Recommendation on the creation of one-stop border posts (OSBPs) on the African continent

Jurisdiction
African Regional Bodies · African Union (AU)
Regional Body / Author
Pan-African Parliament
Date
18 May 2017
Language
Type
Recommendation
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African Union

Recommendation on the creation of one-stop border posts (OSBPs) on the African continent

THE PAN-AFRICAN PARLIAMENT,CONSIDERING Article 17 (1) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union on the establishment of the Pan-African Parliament to ensure the full participation of African peoples in the development and economic integration of the continent;CONSIDERING Article 3 of the Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community Relating to the Pan-African Parliament, and Rule 4 (a) of the Rules of Procedure of the Pan-African Parliament, which empower the PAP to, inter alia, facilitate the effective implementation of the policies and objectives of the OAU/AEC and, ultimately, of the African Union; to encourage good governance, transparency and accountability in member states, and to encourage good governance, transparency and accountability in Member States;RECALLING Aspiration 2 of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which aims inter alia for an integrated continent, politically united, based on the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance and the goal for Africa to be a “continent with seamless borders” where “the free movement of people, capital, goods and services will result in significant increases in trade and investments among African countries;NOTING the findings from the report of the PAP Fact-finding Mission to Chirundu One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) between Zambia and Zimbabwe on the North-South corridor that the Committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration matters undertook from 12-14 March 2017; gNOTING also that the establishment of One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) constitutes one of the priority within the 2012 AU Plan of Action on Boosting Intra African Trade, which foresees OSBPs at all key border posts, the reduction of border time crossing of goods and the extension of the operating times of the borders and ports, to 24 hours and 7 days a week, where necessary;CONVINCED that the establishment of OSBP throughout Africa is in line with the continental priorities and objectives of the Niamey Convention set out in article 2 on the promotion of cross-border cooperation, at the local, sub-regional and regional levels, the seizure of the opportunities arising from shared borders, the need to address the related challenges, to facilitate the definition, demarcation and reaffirmation of interstate borders in conformity with mechanisms agreed upon by the parties concerned, and to transform border areas into catalysts for growth, socio-economic and political integration of the continent, as referenced in the 2012 AU Draft Strategy for Enhancing Border Management;CONVINCED FURTHER that OSBP are a key tool for border management and regional integration of the various Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and it can facilitate the free movement of goods, persons and services, which is the last stage of the establishment of a common market;IN ACCORDANCE WITH Rule 5 (d) of the Rules of Procedure of the Pan-African Parliament, which empowers the PAP to, inter alia, organize debate, discuss, express an opinion, make recommendations and take resolutions on the objectives and on any matters relating to the African Union and its organs, Regional Economic Communities, Member States and their organs and institutions;NOW HEREBY RECOMMENDS:
1.The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to promote the expansion of One-Stop Border Posts in the continent as this mechanism can help to reduce transit times for traders and ease human mobility within African regions;
2.The RECs to accelerate the process of regional integration and to ensure that human mobility concerns are adequately addressed on the continent by promoting the free movement of people, good and services;
3.Member States to adopt necessary measures to accelerate the simplification and standardization of customs procedures by harmonizing the nature of the required documents and information and progressively migrating to IT-based customs and immigration management and controls; and, to that end:To sensitize their police and security services, customs agents and other relevant stakeholders on trade facilitation measures and instruments;Invest in customs administrations reforms that cultivate a high level of professionalism, integrity and transparent on their procedures;Design capacity building programme in the area of border management;Take appropriate border management responses at times of humanitarian crisis to ensure that border management practices can be adjusted to the needs of specific groups found within complex mixed migration flows;
4.The African Union to assist and encourage the Regional Economic Communities to implement regional support programmes for cross border cooperation.
Adopted at Midrand, South Africa 18 May 2017
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