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Kenya will benefit from Sh207 million worth of equipment from the European Union and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) to upgrade Moyale-One Stop Border Post (OSBP).

The EU and Comesa secretariat handed over part of the equipment valued at 584,262 euros (Sh82.7million), representing 45 per cent of the total procurement under the sub-delegation project early this week.

Christine Haziyo, EU delegation to Zambia and Programme Manager said the donation of the apparatus will ensure safe and smart trading experience at the Kenya-Ethiopia border.

The equipment has been extended under the Comesa European Development Fund (EDF 11) whose key component is the EU Trade Facilitation 53 million Euros (Sh7.5 billion) funded programme.

“The EU, in partnership with Comesa, remains dedicated to addressing the specific challenges that stand in the way of full regional integration,” said Haziyo.

Status of projects
Haziyo made the remarks at the State Department for Trade in Nairobi when together with senior officials of Comesa and Trade Principal Secretary Alfred K’Ombudo held a meeting to review the implementation status of projects under the Comesa European Development Fund (EDF 11) Programme in Kenya.

K’Ombudo confirmed that on May 16, 2023, Kenya and Comesa signed a sub-delegation Agreement for the Moyale OSBP upgrade with Comesa amounting to 2.34 million Euros (Sh331.5 million), which is set to run until December 2024.

“The impact of the Comesa European Development Fund (EDF 11) Programme on Kenya’s cross-border trade landscape has been remarkable. I am proud to report that despite being the last Comesa Member State to sign the sub-delegation agreement, we have exceeded expectations and are nearing completion of the initiatives undertaken in record time,” he said.

The PS highlighted that through the partnerships, Kenya has been a beneficiary of other programmes including the Eastern Africa Platform of Non-State Actors in Fisheries and Aquaculture (EARFISH) project. And the Simplified Trade Regime under the Small-Scale Cross Border Trade Programme.

He said that they expect that these developments will create a seamless cross-border trading experience at the Kenya-Ethiopia border, particularly for small-scale traders.

The Comesa EDF11 Programme is centred on lowering cross-border trade costs whereby it will be achieved through initiatives like the Small-Scale Cross Border Trade Programme and the Trade Facilitation Programme.

Further the programme is aimed at boosting private sector Competitiveness and building capacity for regional integration. European Development Bank Programme manager seating at the Comesa Secretariat Mshuka Kamwela explained that in May 2023, Comesa signed a sub-delegation agreement with the government of Kenya, amounting to 2.34 million Euros (Sh331.5 million), to upgrade the Moyale border post.

Kamwela observed that over the last decade and a half, the Comesa region has made significant strides in trade facilitation, thanks to modernisation measures implemented at member state levels.

These advancements include greater automation, improved system connectivity and interfacing, and the progress in the implementation of National Single Windows.

“We trust that the presented equipment will enhance the capacity of border agencies and relevant government institutions. We also hope that the remaining 55 per cent of the procurement will be fast-tracked to ensure the full realisation of this project’s goals,” said Kamwela.

Trade facilitation
She encouraged the receiving authorities to take great care of the equipment, utilise it effectively, and ensure that capacity-building programmes are in place to train relevant personnel on the proper use and management of some of the specialised equipment, saying that this will ensure long-term benefits for border operations and efficient trade facilitation.