Nakonde, June 19, 2024: The Government of Zambia and TradeMark Africa (TMA) yesterday officially handed over to the contractor the site for upgrading the Nakonde border into a one stop border post (OSBP). This marks the commencement of improvement works to ease cross-border trade and transit between Zambia and Tanzania by reducing congestion.

The handing-over ceremony was attended by representatives from the Governments of Zambia and the UK, TradeMark Africa, and the contractor. Funded by the UK government, the approximately £8.4 million project will improve the flow of goods and people along the Dar es Salaam Corridor, streamline operations, enhance customs efficiency, and reduce cargo clearance on both sides of the border. The site handover follows the signing of a Partner Support Agreement (PSA) between the Government of Zambia and TradeMark Africa in March this year.

The border post will undergo numerous improvements, including upgrading roads within the OSBP and truck parking yard, constructing additional office buildings and warehouses, and installing a modern x-ray cargo scanner. The project also includes digitising clearance processes and installing smart gates to reduce truck dwell times from 64 hours to less than 10 hours (an 84% reduction). The two and a half days it currently takes to clear cargo trucks leads to significant delays and losses for businesses.

“This is an important milestone in our multi-stakeholder collaborative efforts to facilitate seamless trade, not just between Tanzania and Zambia, but along the Central Corridor. We are happy to be partnering with the governments of the UK and Zambia to implement such a critical trade facilitation project, which has the potential to catalyse regional trade and facilitate intra-regional commerce,” said Jovin Mwemezi, Director Southern Africa at TMA.

The Nakonde-Tunduma border is one of the busiest entry and exit points for cargo in and out of Zambia. It plays a vital role in facilitating international trade and transporting essential goods such as food, fuel, and fertiliser.

“As we officially hand over the site to the contractor, we urge them to expedite the civil works so that traders and border users can start enjoying the benefits of increased border efficiency and enhanced clearance. This will be a game changer for our economy by reducing delays and boosting trade operations between Zambia and our neighbours,” said Andrew Njelesani, the Provincial Infrastructure Officer for Muchinga Province, northern Zambia.

This project builds upon the UK-funded upgrade of the Tunduma OSBP on the Tanzanian side, which included installation of x-ray cargo scanners at the Tunduma OSBP – between Tanzania and Zambia – leading to a 40% reduction in cargo processing time. These initiatives align with TMA’s broader efforts to facilitate trade across the African continent. With over 15 OSBPs established in East Africa, resulting in an average 70% reduction in border crossing times, the Nakonde project is set to deepen trade ties between Zambia and its neighbours, leveraging Zambia’s strategic position as a land-linked country reliant on regional ports and corridors for its international trade.

About TradeMark Africa

TradeMark Africa (TMA), formerly TradeMark East Africa, is a leading African Aid-for-Trade organisation that was established in 2010, with the aim to grow intra-African trade and increase Africa’s share in global trade, making trade more pro-poor and more environmentally sustainable.

TMA operates on a not-for-profit basis and is funded by: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Ireland, the Mastercard Foundation, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. TMA works closely with regional and continental inter-governmental organisations, national Governments, the private sector, and civil society.

Since its inception, TMA has delivered substantial gains for trade and regional economic integration in East Africa and the Horn of Africa, including a reduction of 16.5% in cargo transit times on the Northern Corridor from Mombasa to Bujumbura, and a reduction of an average of 70% in the time taken to cross selected one stop border posts. TMA officially launched its continental-wide shift and rebrand in West Africa in January 2023, with Ghana being the first country of operations in the region.

In 2022, TMA set up a catalytic finance company – Trade Catalyst Africa – that will pilot commercially viable projects for creating trade infrastructure (both physical and digital) as well as increasing access to Trade Finance for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Both TCA’s and TMA’s headquarters are in Nairobi, Kenya. Offices are in: EAC Secretariat – Arusha, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, Somaliland, Tanzania, and Uganda, with operations in Mozambique, South Sudan, and Zambia. For more information, please visit www.trademarkafrica.com