with the UK. This is good for their economies and for UK consumers and businesses,” Chapman said.
The announcement comes as statistics show that over £3.2 billion worth of goods imported into the UK from African countries benefited from preferences granted by the UK’s development trading arrangements last year.
Minister for Trade Policy Douglas Alexander highlighted the importance of trade in poverty reduction, noting that: “No country has ever lifted itself out of poverty without trading with its neighbours.”
He added that trade has been “an essential ingredient in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty around the globe” over recent decades.
In a recent interview, Minister of Industry and Trade Vitumbiko Mumba said Malawi’s economic development could be enhanced through sound trade relations with other nations.
Beyond the DCTS changes, the UK will provide targeted support to help African exporters meet UK standards and navigate customs procedures.
The Malawi Government will also work to facilitate services trade in areas such as digital, legal as well as financial services through strengthened future trade agreements.
The updated rules form part of the UK’s broader Trade for Development initiative, which aims to support economic growth in partner countries while helping UK businesses and consumers access high-quality, affordable goods.
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