• The support will be used to enhance operational efficiency of the one stop border posts.
• Tunduma border post is the gateway to reaching a Free Trade Area.
• Upgrading of Tunduma border post will strengthen cross regional trade.

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Tanzania have signed €2.7 million sub-delegation agreement to upgrade Tunduma Tanzania-Zambia Border Post that sub-delegates implementation of coordinated border management activities and construction of a border market.

In a statement issued to Money FM News, COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe, who signed the agreement separately in Lusaka with Tanzania’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, Mr. Doto James in Dodoma said she expects stakeholders in Tanzania to embrace the programme, take advantage of the grant and ensure implementation of integration programmes among beneficiaries.

“My expectation is that the stakeholders in Tanzania will embrace the programme and take advantage of this grant and ensure the implementation of our integration programmes among the beneficiaries,” she noted.

Mr. James indicated that, the support will be used to enhance operational efficiency of the one stop border posts, rehabilitation and construction of Small-Scale Market at Majengo Area in Tunduma Town Council.

Further, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Zambia and Special Representative to COMESA Jacek Jankowski said Tunduma border post is the gateway to reaching a Free Trade Area and strengthen relationships between the East African Community (EAC) and COMESA.

And EU Ambassador to Tanzania and EAC said the upgrading of Tunduma border post will strengthen cross regional trade contributing to sustainable economic development in the region.

“Tunduma Border Post is a node on an important transit route linking the ports of Dar es Salaam and the rest of Southern Africa. We are pleased to see that the upgrading of this border post will strengthen cross regional trade contributing to sustainable economic development in the region.”

According to COMESA, through the sub-delegation agreement, the United Republic of Tanzania would also receive support in the development of improved and harmonized regulatory frameworks and procedures at its border crossing with Zambia.

“COMESA will facilitate financial, logistical and administrative processes in line with its contractual obligations.”

The regional Trade Bloc stated that funds would follow the agreed action plan between COMESA and the United Republic of Tanzania and in line with the Covid-19 pandemic.

COMESA explained that this project was funded under the 11th European Development Fund Small-Scale Cross Border Trade Initiative (SSCBTI), EUR 684,000 and Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), EUR 1,954,000, through a EUR 65 million grant agreement of the EU with COMESA, signed in 2018.