Despite the recent toll on East Africa’s trade infrastructure where heavy rains swept away bridges, cut off roads and caused severe flooding, the ease of doing trade has been growing day-by-day. One of the objectives of the two protocols of the East African Community – the Common Market and the Customs Union – was liberalisation of intra-regional trade and removing non-tariff barriers. The tedious time spent clearing borders was an added cost to doing business. So the idea of building one-stop border posts (OSBP), where every customs and immigration documentation would be done under one roof, was a sound solution. That initiative has greatly accelerated the movement of goods and people. So it is good news that the Kagitumba- Mirama Hills OSBP has started a daily 24-hour service. This will see more traffic, but the most important aspect of all – safety. Heavy truck drivers had the tendency in the past to run against the clock to cross before the border closes. On top of the fatigue, the urge to speed led to many accidents. It is hoped that the Kagitumba experience will act as a litmus test for other borders, especially the Rubavu-Goma border that has the highest traffic. The Nemba-Rubavu border is another story altogether. It seems to have been caught up in Burundi’s problems as only commercial trucks are allowed to cross, but otherwise, there is no reason why other OSBP should not follow the 24/7 approach. On a related topic, how far are works on the land Rwanda acquired on the ports of Djibouti or Mombasa? Some have dragged on for nearly a decade but the plots are yet to be developed. The ministries in charge of trade matters as well as Rwanda Development Board need to speed up things. Some opportunities are slipping through their fingers.
