Rapid Situation and Needs Assessment of Informal Cross-border Traders at the Chirundu, Mwami, Mchinji, Beitbridge and Musina Border Posts During the COVID-19 Pandemic

There is significant informal cross-border trade in southern Africa, valued at an estimated USD 17.6 billion, which accounts for 30 to 40 per cent of total trade in the Southern African Development Community. Women make up approximately 70 per cent of informal traders, even as they face gender-specific risks and are more susceptible to harassment, abuse and exploitation. The majority of them are relatively poor and have low levels of education, yet they support some of the most fragile and impoverished communities. Accordingly, any threat to this sector poses a threat to the most vulnerable and least resilient. The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to significant challenges to the continued conduct of this trade due to measures, such as border closures and travel restrictions, put in place to contain the spread of the pandemic. These have had a catastrophic impact on the livelihoods of these traders, who were suddenly unable to conduct business as per usual. The restrictions hit informal trade harder than other sectors, with women particularly struck by economic losses. Rapid needs and baseline assessments were undertaken in four countries – Zambia, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe – to understand the impact of COVID-19 on informal cross-border trade. This report presents the findings and recommendations of the assessment in Zambia, conducted within the framework of a project supported by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.