Government has announced plans to spend some Rwf 700m on the demarcation of the geographical boundaries between Uganda-Rwanda to establish proper administrative border demarcation. In a related development, the East African Business Council has welcomed a move by East African Community (EAC) partner states to accept common customs policies and procedures aimed at faster border clearance and improving revenue collection. This comes weeks after Rwanda and Uganda established, for the first time, 24 hour border operations at Gatuna to speed up customs clearance procedures. Barely weeks after that development Rwanda worked with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officials to launch another 24 hour border operation at the Gisenyi - Goma border. The development just like elsewhere would allow movement from one country to another at any time and would remove restrictions that are non-tariff related. The concept of “one-stop” border posts will not only accelerate the opening of trade right across the region, but will also reduce the cost of doing business associated with delays in customs clearance and will reduce some of the unnecessary inspections that cause delay. It is such initiatives that will make Rwanda and the region an attractive investment destination. Ends
