The Southern African Development Community, in partnership with the African Development Bank, concluded a High-Level Policy Dialogue Forum in Lusaka, Zambia, on August 5 to operationalise the SADC Simplified Trade Regime. According to a release from the SADC Secretariat, delegates from Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe met to address border agency capacity gaps and streamline customs procedures to facilitate informal cross-border trade across the region.
Update: Malawi's emergency voluntary repatriation programme for citizens affected by violence in South Africa will officially conclude on August 12, according to Malawi24. The Department of Disaster Management Affairs reported that the government-funded operation has successfully returned 56,723 Malawians. Following the closure of the Mwanza Reception Centre next week, diplomatic missions will continue providing consular support, but returning citizens will be required to fund their own transport.
In international aviation news, U.S. pilot Terry Lee Jennings was arrested in Blantyre on August 5 after landing a chartered Bombardier Global 5000 at Bakili Muluzi International Airport without following mandatory flight procedures, AVweb reports. Citing local authorities and the Nyasa Times, the publication notes that Jennings was fined 3 million kwacha and was subsequently permitted to depart the country with his aircraft.