The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Zambia are pursuing cross-border reforms and modernization at their common border crossing in Kasumbalesa. These efforts respond to eminent challenges traders and transporters face in conducting cross-border trade through the Kasumbalesa border crossing. Strategically, the Kasumbalesa border post is an important border crossing located at a point where several Southern African Development Community (SADC) trade corridors converge, including North-South Corridors, Dar es Salaam Development Corridor, Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor, Beira Development Corridor, and the Lobito Development Corridors.
As part of the broader Kasumbalesa Initiatives, the Customs Systems Interconnectivity Project, aimed at enhancing cross-border trade efficiency and reducing trade barriers, is bolstered by the support of World Customs Organization (WCO) through the “Trade Facilitation and Customs Modernization Programme for Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa” 2020-2024 (Sida-WCO TFCM Programme), in collaboration with the German Development Cooperation through the Cooperation for the Enhancement of SADC Regional Economic Integration (GIZ- CESARE Programme) and the SADC.
With the technical expertise of the WCO and financial support of the GIZ, the Direction Générale des Douanes et Accises (DGDA) and the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) launched an inaugural meeting of the Project Steering Committee on Customs System Interconnectivity on 1 November 2024, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
This highly engaging meeting considered and approved the terms of reference of the Steering Committee and the Work Programme for the project. The Steering Committee is further supported by the Technical Working Groups, which convened from 28 to 31 October 2024 to continue developing the technical frameworks and tools. These tools, which are modelled on WCO standards and instruments, include Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance (CMAA) and the Globally Networked Customs Utility Block for the bilateral exchange of Customs data.
With the setting up of the Project Steering Committee, the project is poised to launch the Customs system interconnectivity and data exchange in May 2025.
For more information on this activity, you can contact the WCO at the following address: capacity.building@wcoomd.org