The Governments of Zambia and Tanzania have signed a communiqué to resolve challenges in the Dar-Es-Salaam Corridor to ensure the seamless flow of traffic and reduced cost of trade between Kapiri-Mposhi and Dar-Es-Salaam.
The communiqué was signed yesterday evening during a two-day Bilateral Road Transport Meeting between the ministries of transport from the two countries held at Ukinga Hotel in Tunduma in Tanzania.
The Road Transport Bilateral Meeting was convened to review and resolve the challenges transporters are facing along the Dar-Es-Salaam Corridor, following a joint technical committee report that had input from the assessment of the transport route from Kapiri-Mposhi to Dar-Es-Salaam.
Ministry of Transport and Logistics Permanent Secretary Fredrick Mwalusaka signed the communiqué on behalf of the Zambian Government while Tanzania’s Ministry of Works and Transport Permanent Secretary Gabriel Migire signed on behalf of his country.
The Ministry of Information and Media Kennedy Kalunga also attended the transport bilateral meeting and witnessed the signing of the communiqué, noting that the outcome of the meeting will create a common understanding between the two sister countries to enhance the flow of goods and services that pass through the Nakonde/Tunduma One Stop Border Post.
In the communiqué, Zambian and Tanzanian authorities re-affirmed their commitment to implement the decisions agreed upon during the similar meetings held in Lusaka in September 2022 and June 2023 in Tunduma, Tanzania.
The communiqué stipulates that Zambia and Tanzania constitute a Technical Working Group to oversee all the harmonisation related to issues impeding on the smooth flow of traffic along the Dar-Es-Salaam Corridor and in particular the harmonisation of charges along the corridor.
Both Governments also reaffirmed their commitment to addressing all transport infrastructure challenges in order to mitigate congestion difficulties at Nakonde-Tunduma One Stop Border Post (OSBP) and along the Corridor.
“To this effect, Zambia is currently implementing the Chinsali-Nakonde Rehabilitation Project while Tanzania is also upgrading Tunduma-Igawa Road into the dual carriageway,” the communiqué reads in part.
The communiqué also urges the Clearing and Forwarding Agents operating on both sides of the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) to start pre-clearing their consignments as a measure to long periods of waiting, an effort aimed at reducing congestion at Nakonde-Tunduma Border.
“This is also in line with the aspirations of President Hakainde Hichilema to create a Non-Stop Border Post system.
Further, the two Government Revenue Authorities were directed to extend the implementation of the Electronic Cargo Tracking System from Nakonde/Tunduma OSBP to Kusumbalesa Border Post to promote a seamless flow of traffic and enhance security.
Other commitments contained in the communiqué include enhanced enforcement of road traffic safety regulations and weighbridge regulations to bring about sanity in the sector, while the private sector was encouraged to uphold best business practices to promote cross-border trade along the Corridor.
Good but some issues and solutions raised here should have been in the initial stages of development of a one stop border post. On Black Fridays shops hear extra security and personnel because they anticipate huge foot traffic.