Home
FacebookTwitterSearchMenu
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • News
  • Features
  • Knowledge Library
  • Columns
  • Customs
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • FX Rates
  • Categories
    • Categories
    • Africa
    • Air Freight
    • BEE
    • Border Beat
    • COVID-19
    • Crime
    • Customs
    • Domestic
    • Duty Calls
    • Economy
    • Employment
    • Energy/Fuel
    • Events
    • Freight & Trading Weekly
    • Imports and Exports
    • Infrastructure
    • International
    • Logistics
    • Other
    • People
    • Road/Rail Freight
    • Sea Freight
    • Skills & Training
    • Social Development
    • Sustainability
    • Technology
    • Trade/Investment
    • Webinars
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send us news
    • Editorial Guidelines
Africa
Border Beat
Road/Rail Freight

Zambia and DRC sign joint communiqué about borders

13 Jun 2022 - by Eugene Goddard
 Source: Adobe Stock.
0 Comments

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

Southern Africa’s long-haul road freight fraternity received good news on Friday when it became known that a joint communiqué had been signed to turn a series of Copperbelt borders into 24-hour transits.

Although the information is spare on detail, neglecting to indicate when round-the-clock operations will be implemented, cross-border hauliers unanimously welcomed the development.

News of the communiqué came after last Thursday’s meeting in Chingola, Zambia, attended by customs delegates and related government executives to thrash out issues causing congestion at borders such as Kasumbalesa.

The meeting came after a previous problem-solving session was held in Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but this time spoken commitments to resolve trade-crippling bottlenecking have resulted in a signed undertaking.

The MoU states that “Zambia and the DRC (will) put in place procedures for 24-hour border operations at Kasumbalesa, Sakania, Mokambo on the Copperbelt and Kipushi”.

It’s interesting that Kipushi, a south-western crossing into Zambia’s North-Western Province, has been added into the MoU – perhaps an indication of Lusaka’s intention to develop the linkage between Lubumbashi and Solwezi.

Kasumbalesa, Mokambo and Sakania are mostly south- and east-serving borders.

At a recent presentation by the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) in Kitwe, capital of the Copperbelt Province, WBCG head Mbahupu Hippy Tjivikua bemoaned the fact that cathodes from the DRC couldn’t go straight south-west out of its copper-mining province of Haut Katanga.

How long it will take Zambia to upgrade its road network out west to “bitumen standards”, to paraphrase Tjivikua, remains anyone’s guess.

For the time being, though, copper headed to Walvis still has to loop south-east out of Zambia before making its way due south-west for shipment out of Namibia.

As for pessimism about long-sought-after bilateral co-operation between Africa’s two leading copper producers, on Friday detractors took a backseat after the communiqué was signed.

The undertaking to decongest Kasumbalesa and roll-out 24-hour operations at the various other borders was signed by Chipoka Mulenga and Jacques Katwe, respectively Commerce, Trade and Industry minister for Zambia and governor of Katanga.

The communiqué’s agreements were later confirmed by Frank Tayali, minister of Transport and Logistics for Zambia.

Tayali said the two countries were targeting to clear a minimum of 800 trucks from Zambia into the DRC on a daily basis.

He added that the two neighbours would put in place smart border operational tools and hard infrastructure improvement to ease and reduce the cost of cross-border trade.

The question remains, though: when will it all happen?

Sign up to our mailing list and get daily news headlines and weekly features directly to your inbox free.
Subscribe to receive print copies of Freight News Features to your door.

Export reg for Lesotho going ahead with July 1 deadline

Imports and Exports
Logistics

It is understood that RSL has undertaken to address and resolve these concerns by June 27.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Vessel carrying 3 000 new vehicles sinks

Sea Freight

The crew abandoned ship after a fire broke out while it was en route to Mexico.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Cabotage restrictions: Merchant Shipping Bill’s threat exposed

Imports and Exports
Logistics
Yesterday
0 Comments

Chicken farmers warn of US poultry import risk

Imports and Exports

The sector has urged the government to reverse a decision allowing the US to control its own export bans.

Yesterday
0 Comments

OPINION: SA’s energy future depends on speed, scale and grid connectivity

Economy
Technology

The June update builds on earlier projections from July 2024, incorporating substantial changes following November's draft Integrated Resource Plan.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Mental health claims the most seafarers – survey

Sea Freight

Mental health challenges among seafarers have long been described as a silent epidemic.

Yesterday
0 Comments

IMO campaign targets bullying aboard ships

Sea Freight

Maritime industry marks Day of the Seafarer, with focus on dignity and safety on every vessel.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Hormuz tension triggers surge in war-risk insurance premiums

Logistics
Other
25 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Lobito Corridor construction steaming ahead

Imports and Exports
Infrastructure
Logistics

The corridor is designed to facilitate the export of copper and agricultural products through Angola.

25 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Grindrod reports slip in interim volumes for year to date

Logistics

The company reaffirmed its commitment to improving throughput across its network.

25 Jun 2025
0 Comments

MSC's $23 billion terminals take-over deal under threat

Logistics

Together with BlackRock, the line submitted a joint bid worth $22.8 billion in March.

25 Jun 2025
0 Comments

Infrastructure alone not the only trade shortcoming – corridor specialist

Infrastructure
Logistics

PPP disconnects is one of the issues highlighted by the IMD’s report.

25 Jun 2025
0 Comments
  • More

FeatureClick to view

Road & Rail 27 June 2025

Border Beat

Forum tightens net against border corruption
25 Jun 2025
Police clamp down on cross-border crime
17 Jun 2025
Zim's anti-smuggling measures delay legitimate freight operations
06 Jun 2025
More

Poll

Has South Africa's ports turned the corner?

Featured Jobs

New

Multimodal Controller DBN (OR Strong in Sea Imports FCL/LCL/Breakbulk and willing to learn other modes)

Tiger Recruitment
DBN North
26 Jun
New

Commercial Manager

Lee Botti & Associates
Durban
25 Jun
More Jobs
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Freight News RSS
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send us news
  • Contact us