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KIGALI – In a bid to ease the movement of goods and services, Rwanda and Uganda are set to create a one stop border post that will facilitate trade between countries and deepen integration.  Richard Sezibera, secretary general, East African Community (EAC) told local journalists on Monday in Rwandan, Capital Kigali that Uganda and Rwanda one stop border will be live at the beginning of next year.

“At the beginning of next year both countries will integrate border crossing between Gatuna-Rwanda side and Katuna-Uganda side to further reduce the cost of doing business,” he noted.

“The idea is to have both Rwandan and Ugandan customs and immigration officers seating together in the same office so that clearing of goods, services and people is done once on each side.”

He added that the same project will be done at Kagitumba and Namanga border crossings.

“We are confident by pulling resources together; we shall be able to reduce not only the time but also the cost of doing business.”

Charles Mugabe, border manager Katuna Uganda, welcomed the idea and said it will ease movement of goods and services.

“It is part of the initiatives to fast track the EAC common market protocol. It also serves us better both in terms of logistics and time we spend clearing goods and people crossing. It will also make our people feel the integration process,” he said.

In the recently concluded 8th northern corridor integration projects summit held in the Kenyan, Capital, Nairobi, EAC heads of state directed the ministers in charge of Immigration to conclude the agreement on total Liberalization of Free Movement of Labour and Services and remove the work permit fees charged by 1st January 2015.

Antoine Manzi, the director of advocacy at the Rwanda private sector federation, said that, streamlining border crossing clearing procedures will boost cross border trade.

“Any project that seeks to streamline and improve regional trade and movement of labour and services is warmly welcome. The private sector is optimistic that such initiatives will help foster trade between partner states,” he noted.

The Protocol on the Establishment of the EAC Common Market entered into force on 1 July 2010, following ratification by all the five Partner States: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

It provides for four freedoms including free movement of goods, labour, services; and capital.Theadore Murenzi, the chairman of the Rwanda Long Distance Truck Drivers Association, said establishing a one stop border post will greatly reduce the time trucks spend at borders waiting clearance.

“For us it’s a game changer in the way we do business, it basically means reducing the time spend in clearing trucks.”

Common Border posts designated in the EAC as One Stop Border Posts include the Taveta-Holili border and the Namanga border (Kenya-anzania), Busia and Malaba borders (Kenya–Uganda) and the Kanyaru-Akanyaru border (Burundi-Rwanda).

Others are the Mutukula border (Tanzania-Uganda), Gasenyi-Nemba border (Burundi, Rwanda) and Lungalunga-Horohoro border (Kenya – Tanzania). – Xinhua