The Zambian Government and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have signed a Partner Support Agreement (PSA) aimed at enhancing the Nakonde One Stop Border Post, an important trade route between Zambia and Tanzania.
With funding provided by the UK government, the $7.7 million (ZMK 197 million) project is set to enhance the flow of goods and people along the Dar es Salaam Corridor. It aims to streamline operations and decrease cargo clearance times by over 100% on both sides of the border.
Clearing cargo trucks crossing the border takes over two days, resulting in considerable delays and losses.
The programme was launched by Zambia's Finance Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, and TMA's CEO, David Beer. Musokotwane emphasised the project's potential to upgrade infrastructure, ease congestion, and improve regional trade flows
"This agreement paves the way for transformative interventions aimed at upgrading infrastructure at Nakonde OSBP, improve border efficiency, reduce congestion and enhance trade facilitation. By improving infrastructure at the Nakonde OSBP, we aim to enhance clearance efficiency along the Dar-es-Salaam corridor, reduce time taken to clear both cargo and passengers and ultimately facilitate trade flows," the finance minister stated.
The improvements at the Nakonde Border Post will include upgrading road infrastructure within the One Stop Border Post and the truck parking yard, constructing additional office buildings and warehouses, and installing a modern cargo scanner. Additionally, the initiative involves digitising clearance processes and implementing smart gates to reduce the dwell time for cargo trucks, currently averaging 55 hours.
The design reviews for the Nakonde OSBP were completed over the past year, with assistance from Trade Catalyst Africa and the Tony Blair Institute, which has been instrumental in supporting the government throughout the process, offering technical support where needed.
Moreover, TMA CEO, David Beer, highlighted the significance of efficient OSBPs in reducing trade times and costs while fostering regional integration. Drawing from TMA's experience in East Africa, Beer expressed confidence in the project's success and its potential contribution to creating a more interconnected Africa.
"There is no denying the effect that integrated, fully operational and efficient OSBPs can have in reducing the time and cost of trade, thereby stimulating cross-border prosperity. Our experience in establishing similar border facilities across East Africa has shown us that such efforts can reduce clearance time by an average of 70%," Beer said.
The British High Commissioner to Zambia, Nicholas Woolley, expressed his delight regarding the UK Government's new partnership with Zambia and TradeMark Africa to enhance the strategic trade frontier between Zambia and Tanzania.