IMPROVING THE SMOOTH FLOW OF CARGO ALONG THE TRANS CAPRIVI CORRIDOR

The Trans Caprivi Corridor (TCC) Cluster held its sixth meeting, recently, in Walvis Bay, Namibia at the Pelican Bay Protea Hotel. The purpose of the meeting was to review and discuss the Joint TCC Cluster action plan aimed at addressing non-tariff barriers along the TCC; share information on the recent developments along the corridor and the Port of Walvis Bay; updating the cluster members on progress made in transforming the TCC Cluster into a Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Management Committee; and to share experiences on bottlenecks along the corridor. A delegation comprised of public and private members from Zambia who were represented by officials from the Ministry of Communications and Transport, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Road Development Agency, shipping lines, mines, road transporters, freight forwarders and the media. Namibia was represented by officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, Ministry of Finance: the Customs Department, the Namibia Logistics Association, Roads Authority, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Namport and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG). Among the key issues that were discussed at this meeting was the progress made in terms of reducing bottlenecks along the TCC to ensure that as little time was spent especially at the borders to clear cargo to ensure that the end-user receives the cargo timeously, focusing on immigration and customs issues and road infrastructure. A Trans Caprivi Corridor Cluster was established between Zambia and Namibia to address bottlenecks regarding trade development with the aim of reducing the time spent at the borders between the Katima Mulilo/Sesheke and the Livingston border posts, and comprises of public and private members who represent the cluster. Since the inception of the TCC Cluster, various achievements have been reached along the TCC through the Port of Walvis Bay which was the purpose of establishing a TCC Cluster to address these issues. Among the achievements are harmonization of axle loads between Namibia and Zamibia; the customs documentation between the Namibian and Zambian cars have been simplified whereby both countries are using the ASYCUDA system; 28km of the Kafue/Mazabuka road has been rehabilitated which is now in good condition; this to mention but a few. The TCC through the Port of Walvis Bay has shown a substantial increase in trade, from 6000 to 12000 tonnes per month, which includes an increase in the amount of used vehicles imported through the Port of Walvis Bay. In 2004, prior to the construction of the bridge across the Zambezi River, cargo was recorded at approximately 400 tonnes per month. Furthermore, with effect from April 2008, the mines of Zambia and the DRC have commenced with the utilization of the TCC. It has become clear that the TCC is increasingly becoming the preferred trade route to import and export.