Kasumbalesa border post heralds new era

A US$25-million border
post between Zambia and
the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) at Kasumbalesa
is the new face of border posts
in Africa.
The border post had
been identified by SADC,
COMESA and the North
South Corridor forums as one
of the main regional obstacles
for the flow of regional trade.
Queues of trucks stretched
for up to six kilometres either
side of the border.
Opened in February this
year, the new post is the result
of a private public partnership
(PPP), with the Zambian (IP)
Border Crossing Company
(ZipBCC) being contracted
to design, build operate and
transfer the facility.
Funding partners include
the Development Bank of
South Africa, which gave
the project its 2010 Africa
Investor “Regional Project of
the Year” award.
It consists of a 5 000 sqm
office complex, 6 000 sqm of
warehousing, 100 000 sqm of
truck parking, and
10 000 sqm of parking for
light and passenger vehicles,
as well as ablution facilities,
restaurants, banks, an Internet
café and duty-free shop.
Modern IT systems are
designed to speed up transit
times through the border.
Drivers no longer have to
carry cash, and fleet owners
can open pre-paid accounts.
Pre-paid coupons may also
be purchased and used for the
payment of crossing fees.
Value-added services for
fleet owners include the
provision of daily/weekly
reports on truck movements
identified through CCTV exit/
entry cameras, and licence
recognition cameras.
Work is under way on Phase
2 of the project to allow for
further growth.
According to freight
companies using the border
post, the improvements have
started speeding up traffic
but there still needs to be
greater streamlining and
co-ordination between the
DRC and Zambian customs
authorities.