Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambique’s government wants to formalise the activity of almost 190,000 informal vendors in sectors “with potential”, using support and development programmes, as provided for in the new Trade Policy and Strategy (PEC).
According to the document seen by Lusa today, which is dated October 19 and is for the 2023-2032 period, informal trade is a priority area for intervention, and demands the establishment of a specific regulatory framework for such activities.
The objective is to “establish a directive that defines informal trade, establishes its scope, evaluation parameters, and uniformly regulates its treatment at the level of local state and municipal bodies, including the imposition of the principle of burden [of proof] as to the provenance of the merchandise offered,” reads the document, which reviews the previous PEC approved in 1998.
Still within the informal commerce sector, the plan proposes to “encourage the training of informal workers through their integration in sectors with potential in development programmes”, and expects to formalise 188,847 operators within 10 years.
A national programme to promote public, private, cooperative investment and public-private partnerships should also be advanced to “create infrastructure and business parks suitable for the exercise of small-scale commerce”.
The plan also involves carrying out two actions per month in each district of the country over the next 10 years, with civic education for consumers and informal commerce operators expected to “raise awareness” of the “development of civic practices and good service”.
The scheme is also intended to “simplify taxation and activity registration procedures”, so as to encourage the formalisation of businesses.
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