BVTA Press Statement on Africa Border Day
07 June 2022 Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) joins Africa and Informal Cross Border Traders Associations in celebrating the African Border Day. The day is celebrated under the COVID-19 pandemic era, whereby borders have restrictions in trying to contain the spread of the virus. The informal cross border ecosystem is surely transforming the lives of ICBTs. ICBTs are calling for long time and sustained support that ensures that there are more solid and mutual relationships with border officials. As BVTA, we continue to call upon all land borders to ensure that there is trade facilitation for Conflict Reduction in Borders and improving the situation of women informal cross border traders. We also call upon African borders to also embrace the Simplified Trade Regime facility (STR) its adoption for use. We salute the women ICBTs who travel across borders to earn a living for their families. These women are exposed to all forms of harassment which include, sextortion, violence, theft and verbal abuse. Following the closure of borders due to COVID-19, women ICBTs opted for using unauthorised areas of entry risking being attacked by wild animals and being sexually assaulted. We applaud women ICBTs who travel across borders carrying small children on their backs on a mission to fetch livelihoods for them. BVTA has been instrumental in echoing safe, harmonious trade in land borders of Africa and has also developed a Border Charter that aims at clarifying border processes and procedures for both the ICBTs and border officials. The border charter will set up a plan of action that will address various challenges faced by Women ICBTs. We implore the government to craft measures and policies that will support ICBTs and protect them against unlawful acts. We call upon African borders to adopt liberalising the markets and free market economies in our land borders. Issued by BVTA Information and Publicity Unit Twitter – @bvtatrust Facebook Page – Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association Facebook – Bulawayo Vendors Trust
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