The Tanzania-Kenya border post of Holili is to start
implementing the East African Community’s idea of One-Stop Border Post (OSBP)
in May this year.
The project is financed by different donors who channel
funds through the Trade Mark of East Africa (TMEA).
“We are almost in the final stages and we’re expecting to
put in place a wide-range of facilities geared to reduce transport costs
incurred in cross-border movement,” the official said.
“If all goes well, OSBP
on the Tanzanian side will start full operations in May this year. On the
Kenyan side, users will have to wait a bit as construction of the OSBP building
delayed.”
Upon its completion, TMEA is expected to spend $4.5 million
on the Tanzanian side and $5.5 million on the Kenyan side of Taveta.
The OSBP arrangement is meant to reduce transit costs
incurred in cross-border movement by combining the activities of both
countries’ border organisations and agencies at either a single common location
or at a single location in either direction without increasing risk to public
safety or revenue collection.
“Studies have proved that transportation costs in
East Africa, are among the highest in the world. This has been damaging the
region’s ability to trade competitively in the international market. In
particular, the time taken to get to and from the ports to land locked
countries is singled out as a major factor,” Mr Lyimo stated.
In addition, poor infrastructure and delays at border
crossings are further contributing factors along the East African (EA) trade
routes.
He, however, stated that most National Revenue Authorities
have made considerable progress to modernise their approach on the application
of border controls including the introduction of information technology to
increase the effectiveness of control procedures at border posts.
“The objective is to implement correct, systematic and
effective controls to facilitate the movement of passengers and goods while
ensuring effective revenue collection and enhanced public security,” he said.
Mr Lyimo said that TMEA will identify other ways of
reinforcing border controls as an important component of the East African
Community’s capacity to fight against fraud, corruption and drug trafficking.
“TMEA will do this by conducting infrastructure audits and
needs assessment to determine what causes delays at borders and identify ways
of reducing cost and time elements by enhancing the use of information
technology.
“We will also map the process and time when trucks and
people arrive at borders and when they exit, including all requirements they
must comply with under the law,” he added.
It is expected that construction of OSBP at the
Holili-Taveta border will reduce in clearance times for passengers and transit
goods at border crossings; increase in the utilization of risk assessment to
reduce invasive inspection of transit goods at each border crossing.
The OSBP will also increase in cooperation; joint inspection
and verification of goods in transit at border crossings; as well as further
utilisation of modern technology such as weigh in motion and x-ray facilities;
and better transparency and accountability in transit operations, through the
utilization of existing IT systems that monitor the entry and exit of the
transit goods.
Source: The Citizen, www.thecitizen.co.tz and Xinhua
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