Botswana is currently seeing significant developments at its borders, including the expansion of the Pioneer Border Post and the establishment of a one-stop border post (OSBP) at Mamuno.According to Leslie Mpofu, executive director of the Trans Kalahari Corridor Secretariat (TKCS), these projects are ongoing and will benefit the movement of trade significantly once completed.“At Pioneer, the expansion includes the development of staff housing and the upgrade of the terminal building. The project is well advanced and expected to be completed soon,” he told Freight News. “These upgrades are part of a long-agreed plan designed to improve border infrastructure.”He said the development of an OSBP between Namibia and Botswana at the Trans-Kalahari and Mamuno border posts was an exciting development for the region. “There has been some slight delay with contractors on site but we are hoping to see the process move slightly faster and that it will be a one-stop border before the end of the year.”The initial May 1 implementation date was revised, and while hopes are high for an announcement in July, no firm confirmation has been given by either of the two countries involved.The World Customs Organization (WCO) has been collaborating closely with the Botswana Unified Revenue Service and implemented a time release study (TRS) at the border in January this year, a significant step for the development of the OSBP that will ultimately enhance Botswana’s trade facilitation and economic progress. With the TRS, a baseline of current operations at the border post was established to align the future OSBP with global best practices.Mpofu said the benefits of moving to a 24-hour operation at the border post last year were already evident.“There has been a definite increase in volumes since then,” he said, indicating that volumes were expected to continue on this upward trajectory along the Trans Kalahari Corridor (TKC).Mpofu said the OSBP was seen as a strategic initiative aimed at streamlining border operations between Namibia and Botswana and facilitating more trade on the corridor. “There is no doubt that the OSBP will improve efficiencies and enhance the seamless movement of goods along the corridor. We expect to see far fewer delays, with the amount of time spent at the border post significantly decreasing.”Consolidating border clearance activities such as customs, immigration and other regulatory checks into a single location not only reduced time spent at a border post, but also the effort required for cross-border activities, said Mpofu. “Botswana remains a major supporter of the TKC, seeing it as a strategic corridor for the country. It is not only an additional corridor but an alternative to the country, linking it to the western seaboard in Namibia and providing options other than Cape Town or Durban in South Africa.”He said improved border operations would significantly benefit trade on the corridor. “We have seen a steady rise in Botswana trade on the corridor, moving from an initial 3% to the current 16%, which highlights the growing interest in this route and corridor.”
