| as long been a stalemate when it comes to trade | | | | Africa and you can always help out from home by |
| between Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) and the | | | | sending things which you take for granted, things like |
| European Union (EU) and with discussions on how to | | | | text books, reading materials and the like and as the |
| resolve this originating eight years ago in 2002 it is no | | | | trade links grow and exports rise by 25 per cent, the |
| wonder that all parties are keen to regain some sort | | | | gap between the UK and the ESA will have to |
| of momentum. Problems arose around strict EU | | | | narrow. |
| standards of products originating in Africa, as well as | | | | Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are a |
| some issues around export tax and while there is still | | | | scheme to abolish the apparently unfair preferential |
| some work to be done to address these concerns, if | | | | trade agreements put in place by the EU which are |
| an agreement is reached Zambia could really benefit | | | | said to contravene the World Trade |
| from their exports of things like meat and honey. | | | | Organisation’s rules on international trade. The |
| And it won’t just be Zambia that benefits, | | | | EPAs are specifically set out to protect the ACP |
| trade links with and therefore international shipping to | | | | (African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states) of |
| other countries and continents are really important if | | | | which Zambia is a part and the current talks aim to |
| we are to create a global community and a world | | | | speed up the possibility of increasing trade with |
| which is more equal and balanced in terms of | | | | Europe and therefore increasing the need for |
| economy and standards of living. | | | | dedicated couriers to Zambia. |
| While shipping services for trade can be used for | | | | As trade increases, so too will the instances of |
| sending food, liquids, medicines and the like, sending a | | | | people from the UK setting up businesses in the |
| parcel to Zambia using Zambia courier services cannot | | | | African country and moving out there and this will |
| be used for these things but can instead be useful | | | | mean more and more parcels to Zambia containing |
| for sending educational and sporting equipment for | | | | those things that expatriates miss when they leave |
| example. Plenty of charities do great work across | | | | home. |