Regional May 2006 |
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| SADC to set up one-stop customs border post, (Post of Zambia, 2006-05-09):-The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is planning to initiate a one-stop border post customs and clearing pilot project within the course of this year. SADC acting chief director Remmy Makumbe told the Business Post that the Chirundu border post and Beit Bridge, which is on the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe, have been identified for the pilot project. Makumbe explained that the project was aimed at harmonising issues related to customs and documentation at border points within the SADC region. He said at the moment, there was a lot of duplication of work at various border points in the region and that harmonisation of documentation would enhance regional integration. "Currently, there are a lot of delays at the various border points as one moves within the region. We want to see how we could harmonise customs requirements and the accompanying documentation for the same, so as to ease trading activities," Makumbe explained. "We want to see a situation where there could be a one-stop border post, beginning with the pilot projects where we have targeted Chirundu and Beit Bridge. These are the most complicated border points in the region." Makumbe said the plan was to implement the pilot project within the course of this year adding that this transit-facility project would be financed by the European Union. He said SADC was also looking at ways of improving road and air transport within the region, including integrating the use of ports, which would benefit landlocked countries like Zambia, Malawi and Botswana. Makumbe said to widen the use of seaports in the region, SADC was currently working on a master plan based on the corridor basis. "Among the corridors that we want to develop include the trans-Kalahari, the Walvis Bay, Maputo, Mtwala and Nacala corridors," he explained. Makumbe said a well-developed transport infrastructure in the region such as an effective road network would lead to more investments. | |
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp |