BUJUMBURA, January 16th (ABP) – Small traders practicing cross-border trade between Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are today angry because the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime (RECOS) from which they were supposed to benefit to facilitate the export or import of products agreed between the two countries, is not being implemented.
A trader who requested anonymity told a check by ABP on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, that there are no benefits as she continues to pay customs duties as before. “Sometimes we pay 2000 BIF, sometimes it is 5000 BIF, in short, the profit remains on the street” she said.
Miriam Itangishaka, another trader, declared that since the launch of RECOS, they have not seen any change in the promised benefits.
Mrs. Claudette Niyonsaba working at the Trade Information Bureau at the Gatumba Border told the check by ABP that RECOS is not being implemented, that beneficiary traders continue to pay customs fees because there are accompanying measures including the certificate of origin of manufactured products, which is not yet available at the border since the launch of RECOS by the ministers in charge of trade of the two countries on October 30, 2024.
She added that it is a loss for the two countries which should benefit from COMESA, as compensation for customs fees.
The head of the customs operations department in the western region of the OBR, Mr. Libère Karenzo, told the check by ABP that RECOS is being implemented but under certain conditions which are not yet all met to be fully implemented.
The day after the launch of RECOS, the OBR posted a list of 66 products agreed with the Congolese that will be part of the preferential treatment offered by this simplified trade regime. Mr. Karenzo specified that this list included raw products and manufactured products. According to him, raw products pass without problem, because the certificate of origin relating to them is not required.
When asked whether those certificates are currently available at the border, Mr. Karenzo replied that it took time, announcing that the OBR has just received 5,000 booklets that will be served at the border for their use.
He recalled that as defined, only small traders not exceeding a capital of $500 are beneficiaries of RECOS and for the 66 products agreed between Burundi and the DRC and added that awareness and popularization sessions should be organized so that beneficiaries should understand better the functioning of RECOS, he stressed.