Namibian hauliers are keeping freight moving through the country by overcoming both physical and administrative challenges, says Harald Schmidt, secretary-general of the Namibia Logistics Association (NLA).Challenges identified by the NLA include unsuitable and deteriorating infrastructure, weak collaboration between the regulatory authorities and the private sector, limited use of technology, over-complex legislation, and lack of standardisation between South African Customs Union (Sacu) member companies.Covid-19 has added to the delays experienced by hauliers.“With the appearance of Covid-19, the existing poorly harmonised environment and lack of consistent functional standardised procedures applicable to customs, immigration and security at border crossings have now become the greatest impediment to road transport efficiency – impacting adversely on economic grow th and regional integration as well as the viability of operators,” he told the first workshop of the trade facilitation stakeholders for the trade facilitation technical committee of senior officials hosted earlier this year. Border delays due to red tape, lack of trained staff, and inadequate facilities are regional rather than purely Namibian problems. “It is thus incomprehensible that the solutions proposed by the industry, some of which could have been implemented years ago, have not materialised.“They simply remain the focal discussion points at workshops,” he told Freight News. The result, he said, was that manufacturers based in the region struggled to be globally competitive due to the rising costs of inter-regional transport caused by border inefficiencies and over-regulation.Regional trade also suffers, which results in overall poor economic performance.Solutions proposed by the NLA and other logistics organisations in the region include “rolling out the long-awaited and long-overdue single window policy framework based on customs-to-customs and customs-to-business protocols.“This will enhance collaboration between customs and business based on shared experiences and shared problem solv ing.”Border management will be improved through training and investment in technology.Customs procedures and Covid-19 testing should also be moved away from border posts to reduce congestion.In addition, he said border posts must be operational 24/7 for essential services and compliant operators and eventually for all operators.“The creation of a Sacu trade-facilitation regulatory body is strongly recommended. This would be a one-stop entity comprising all major stakeholders who would work together to achieve functional synergy,” said Schmidt. The creation of a Sacu trade- facilitation regulatory body is strongly recommended.– Harald Schmidt, Namibia Logistics Association“
