The chief executive officers of national Private Sector bodies in the EAC region have unanimously urged partner states to marshal all efforts to facilitate free movement of cargo from the point of origin to the destination during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among others, they proposed increasing the number of testing kits for truck drivers and the number of health staff at the borders to expedite the process. In Rwanda, the Government set up a new facility on the main Rwanda-Tanzania border to handle all customs clearing processes as part of efforts to contain the rising cases of the virus while easing cargo movements. Peter Mathuki, the CEO of the East African Business Council (EABC), said: “We also strongly called for an EAC coordinated approach against COVID-19! We applauded HE Paul Kagame for his leadership on calling for a harmonized and coordinated approach. “The EABC called for mass testing as it’s happening on the Rusumo border.” They recommend that EAC Partner States should agree and implement a coordinated regional approach on COVID-19 in regard to facilitating movement of cargo across the region. Another key recommendation is that EAC Partner States move to harmonize measures on COVID-19 and ensure the health measures do not cause unnecessary cost and time burden to the free movement of goods and services across borders in the region. The chief executives end this week held an online meeting on the status of the transport and logistics sector in light of the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the EAC region. During the meeting, they all acknowledged the recent increase in the number of COVID-19 infections being attributed to cross border cargo movements across EAC partner states. Adan Mohamed, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary, in the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development, late Thursday held a pertinent video conference with the EAC Affairs Ministers and Health Ministers for Uganda and Kenya. “We agreed to resolve the situation of long queues for trucks at the Malaba border,” Mohamed tweeted. “In the interim period, we have agreed that trucks will have only one driver and the backlog will be cleared within the next 3 days.” The EAC Secretariat recently established COVID-19 administrative guidelines geared to complement national measures against the pandemic. The guidelines aim to ensure smooth and uninterrupted movement of goods and services in the EAC during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Fast track clearance at the borders The chief executive officers of national Private Sector Apex Body Associations in the region also recommended that Partner States do whatever is necessary to fast track clearance of cargo moving by long-distance trucks, and other such vehicles, at the borders to avoid long queues and congestion. This, they proposed, can be attained by ensuring cargo is seamlessly flowing without restrictions. Where a relay system and transshipment of cargo is adopted, they noted, the process should be such that it does not lead to exorbitant costs that could adversely affect transporters and consequently consumers. They also proposed that countries ensure that all clearing and forwarding services, loading and unloading equipment as well as warehousing facilities are available at the borders to reduce border clearance time. Rwanda has started implementing this already. Embarking on rapid testing and joint border management is also proposed. This, as noted, will build confidence and fast-track movement of goods in the borders. The regional business executives also noted that increasing the number of testing kits for truck drivers as well as increasing the number of health staff and other staff at the borders will be crucial. They also agree on the need to harmonize working hours of trade facilitation agencies and essential services at the One-Stop Border Posts in the EAC. Finally, they urge EAC Partner States to benchmark best practices from other regional economic blocs.
