South African nations discuss trade and HIV

Reducing trade barriers and fighting the spread of HIV top the list of issues leaders from a southern African trade bloc plan to discuss at their annual summit.

The 13 leaders from the Southern Africa Development Community, which starts its two-day meeting in Tanzania, hope to adopt a common stand on reducing trade barriers before heading to the World Trade Organisation meeting next month in Mexico.

Fudzai Pamacheche, an economist with the trade bloc, known as SADC, said reducing such barriers as demanded by the WTO is a major challenge for African countries.