The Namibian Revenue Agency (NamRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Swakop Uranium, Wisterial Investment Three and Africa Packaging to speed up trade and make it easier, in line with customs rules.

The agreement sees the parties agree to speed up border clearance and inspection, treatment priority, and recognition in other countries such as South Africa, Eswatini and Botswana, as well as support from the Agency.

"We are members of the World Customs Organisation. Now, the World Customs Organisation and the World Trade Organisation have some measures and also customs modernisation programmes that they always advocate for member states or for customs administrations to implement so that we can facilitate trade and make it simple for traders and for those who are involved in supply chains or movements of goods between different borders. So that it can be easy, so that there is efficiency, so that there is certainty," said NamRA Commissioner Sam Shivute.

The authorised economic operator programme requires participants to conduct self-assessments, show financial solvency, undergo evaluation and demonstrate compliance with customs procedures.

"As an authorised economic operator, that would then mean that when trucks are passing through the borders, they would not be subjected to physical inspection, because sometimes you may find even a one-handled or two-handled truck at the border at the same time. Now, if someone has already proven that they are compliant, they conduct ethical business, and they do not pose that much risk to maybe a revenue agency and to NamRA, why would you then again subject them to all those physical stops and inspections?"