Local traders accuse Tanzania of reneging on trade protocols

Kirehe-Local traders using the Rusumo border post have accused Tanzanian customs authorities of reluctance to remove trade barriers under the East African Community (EAC) common market protocol.Members of the business community raised the concerns during talks with a delegation led by the Minister in charge of East African Community, Monique Mukaruliza that had toured the Rusumo border on Thursday.In July 2010, the five EAC Partner States signed the Common Market Protocol that consists of the common market and customs union. Rwandan traders, complained difficulty to obtain the simplified certificate of origin from the Tanzanian authorities.The certificate allows traders to conduct business in any of the five EAC member states without customs tariffs.Importers are required to have a certificate of origin from a competent authority in the source country to confirm that the merchandise is indeed from an EAC member state.A local businessman, Jean de Dieu Hakizimana, who frequents the Rusumo Border post lamented that traders spend a lot of time and money to get the certificate.“It is unfortunate that the EAC protocol is only on paper. Whereas it is easy to get such certificate in Rwanda, in Tanzania it is the opposite,” he bemoaned. “We have to bribe agents up to 90,000 Tanzania shillings and wait for days; there are so may hurdles we encounter.” Hakizimana, however, said that border posts along the Uganda-Rwanda border were relatively better in allowing smooth movement of goods.“At the Gatuna border, things are completely different; officials from the two countries seem to be willing to work in harmony within the EAC protocol. Tanzania should do the same.”The head of the Private Sector Federation (PSF) in Kirehe District, Augustine Ngabonziza, pointed out that while Simplified Certificates of Origin are supposed to be issued by Customs departments of all member states, this was not the case in Tanzania.In Tanzania, we are told it comes from higher offices, not at the border post. This partly explains the difference,” he said.Mukaruliza reiterated the need for member states to demonstrate political will towards the implementation of agreed protocols.She said that high level bilateral talks between Tanzania and Rwanda were in pipeline to tackle existing trade barriers.“We shall hold talks with our counterparts in Tanzania to improve the way things are going,” the Minister said.“Of course, Rwanda as a land locked country pushes for the quick implementation of the agreed protocols. But it’s may be more of our nature than necessity. When movement of goods is smooth, the main beneficiary is the one with more goods and ports,” the Minister said.

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Local traders accuse Tanzania of reneging on trade protocols