The Confederation of Mozambican Economic Associations (CTA), the Sofala Road Hauliers Association (ASTROS) and the Zambian Embassy are seeking solutions on new measures introduced by the neighbouring country.
A few days ago, Mozambique’s road hauliers expressed concern over new migration fees introduced by the Government of the Republic of Zambia which, in their view, limit the competitiveness of national operators.
The said migration fees are applied to drivers who enter Zambia after 90 days, reaching up to 9000 kwachas (about 40 thousand meticais) for each new entry, and Zambians are not obliged to pay this fee in Mozambique.
The fees, implemented since June this year, as well as other measures that the Government of the Republic of Zambia has been introducing in recent times, are applicable only to foreign citizens.
In addition to the migration fees, other measures that worry Mozambican transporters have to do with the ban on the entry of foreign trucks with full fuel reserve tanks as a way of forcing them to buy fuel on Zambian territory. In addition to this, there is the obligation to pay road tax and toll fees at the same time.
These measures, according to Notícias, are seen as a way of protecting Zambian transporters to the detriment of foreigners, particularly Mozambicans, who, in addition to causing a loss of precious time, increase operating costs in the order of 15%, making the activity of road transport of cargo to that country or in transit extremely unsustainable.
The hauliers believe that these measures affect the competitiveness of the national and regional road haulage business. For this reason, they maintain, they should go through a consultation at the level of SADC bodies, aimed at safeguarding the process of building and implementing the region’s protocols on regional integration, especially with regard to the creation of business facilities between member states.
Apart from discouraging road freight operators from neighbouring countries, the actions of the Zambian Government are in some ways in violation of the SADC road transport policy agreements.
Under these agreements, Member States committed themselves to develop a harmonised transport policy which would safeguard the principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination, reciprocity, fair competition, harmonised operating conditions and promote the creation of an integrated road transport system in the region.
