Zambia, Tanzania seal smuggling loopholes

ZAMBIA and Tanzania have sealed a deal designed to reduce smuggling activities at the Nakonde Tunduma One Stop Border Post and increase revenue collection by exchanging critical information on imports and exports.

The two countries yesterday in Tanzania signed a Memorandum of Understanding through the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and Tanzania Revenue Authority ( TRA).

Through this agreement, ZRA will be able to access information from TRA's customs department, thereby tracking imports from as far as Dar es Salaam.

ZRA Commissioner General, Kingsley Chanda, said the MoU would assist the two countries achieve transparency at the Nakonde Tunduma One Stop Border Post.

Mr Chanda said Zambia and Tanzania would be able to legally and formally exchange trade information through the MoU.

"For us, this is a great day, we set ourselves some objectives that are designed to facilitate trade through this important border for both Zambia and Tanzania.

"We did commit ourselves to sign an MoU so that our cooperation and exchange of information is done legally and formally and that is why we are here today," he said.

Mr Chanda said he was impressed that the two countries had honoured their commitment to formalise trade at the border post. He explained that it was as a result of the commitment that led to the signing on the agreement.

"As a result of that commitment from both of us, we are here to sign this important MoU but what is more important is what we intend to do from now onwards.

"It is not just talking and meetings, it is about actions that will help our importers, exporters, drivers and ultimately the people of the two countries," Mr Chanda said.

Speaking earlier, TRA Commissioner General, Edwin Mhede explained that the signing of the MoU was as a result of deliberations made on December 13, 2019. Dr Mhede further explained that among the several resolutions made in December was to sign an MoU and implement it.