East Africa eyes increased trade

The cost of goods and travel between the members of the East African Community will equally fall significantly following this week’s unveiling of one-stop border points which will facilitate smoother clearing of goods and travellers.

The technology-driven border points, whose construction was funded by Trade Mark East Africa at an initial cost of US$11 million, will allow local and regional traders to avoid bureaucracies associated with cross-border trade.

The move will, among other things, improve the competitiveness of exports and create a conducive investment environment within the region.
TMEA is a non-profit organisation funded by development agencies to promote regional trade and economic integration in East Africaby working closely with East African Community institutions, national governments, private sector and civil society.

“The construction of the one-stop border points will reduce the time it takes to clear goods and people by 30 per cent,” Theo Lymo, a director at TMEA said during the unveiling of the Taveta-Holili border post along the Kenya and Tanzania border on Wednesday.
Lymo added: “TMEA will also provide modern ICT facilities that will enable the quick clearing of goods and travellers moving across the border.”

Lymo said the construction of the facilities is in line with the East African Community common market, which came into effect in July 2010. The protocol seeks to harmonise EAC countries’ trade laws.

“The project will contribute to intra- regional trade between the EAC countries under the common market protocol, improve the competitiveness of exports, and create a good investment environment,” Lymo said, adding: “It is a means to address the issue of trade barriers and facilitate free movement of people as stipulated in the EAC treaty.”

Lymo also pointed out that TMEA is financing 14 out the 24 border posts that will be constructed in EAC countries.
Kenya Chamber of Commerce officials led by Harrison Majali praised the initiative, saying it would widen trade opportunities.

“These are the kind of initiatives that will take us to the next level as global trade becomes much more technologically driven,” Majali told journalists in Nairobi, yesterday.

The Taveta-Holili is one of three border clearance points being constructed, including the Busia-Kenya and Uganda, and Mutukula border crossing between Tanzania and Uganda.
Along the Northern corridor, TMEA is financing work on the corridor between Kenya and Uganda, and Kagitumba-Mirama Hills between Rwanda and Uganda. — CAJ News.