Trans-Kalahari Border Post study reveals average clearance time of over five hours

By: Hertha Ekandjo

A Time Release Study (TRS) Report for the Trans-Kalahari Border Post has found that the average time taken to clear imported goods in Namibia—from the moment a truck arrives at the Entry Gate to its exit at the Exit Gate is 5 hours and 31 minutes.

The report which was officially launched on Thursday breaks down the clearance process into several stages.

The findings of the study provide insights into potential areas for efficiency improvements in border clearance operations, aiming to reduce delays and enhance trade facilitation at the Trans-Kalahari Border Post.

According to the findings of the report, the time taken from a truck’s arrival at the border to the submission of a customs declaration is 2 hours and 32 minutes.

The recommendations of the study if well implemented would contribute for ease of doing business and meet the expectation of the trader and other stakeholders.

Speaking during the launch, SADC Secretariat’s Senior Programme Officer Customs Alcides Monteiro said the study is one of the trade facilitation instruments meant to support the implementation of the industrialization strategy.

The strategy is anchored on the regional value chain as part of the consolidation of the SADC Free Trade Area in line with the Regional Indicative Strategy Development Plan (RISDP).

He said the implementation of its recommendations will contribute for easy of doing business and attracting therefore foreign direct investment which eventually will make the economies to catapult from low to media and from media to high income economy depending on the current economic situation and trends of the Member States.