Comesa calls for fair trading for corona-related products
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Competition Commission has called for fair trading for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19)-related products and services.
The commission’s chief executive officer George Lipimile made the call on Tuesday in Lilongwe during their donation of $5 000 (about K3. 7 million) to the Malawi Government for Covid-19 response.
He said: “When you are fighting a pandemic of this nature, there is a likelihood or fears that some people may take advantage of the situation especially in the procurement and the selling of products and services related to Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is important to ensure that our governments put in place measures that do not warrant abuse of economic operators, like business people, by inflating prices on Covid-19 response products.”
In his remarks, Minister of Industry and Trade Salim Bagus said government recognises the need for concerted efforts in resource mobilisation in order to implement various socio-economic interventions it has put in place in response to the pandemic.
He said: “As the numbers of those getting infected rise, there is a great need to step up our efforts in order to contain further spread of this pandemic.
“Malawi recognises the role of Comesa in regional economic integration.”
He said for member States to achieve regional integration, there is need for its people to be healthy to have everyone participate actively in the socio-economic development of the countries.
On March 20 2020, President Peter Mutharika declared Covid-19 a State of Disaster and called for support from development partners and people of good will.
