With DRC’s entry, the focus will now be between the Port of Mombasa and that of Dar es Salaam as truckers weigh options on which route to use in ferrying goods to the vast DRC state.
The central corridor, which is 1,300km long, begins at the Port of Dar es Salaam and serves Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Eastern DRC.
DRC is expected to deposit the instruments of acceptance with the East African Community secretariat, agreeing to open up its market to other member states for business.
The admission of the DRC into the East African Community is likely to shift a share of cargo from the northern corridor to the central highway.
With DRC’s entry, the focus will now be between the Port of Mombasa and that of Dar es Salaam as truckers weigh options on which route to use in ferrying goods to the vast DRC state.
The central corridor, which is 1,300km long, begins at the Port of Dar es Salaam and serves Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Eastern DRC.
On the other hand, the northern corridor, which is 1,700km long, commences from the Port of Mombasa and serves Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern DRC.
Dennis Ombok, former chief executive officer of the Kenya Transporters Association, said there are many factors that will determine the route that truckers would use.
“Things like road tolls, transit period and traffic situations are some of the factors that transporters will use to determine the route that they would want to use,” said Mr Ombok, who is now working as a logistics consultant.
He said incentives at the port will also play a key role in determining the effective route for transporters.
“Truckers will also be keen on incentives at the ports such as free storage period and lower charges to decide whether to use the port of Dar es Salaam or Mombasa,” he said.
DRC is expected to deposit the instruments of acceptance with the East African Community secretariat, agreeing to open up its market to other member states for business as it got admitted to the regional bloc on Tuesday.
The instruments of acceptance will now see the member States trade freely with DRC and other EAC countries in line with the common market protocol that allows free movement of goods and services.
Prior to admission, EAC states had to pay tariffs for imports or exports because of the external rules that were applicable.
The heads of state from six member states met virtually yesterday for the 19th extra-ordinary summit in what led to the admission of the DRC as the newest member of the EAC.
The meeting preceded the one by the council of ministers who met on Friday to consider the provisional agenda and programme of the Summit of the EAC heads of state on admission of the DRC into the bloc. The council has already presented to the heads of state the decision reached on DRC for adoption and admission.
DRC comes into the bloc with a huge market of 90 million people and the potential to contribute to an expanded market and investment opportunities to boost the EAC common market.
Already, Kinshasa has bilateral and multilateral cooperation arrangements with EAC partner states in various areas, including customs, infrastructure and productive and social sectors.
So far DRC has completed all the major steps to joining the regional bloc. And the council meeting went through the checklist to “ensure all ground” had been covered and agreed upon by all parties.
An EAC verification team has been in consultation with the DRC President Felix Tshisekedi’s office and developed a work programme that identified ministries, institutions, private and civil society organisations for engagement during the process, which was largely concluded in February.
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