The Namibian Revenue Agency (NamRA), in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) Secretariat and the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT), launched the Coordinated Border Management (CBM) National Strategy for Namibia and the adoption of the inter-agency standard operations framework for border management.
The strategy is aimed at enhancing cross-border management processes, which aims at promoting regional trade integration and facilitating trade within Namibia and the Southern African region.
The just-launched framework will support the smooth movement of the inflow of goods and the efficient flow or exchange of information at the intra-agency, regional, and international levels.
NamRA Commissioner Sam Shivute says the CBM National Strategy for Namibia is the first step towards the establishment of an attractive legal framework to support cooperation and coordination between border agencies and countries with whom Namibia shares borders.
"When we talk about being uncoordinated and we are coordinating, we must also be inspired by what the President said when he said unity is the sharpest weapon. Therefore, we must strive for unity. This unity is for the benefit of Namibia; it is for the benefit of all Namibians. And it's also for the investors who want to bring investment here. If they know that it's efficient here at the border, if they know that their consignment will not be there for about 19 days, they would, of course, want to do business in Namibia. And also, we also need to appreciate the fact that Namibia is part of the African Continental Free Trade Area."
The Coordinated Border Management National Strategy for Namibia is presented as a crucial step in improving coordination between border agencies and neighbouring countries.
To improve trade facilitation, all agencies need to work together to achieve one goal.
SADC Head of Delegation Alcides Monteiro highlighted that implementing the CBM concept in Namibia will speed up the movement of goods across borders and reduce trade costs.
"By implementing the CBM concept in Namibia, it will help to expedite the movement of goods across borders, reduce transaction costs, increase the country's level of trade competitiveness, fulfil commitments under the trade agreements, and contribute to meeting the WTO trade facilitation requirements."
The Executive Director of the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, Sikongo Haihambo, says the current 19 days for goods to depart are unacceptably long and need urgent improvement.
However, he indicated that, as progress is made, more efforts are required.
"We should praise ourselves that the country has embarked on some major processes to expedite cross-border trade, not only at the seaports but at various inland borders as well. Amongst all the processes and reforms that Namibia is engaging in is the move towards establishing one-stop border posts with our neighbouring countries. Most notably, the neighbouring country that comes to mind is Botswana. However, we need to have that in place with all our neighbouring countries."