Non-Tariff Barriers

Complaint

Complaint number

NTB-001-301  

NTB Type

8.8. Issues related to transit  

Complaint

I am a manufacturer of fully finished furniture leather based in Namibia. My company has historically utilised Botswana as a transit corridor to supply customers in Zimbabwe under the framework of regional trade within SADC.

Following the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the region, I have been prevented from using Botswana as a transit country for consignments destined for Zimbabwe. This restriction effectively blocks an established and commercially critical trade route.

Namibia is a recognised FMD-free zone, and all raw materials used in our production originate exclusively from Namibian cattle. Furthermore, the industrial tanning and finishing processes applied to hides—particularly chemical treatment, liming, pickling, chrome tanning, retanning, and finishing—render the survival and transmission of the FMD virus scientifically implausible. Fully finished leather does not constitute a vector for FMD transmission and should therefore be exempt from movement restrictions associated with live animals or untreated animal products.

The inability to transit through Botswana forces us to use alternative routes into Zimbabwe that are substantially more expensive. These additional logistics costs render our trade with Zimbabwe economically unviable and undermine our competitiveness within the region.

As a SADC Member State, Namibia is entitled to the free movement of goods that comply with sanitary and phytosanitary standards. The current transit restriction on fully finished leather constitutes a non-tariff barrier inconsistent with the principles of regional integration and trade facilitation.

If this situation persists, it will have severe commercial and employment consequences. The loss of strategically important customers in Zimbabwe will directly reduce production volumes, which in turn may necessitate workforce reductions.  

Progress update note

 

Policy or regulatory NTB

No 

Location

Botswana: all entry points (Other)  

Reporting Country or Region

Namibia  

Country specific trade issue

No  

Date of incident

2026-02-19  

Status

New  

Product Description

Fully finished leather for furniture upholstery

Computer-assisted translation

• English
• Arabic
• French
• Portuguese

×

Close window

 

Total value

255.00  

Date reported

2026-02-19 12:43  

Modified

2026-02-19 12:43