Movement of goods, services and people between Rwanda and Uganda could be eased further, thanks to the new initiative to create a one-stop border post at the Gatuna/Katuna border.

Richard Sezibera, the East African Community secretary general, has said. The two countries will on January 1 integrate operations at the Gatuna/Katuna border to reduce the cost of doing business.

"The idea is to have both Rwandan and Ugandan customs and immigration officers operating in the same office so that clearing of goods, services and people is done once on each side,” Sezibera told Business Times yesterday.

Creating a one-stop border means that people or goods entering Rwanda are all cleared on the Rwandan side, while those leaving the country are cleared on the Ugandan side.

Nemba border post on the Rwanda/Burundi border and Cyanika (Rwanda/Uganda) are already operating under the one-stop border system. A similar arrangement is in place at Malaba on the Uganda/Kenya border. Kagitumba (Rwanda/Uganda border) and Namanga (Kenya/Tanzania) border posts would also be integrated soon, Amb Sezibera added.

"Pooling of resources will help reduce time and the cost of doing business between the two countries.”

During the recently-concluded eighth Northern Corridor integration projects summit, the Heads of State directed the ministers in charge of immigration to conclude the agreement on free movement of labour and services and remove the work permit fees charged by January 1, among others.

Charles Mugabe, a border manager at Katuna-Uganda, said the initiative will ease movement of goods and services.

"It is part of the initiatives aimed at fast-tracking the East African Community (EAC) common market protocol. It serves us better in terms of logistics and time we spend clearing goods and people at the border and also make people ‘feel’ the integration process,” Mugabe argued.

PSF welcomes initiative

Antoine Manzi, the director of advocacy at the Private Sector Federation, said streamlining border procedures will boost cross-border trade.

"We welcome any project that seeks to streamline and improve regional trade and movement of labour and services. The private sector is optimistic that such initiatives will help foster trade between partner states,” Manzi added.

Theadore Murenzi, the chairman of the Rwanda Long Distance Truck Drivers Association, said establishing a one-stop border post will greatly reduce the time trucks spend at borders awaiting clearance.

"For us, it’s a game changer in the way we do business, it basically means reducing the time spent on clearing cargo trucks.”