WINDHOEK, March 6– Namibia has launched the Inter-Agency Standard Operations Framework for Coordinated Border Management, part of efforts to establish itself as the primary logistics gateway for landlocked southern African nations.
A signing and adoption ceremony involving the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) and several other state entities was held late Wednesday in Windhoek, the capital.
According to NamRA, the framework strengthens collaboration among border agencies through mechanisms such as joint inspections, coordinated controls, and structured information-sharing, supporting Namibia‘s commitment to the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement and advancing the government’s vision to position Namibia as a regional logistics hub for southern Africa.
“We did not just ensure that there are initiatives like one-stop border posts, authorized economic operator, pre-clearance, coordinated border management, but we ensured that there was effective and efficient implementation, because when we do that, we are then contributing to the economic growth of this country,” NamRA Commissioner Sam Shivute said during the launch ceremony.
For years, redundant inspections and fragmented data-sharing have hampered cross-border trade in the region. The new framework introduces joint inspections and coordinated controls, effectively ending the practice of multiple agencies, according to NamRA. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
