Table 1: Summary of Issues Discussed in the Panel Discussions and Presentations

What are the minimum border requirements to make it run more efficiently? What should be done to the legal framework to make it more enabling?

Why is it relevant to have a corridor management institution for the efficient management of borders?

• Appropriate legal framework such as an apex law i.e. the Border Management and Trade Facilitation Act No.12 of 2018

• Bilateral agreement between Governments of both adjoining states (such as Zambia and the neighbouring country)

• Imperative to have a central coordinating unit which is independent of external interference (which should be able to independently identify challenges and trade barriers along the transport corridor and at the border)

• Essential to have a corridor management in order to effectively needs of small-scale traders or SME businesses

Are there opportunities that could be exploited to enhance and make border operations and activities more effective and efficient?

One of the biggest barriers to effective and efficient border operations is the lack of transit bond:

• RECs could play a major role in ensuring that acceptable transit bonds to all Member State revenue authorities are issued

• Need for flexibility to enable the use of such a bond in countries where the truck is transiting before reaching its destination in order to reduce the cost of doing business

• However, Zambia is not currently implementing the Regional Customs Transit Guarantee (RCTG) Scheme

There are two electronic single windows both of which are currently not working. PreCovid-19, only one was non-functional. The private sector and / or users were subjected to training in readiness for the launch of both of these single windows, but nothing has come out of this. What are the delays to operationalise this? Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA)? Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MFL)?

Queues at the Kasumbalesa Border Post are normally in excess of 6 km. What is Zambia, in collaboration with DR Congo, doing to address this perennial problem?

• NESW which is supposed to connect all border agencies in order to facilitate online clearance processes has already been developed

• However, only a few border agencies are connected to this platform due to the lack of appropriate IT equipment

• Government is looking at how best to equip all border agencies. Secretary to the Cabinet (SC) gave a directive to ensure implementation of reforms is fast-tracked and completed before the end of 2023

• Piloting, roll-out and full implementation of the electronic Certificate of Origin (E-CoO) is also being explored

• Undertaking of joint initiatives by Ministers of Trade in both Zambia and DR Congo to discuss, deliberate and address congestion issues at the Kasumbalesa TSBP and the possibility of establishing a OSBP