The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) says negotiations between Namibia and Zambia are nearing completion on a long-awaited One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) initiative at the Katima Mulilo border crossing.
Talks between the Agency and other stakeholders resumed Tuesday and are expected to conclude on Friday, finalising a bilateral agreement that has been in development since April 2019.
Negotiations began when Namibia received Zambia’s initial draft agreement. Since then, multiple high-level meetings have underscored the importance of finalising the pact.
According to the co-chair of the joint technical committee Abner David of the Namibian delegation, the OSBP aims to streamline border procedures and boost trade and security between the two neighbouring countries.
“We need to have open and honest discussions among all of us here. And once we have this agreement finalised, setting up dedicated task teams will be crucial to making sure this project is a success,” he said.
He highlighted the OSBP’s alignment with World Customs Organisation practices for smoother cross-border trade.
Similarly, Margaret Chikuba, also a co-chair and from the Zambian delegation, said the collaboration is important for trade facilitation and achieving the project’s goals.
She also referenced the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), underlining its connection to the OSBP initiative.
This follows as construction of the One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Trans-Kalahari/Mamuno is at an advanced stage and is expected to be operational by August 2024.
