LUSAKA — Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed a trade facilitation agreement aimed at cutting border delays that cost transporters millions of dollars annually in demurrage and perishable cargo losses.
Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga and DRC counterpart Julien Paluku signed the accord in Lusaka, establishing joint border committees, harmonised documentation and a pilot single-window clearance system at Kasumbalesa.
Truck drivers interviewed at the border said queues often stretch 40 kilometres during peak copper concentrate export weeks. Informal traders welcomed provisions for simplified permits for cross-border small consignments.
The Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry projected that reduced transit times could increase non-mining exports by 12 percent within two years. Logistics firms plan to invest in bonded warehouses near Ndola leveraging the agreement.
Implementation begins in September, with World Bank technical assistance for IT integration. Skeptics cited past MOUs that stalled without political follow-through, urging publication of performance benchmarks.
