Remove trade constraining non-tariff barriers: TMSA

According to UK-funded regional trade development organisation Trademark Southern Africa (TMSA), it is becoming increasingly clear - in South Africa, as well as regionally, that trade liberalisation alone is not enough, when trying to improve intraregional trade.

Therefore, attention is now given to various non-tariff barriers that are currently constraining trade within Southern Africa, including the need to affect substantial improvements at various key border posts.

Cooperation between the countries involved can be expanded by implementing systems set to develop operational capacity and improve the customs experience for traders and travellers alike, says TMSA. Such improvements require strong political support at the highest level - enabling cooperation between governments and between private and public organisations. The process is a complex one, as governments' interests at border posts involve security, enforcement of immigration requirements, health regulations, import and export controls and revenue collection. These interests are protected by various State agencies, TMSA says.

"Integrated border management...focuses on coordination and cooperation between (state agencies, in order) to streamline border procedures... [t]his means a border can be managed more efficiently (and thus) speed up the movement of goods and persons across borders," says TMSA, adding that successful processes require a corridor that traverses multiple countries that are collectively responsibility for managing the borders. A similar corridor approach has already been successfully tested along the North-South Corridor project, which traverses eight countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Read the full article on www.engineeringnews.co.za.