Mbanza Kongo - The customs border authorities of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), meeting Friday, in the city of Mbanza Kongo, province of Zaire, in their 9th joint ordinary meeting, recommended strengthening measures to combat cross-border crimes.
According to the final communiqué of the aforementioned meeting that ended on Friday night, the parties agreed that for the smuggling of goods that occurs along the border, with greater emphasis on fuels, the two countries must work on exchanging information, and should, to this end, guarantee logistical conditions for bodies working at the borders, as well as all legislation or legal instruments that govern the process of customs clearance of goods in both nations.
The participants agreed to maintain the dynamics regarding the identification of unofficial posts, known as “fiote” paths, harmonizing, above all, those that converge with the borders of both countries, proposing to the respective hierarchies with powers to make the aforementioned official or not. posts, paying particular attention to the movement of people and goods to facilitate greater border control, as well as assessing the revenue collection potential of these illegal routes.
The two tax administrations agreed to hold monthly meetings between the heads of border posts, as well as other members of the operational order on a permanent basis and recommended the development of procedures for action in joint operations.
Within the scope of the operational brigades made up of agents from the two customs administrations, the statement recommends carrying out joint inspection and control operations at the common border, with those responsible for both parties mobilizing their normal border brigades for their implementation, and, in order to the effect, taking into account the territorial limit of each country.
Regarding the Angolan side's concern about the supposed excessive charges to which Angolan truck drivers are subject in transit to the province of Cabinda and vice versa, the general directorate of customs in this neighboring country advised the Association of Road Transport of Goods Angola (ATROMA) to engage DRC transporters in order to jointly convey their concerns to the Congolese authorities responsible for the aforementioned charges, as the same problems coexist.
By the way, according to the final communiqué of this 9th joint ordinary meeting, the Congolese side was committed to investigating within 30 days the real fees charged to Angolan truck drivers who transit to Congolese territory, heading to Cabinda and vice versa and directs the customs department of Mwanda (DRC) to discontinue charges to trucks entering Congolese territory, in order to rescue vehicles that break down, as long as they are not loaded with new goods and comply with all legal procedures.
The 10th ordinary joint meeting between the two customs administrations will take place on September 6, 2024, in Mwanda, DRC.
The closing ceremony was guided by the interim provincial delegate of the Ministry of the Interior in Zaire, João Bonifácio Calandissa.
The meeting was co-chaired by the director of the 1st region of the General Tax Administration (AGT) for the provinces of Cabinda and Zaire, Ricardo Pais de Aguiar, and the provincial director of customs for the Central Congo (DRC) region, Alain Tenday Lupumba.
The province of Zaire shares a 310-kilometer border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). J.L/DOJ
