BORDER AGENCY COOPERATION RWANDA REVENUE AUTHORITY 22042013 KIGALI

BORDER AGENCY COOPERATION RWANDA REVENUE AUTHORITY 22/04/2013, KIGALI

CONTENT Ø BACKGROUND Ø BORDERS OF RWANDA Ø INTEGRATION WITH BORDER AGENCIES Ø ONE STOP BORDER POST Ø HARMONIZATION OF WORKING HOURS

BACKGROUND Rwanda is a land locked country with NTBs along side the corridor. Rwanda believes that trade facilitation is the only way to build economy despite the challenges faced. Rwanda earmarked IBM as one of the major areas that TF programmes should focus on:

REGULAROTORY AGENCIES AT THE BORDERS - RWANDA REVENUE AUTHORITY IMMIGRATION OFFICE NATIONAL POLICE RWANDA AGRICULTURE BOARD RWANDA BUREAU OF STANDARDS

COORDINATED BORDER MANAGEMENT • OBJECTIVES • T o ensure that regulatory agencies meet common mandate of facilitating the movement of legitimae people and goods • Maintain efficient control • Avoid duplication of work • Better cooperation among authorities and agencies involved in border security and regulatory requirements

JOURNEY TO THE CMB • • Strong political commitment Each institution reviewed its mission objectives Developed a common set of border requirements Established a framework of responsibilites

JOURNEY TO CBM • WEEKLY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS EMERGING ISSUES • SHARE INFORMATION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES • ONE VISA COUNTER • JOINT VERIFICATION (INVOLVING ALL REGULATORY AGENCIES AND TRAFFIC POLICE) • IMPLEMENTATION OF ESW; ALL REGULATORY AGENCIES HAVE ACCES TO ESW

IBM WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES • • • OBJECTIVES: Reduces time spent Queuing on two stops Comply with the regulatory requirements Reduce traffic at the borders Reduce transport costs

ONE STOP BORDER POST • Rwanda and Burundi have established an OSBP at Nemba/Gasenyi and at Ruhwa Ø Border crossing facilities and procedures were alligned, 2 countries signed Mo. U on border cooperation. Ø Regulatory agencies for Burundi and Rwanda have offices in the same building Ø Same verification shade Ø Inspections and searches of cargoes or vehicles are generally conducted in the presence of officers from both states.

One stop border post • Construction of Rusumo border post is underway • Construction of Kagitumba border post is yet to start

HARMONIZATION OF WORKING HOURS • Harmonized working hours at the borders depending on business needs. • Entered into different bilateral agreements for border cooperation(eg. Bilateral agreement with Tanzania)

AUTHORISED ECONOMIC OPERATORS • Official WCO definition of AEO is “a party involved in the international movement of goods in whatever function that has been approved by or on behalf of a national Customs administration as complying with WCO or equivalent supply chain security standards”; • AEO accreditations will have the same value across EAC region (Mutual Recognition); • In principle, a Rwandan AEO will be granted simplified or speeded up clearance in any other EAC Partner State; • A Single AEO accreditation will make movement of goods across the region quicker, lower costs of trade in the EAC region and globally.

CARGO TRACKING SYTEM • This system will be introduced very soon to ensure that transit cargoes can be monitored in real time. . This will reduce time spent on check points along transit road.

JOINT SURVEILLANCE • In a bid to crackdown on smuggling and tax evasion by cross border traders, Rwanda and Uganda signed an agreement to begin joint surveillance at the Katuna-Gatuna border crossing.

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION