THE Zambian Government is disappointed with the limited progress that has been made so far by the tripartite trade negotiations forum (TTNFF), Commerce Deputy Minister Richwell Siamunene has said

The forum consists of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC).

Mr Siamunene said several meetings had been held by the three regional groupings but there was little progress on the matter.

He was speaking in Livingstone on Thursday during the opening of the COMESA-SADC-EAC Tripartite committee of senior officials meeting.

"Why is it easier to export products from Zambia to the European Union (EU) when it is not easy to export it to Angola which is our neighbour?" he said.

He said the meeting in Livingstone was important in the sense that the countries wanted to come up with a common tariff.

Mr Siamunene said common tariffs would make it easier for member states to trade among themselves.

COMESA assistant Secretary General in charge of programmes Kipyengo Cheluget said the region had the potential to make a big difference in terms of trade in the world.

Ambassador Cheluget said currently, in terms of the world, Africa was an insignificant factor.

"We are almost like half the population of the world and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Africa is quite powerful and we have resources which are plentiful," he said.