Zambia procures scanners for major border posts

An agreement aimed at addressing bottlenecks hindering trade along the Walvis Bay-Ndola- Lubumbashi corridor (Trans Caprivi Corridor) as well as developing reliable, cost-effective and seamless transport systems is one step closer to being signed. This follows a recent meeting in Walvis Bay where the Walvis Bay- Ndola-Lubumbashi technical committee (WBNL) gathered to finalise an agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia and Zambia. It’s aimed at increasing economic activity through the promotion of trade on the corridor and also addressed the development of reliable, cost-effective and seamless transport, telecommunication and energy systems. According to a spokesman for the WBNL, representatives of both the public and private sectors of all three countries attended the meeting. “The objective was to finalise the agreement which will now be presented to the countries’ Committee of Permanent Secretaries and Ministers responsible for transport for approval and signing,” said the spokesperson. The WBNL first met in September last year to discuss ways of increasing volumes on the corridor which is becoming more popular as an alternative import and export route through the Port of Walvis Bay to Zambia and the DRC, evident in cargo volumes that have increased by a staggering 156.9%. Zambian delegates told the WBNL that customs clearance at Katima Mulilo had improved, while the Zambia Revenue Authority was in the process of procuring scanners for all the major Zambian border posts. DRC delegates confirmed that the extension of visas had been approved from seven days to 14.