The cross border trade between Tanzania and Great Lakes region countries has continued to grow, but rising costs of doing businesses, tariff and non- tariff barrier as well as red tapes on immigration procedures have remained major challenges facing business community.
The summit which attracted participants from five countries, which also use Dar es Salaam port as a gateway for their imports and exports trades, said if 16 listed measures will be considered by policy makers, they will make cross border in the region more cheap, easier and faster.
Through the measures, participants have urged Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Tanzania Shipping Agency (TASAC), Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) and migration department to make reforms on their operation, because they have been mentioned as sources of challenges facing business community.
They have called for TRA to enhance the effectiveness of tracking device to avoid delays, TPA to improve dwelling times to reduce penalties and extra costs to business people, while Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) and Migration offices were told to respect clients and improve customer relations.
TRC’s director of planning and investment Nzeyimana Djegular said the railway company is currently implementing number of projects valued 12trn/- to construct the new rail system and conduct repairs which will smooth cargo transport.
Reverien Ndikuriyo general secretary of CNDD- FDD, the ruling political party in Burundi said the Burundian government has provided 200b/- to TRC to construct the railway line from Tanzania to Gitega, the capital city, to smooth movement of goods from the port to the landlocked tiny country.
Responding on the key summit highlights, director general representative from Tanzania Bureau Standard (TBS) David Balema in order to reduce barriers of quality check, the East African Community (EAC) member countries need to harmonize standards regulations.
" We are ready to solve any challenge facing trades in a collective manner; we are ready to serve through online services to ensure one standard, one taste and one certificate to all EAC members to avoid delays and red tape,” Balema said.
Jean Claud Mubalaza Ziboma director governor of South Kivu said in Congo, registering a company takes only 3 days, but in other countries like Tanzania it takes a long time, which also increase the costs of doing business and sometime discourage people from opening their companies to serve their imports and exports trades.
Abel Nkeyende an acting director of Tanzania Shipping Agency (TASAC) said, in order to end the mentioned challenges, traders should follow transportation policy and laws of not mixing up cargos with passengers for navigation safety and security.
"Some operators ignore the facts that it is forbidden to fill passenger vehicle with cargos because it endangers lives. I call upon the government to support us in educating people for we all know what it brings by mixing up" said Nkeyende
Flory Okandju, the Central corridor Executive Director said, they will continue facilitating cross border trade and remove barriers for the benefits of the economies of member countries.
Tanzanian Ambassador to Rwanda Richard Makanzo said business relations between Tanzania and Rwanda is good and more than 400 trucks are moving within the countries border each day but he asked the government to review its passengers transport regulations in Rwanda to allow free movement of people as articulated in the EAC protocol.
On his side, Tanzanian Ambassador in Congo Said Mshana said TRA should clarify on VAT return to DR Congo business people because eight out of ten traders have no idea on how does it works.
