Minister Gwengwe says government committed to achieve effective trade facilitation through improved border management process

Minister of Trade and Industry, Sosten Gwengwe says government is doing everything possible to ensure that there is improved border management processes in order to achieve effective trade facilitation.

Gwengwe made the remarks in Mwanza during the official symbolic handover ceremony of the newly constructed One Stop Border Post facility which will accommodate all border operation offices with the aim of reducing significant time which the traders take to process their imports or exports as they patronize the borders.

The Minister also highlighted that the construction of One Stop Border Post will reduce a number of agencies by bringing together only five critical institutions unlike in the past where over 14 agencies were operating at the border which was contributing to heavy congestion, duplication and delays in processing businesses and other documents.

“Previously unnecessary delays have been a major setback to our traders and as government we want to make processes in borders much simpler and easier as well as cheaper for private sector so that we make imports and exports seamless.

“Currently we have completed these structures in Mchinji  as well as Dedza and we are also planning to construct in Songwe and Mulanje because our objective is to bring sanity in all our borders,” said Gwengwe.

Deputy Commissioner General for  Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Henry Ngutwa hinted that the new border terminal is a key in trade facilitation as it support the private sector in doing business by making sure that there is efficiency in time management such that goods and people entering or exiting the country do not stay long.

He said with the new One Stop Border Post they expect improved activities as well as revenue because because the operation will be done in a smooth manner.

“Our target as MRA is to allow goods to move into production as soon as possible by having a time release of not more than 3 hours which will also help us to achieve a turnover that helps us to  grow from the current K24 billion monthly to over K26 billion every month,” said Ngutwa.

A total of K5.5 billion fund from the World Bank was used in construction of the One Stop Border Post facility whose project was commenced in March 2023.