BY GERTRUDE MAJYAMBERE Stakeholders in the Central Corridor are pushing member states to ratify the agreement signed last year in Dar Es Salaam. The agreement to facilitate the movement of goods through their respective territories was signed by Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, DR Congo and Burundi. These countries have been using bilateral committees. But the new agreement intends to facilitate the movement of goods through their respective territories. A team from Transit Facilitation Agency (TTFA) is in the country to follow up the implementation and push for the ratification which targeting October. ADB has allocated US$1.5 as operational costs for the first initial three years once a permanent office is set. According to the agreement, an open and competitive environment is supposed to be maintained along the corridor. It will also ensure the existing bilateral transport agreements are harmonised. The agreement also encourages reduction of costs associated with freight along the corridor. Once the Central Corridor TTFA is established, it is expected to help to remove non tariff barriers along the corridor. This will finally reduce costs, delays and reduce documentation of goods in transit. Ends
