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Zambia, Congo DR and Namibia sign agreement on transport

Zambia, Congo DR and Namibia sign agreement on transport
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Mon 08 Mar. 2010, 06:10 CAT

ZAMBIA has signed an agreement aimed at harmonising all aspects of transport, trade and spatial development with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Namibia.

During the signing ceremony on the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Development at the Zambezi Sun Hotels in Livingstone on Thursday, communications minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa said according to various publications by our regional bodies, transport costs in Africa were in the range of 60 per cent.

“Transport costs in our region as a share of value of exports are high. According to various publications by our regional bodies, transport costs in Africa are in the region of 60 per cent. The high cost of transport in our region and Africa as a whole has negatively impacted on our competitive capacity on the global economic market,” Prof Lungwangwa said.

“As ministers responsible for transport under this corridor, there is need for us to cooperate and work tirelessly to reduce this cost for the benefit of our people we are serving in our respective countries.”

He said excessive documentary requirements and insufficient use of automated systems at border posts also hindered smooth trade in the region.

Prof Lungwangwa said the inadequate border facilities at most border posts was another bottleneck as some officials were forced to work under trees.

On the issue of immigration, Prof Lungwangwa said commercial drivers were subjected to obtaining VISAs valid for seven days in some cases when they had to spend more days on the road hence wasting time and raising transportation costs.

Prof Lungwangwa said the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Development was of critical importance to the southern African region’s economic development.

“We are going to witness the signing of an agreement which is also focusing on harmonisation of all aspects of transport, trade and spatial development initiative among the participating states namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and Zambia,” he said.

Prof Lungwangwa said the initiative of the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Development was initiated by then Namibian president Sam Nujoma and former president Frederick Chiluba in 1997 during the state visit to Namibia by late DRC president Laurent Desire Kabila.

“As ministers of transport in the three countries, we were then directed to establish this corridor. We have taken so much time to have this corridor become a reality because of various consultations our officials were making. They had to consult the donors, the public and private sectors and other international organisations including the regional economic grouping such as SADC and COMESA. This agreement establishing the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor was also subjected to legal scrutiny by our respective ministers of justice,” Prof Lungwangwa said.

He added that the agreement was being signed to facilitate cross border trade and transit-transport cooperation among the three states.

“Give landlocked countries of Zambia and the Katanga Province of DRC unimpeded access through Namibia’s territory to the Port of Walvis Bay and development initiative aimed at the developing other economic areas along the corridor such as mining agriculture and tourism to mention a few,” Prof Lungwangwa said.

And Namibian minister of works and transport Helmut Angula said developing countries were particularly challenged as a result of remoteness from international markets, unfavourable terms of trade, limited investment in infrastructure development and maintenance as well as other policy-related dilemmas.

“The share of Least Developing Countries in world trade also remains dismal over the years. Thus establishment of functional transit-transport arrangements through bilateral treaties conventions, policy reforms and harmonisation of common rules and standards are imperative as we seek to take advantage of global trade instruments,” he said.

Angula said the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Development was equally a fulfilment of sub-regional protocols on cooperation and development.

“I urge that the virtues of our agreement be operationalised or risk degenerating into a mere dream in the increasing competitive corridor and cross border business. Thus the need for trade facilities through removal of both physical and non-physical barriers cannot be overemphasised,” Angula said.

And permanent secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Transport Dominic Sichinga said Livingstone City faced a lot of challenges as a transit town in terms of infrastructure and other socio-economic problems.

“Accidents are on the rise in this city because of high traffic of trucks transiting through the city. HIV/AIDS cases are also on the rise in this city. Statistics show that a major contributing factor is that a great number of truck drivers spend a lot of time from their homes and engage themselves in sexual activities. I would urge trucking companies to develop HIV/AIDS policies in places of work,” said Sichinga.

Labels: DRC, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, NAMIBIA, TRANSPORT

posted by MrK @ 10:31 AM