MOSHI, Tanzania – TradeMark Africa (TMA) has announced the soft opening of the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Holili in Rombo, District, Kilimanjaro Region on Tanzania’s border with Kenya.

Hopes are this will improve on wasted times for transit cargo clearance.

TMA has supervised the completion of the state-of-art structure at Holili on the Tanzania’s side of the border with Kenya to facilitate implementation of the integrated border management systems at Holili and Taveta border posts.

Dr. Josephat Kweka, the TradeMark Africa Country Director, in a press statement, confirmed last week that the Holili OSBP, in which USD 5.7 million was spent, would begin operations on May 18, 2015 on pilot basis after Tanzania and Kenya signed bilateral agreement to guide operations of the project.

Tanzania and Kenya had opted for a bilateral agreement instead of a OSBP legislation passed by the East African Legislative Assembly in 2013 to speed up implementation of the project.

The OSBP legislation would have required amendment of a number of EAC laws including the Customs Union Managements Act, so as to provide for changes in the way people will be crossing the borders under OSBP concept.

At Taveta border post on the Kenyan side TMA has constructed another OSBP costing a whooping $ 6.7 million to serve as a one-stop-centre to clear cargo and revenue collection combined under one roof.

Under the project activities of both countries’ border organisations and agencies are combined at either a single common location or at a single location in either direction without increasing risk to public safety or revenue collection.

The concept is to improve efficiency by reducing the total average time it takes to clear cargo at the border posts by 30 per cent which will contribute to reducing transport costs and increase intra-regional and foreign trade in the East Africa region.

Operations at the Holili OSBP will offer an alternative transportation route to northern Tanzania from Kenya to the one that passes through Namanga border in Arusha which is considerably longer than the Taveta/Holili route.

TMA is supporting construction of 12 OSBPs in East Africa as part of its activities to foster cross border trade in East African region.

Other sites where construction is on-going include Kabanga in Tanzania side of the border with Burundi, Busia in Kenya and Uganda border, Mutukula in Uganda.

Source: East African Business Week

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of TradeMark Africa.