Niël Terblanché
Namibia officially launched the Time Release Study (TRS) Report for the Trans-Kalahari Border Post on Thursday, which is another step towards improving trade efficiency and border management.
The report, a product of collaboration between Namibian government institutions, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, and technical experts, seeks to identify and address bottlenecks in the clearance of goods and border operations.
At the launch event in Windhoek, the Namibia Revenue Agency’s (NamRA) commissioner, Sam Shivute described the report as a tool that will help refine customs and trade facilitation measures in line with international best practices.
“The TRS for the Trans-Kalahari Border Post was conducted with technical support from the SADC Secretariat under the SADC Trade Facilitation Programme. It aims to measure the efficiency of customs and other border agencies, assess the impact of current procedures, and propose solutions for improvement,” he said.
He added that the study, conducted by Namibia’s National Technical Working Group for TRS with support from the European Development Fund (EDF-11), aimed to fulfil Namibia’s obligations under the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
“According to Article 7.6.1 of the agreement, member states are encouraged to periodically measure and publish their average release times for goods using tools such as the TRS methodology developed by the World Customs Organization,” he said.
According to Shivute, the report provides a detailed breakdown of clearance times at the Trans-Kalahari Border Post.
He said the study indicates that the average clearance time for imports intended for home consumption is five hours and 40 minutes, while temporary imports take two hours and 56 minutes.
“Goods placed in warehousing are processed in an average of two hours and 46 minutes. For exports, the entire process—from a truck’s arrival at the entry gate to its exit—takes an average of four hours and 34 minutes,” he said.
According to Shivute, the TRS report also identified several challenges affecting border efficiency, including a lack of full digital integration, duplication of government agency responsibilities, and the need for better risk management and coordination between customs and other regulatory bodies.
The study recommended harmonising procedures, developing a stronger customs support system, and implementing structural reforms to reduce clearance times.
Shivute called on both public and private sector stakeholders to ensure that the report’s recommendations are implemented effectively.
“While launching this report is an important milestone, the real challenge lies in executing the proposed solutions. Strengthening Namibia’s position as a logistics hub depends on a coordinated effort to streamline border management and trade facilitation,” he said.
The acting head of customs and excise, Kephas Shatona, reiterated the role of the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade as the focal point for implementing Namibia’s trade facilitation commitments.
“Namibia ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement in 2018, and tools like the TRS contribute to ensuring that the country remains competitive in global trade by eliminating unnecessary delays and improving clearance processes,” he said.
The launch of the TRS report comes at a time when Namibia is expanding its trade and logistics capabilities, positioning itself as a gateway for regional and international markets.
“The findings and recommendations from this study will play a crucial role in shaping future policies and ensuring that border operations align with global standards of efficiency and transparency,” he said.
