17-03-2025

Enhancing Trade Efficiency: SADC and EU Launch Namibia�s Coordinated Border Management Strategy

The Southern African Development Community (SADC), with support from the European Union (EU) under the Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), has launched the Namibia Coordinated Border Management (CBM) Strategy and the Time Release Study (TRS) Report for the Trans Kalahari Border Post. The launch, held in Windhoek, Namibia, on 12-13 March 2025, marks a significant step towards improving trade efficiency and regional integration.

The CBM Strategy and TRS aim to address inefficiencies at Namibia’s borders, including bottlenecks, cumbersome procedures, and infrastructure challenges. By streamlining processes, the initiative seeks to reduce goods clearance times and lower business costs, fostering greater trade within the SADC region and beyond.

The CBM Strategy outlines the establishment of robust implementation structures to oversee the CBM concept, enhance cooperation among border agencies, facilitate bilateral relations with neighboring states, and monitor border-post performance. It also promotes the simplification and harmonization of trade documentation and procedures, improving the predictability and security of control processes while enhancing coordination among border agencies.

Findings from the TRS Report highlight the current clearance times at the Trans Kalahari Border Post: an average of **5 hours and 31 minutes for imports** and **4 hours and 34 minutes for exports**. These insights will help drive improvements in trade facilitation and infrastructure upgrades.

Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) Commissioner **Mr. Sam Shivute** emphasized the country’s commitment to regional trade facilitation and compliance with WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) obligations. He called for stronger information-sharing mechanisms and continued infrastructure enhancements at border crossings.

**Mr. Alcides Monteiro**, Senior Programme Officer for Customs at the SADC Secretariat, reaffirmed the importance of effective trade facilitation measures to consolidate the SADC Free Trade Area. He noted that implementing TRS recommendations will boost intra-regional trade, attract foreign investment, and support economic growth.

SADC’s Coordinated Border Management Guidelines, approved in 2012, serve as a foundation for implementing the CBM concept across Member States. The initiative aligns with broader continental goals, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation.

By fostering efficient and coordinated border management, this initiative will enhance trade competitiveness, reduce transaction costs, and strengthen regional integration, further positioning Namibia and the SADC region as key players in global trade.