EAC Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System set for Launch
The EAC Secretariat with the assistance of Trademark East Africa (TMEA) has finalised the development of the EAC Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS) as mandated by the Joint Ministerial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Health, Trade and EAC Affairs in their Video Conference in March 2020.
Through the Deputy Secretary-General in charge of Productive and Social Sector, Hon Christophe Bazivamo, the EAC disclosed to the weekly online EAC Ad hoc Regional Coordination Committee meeting (EARCC) on COVID-19, that RECDTS will be launched at five border points of Rusumo (Tanzania/Rwanda); Mutukula (Uganda/Tanzania); Malaba (Kenya/Uganda); Namanga (Tanzania/Kenya); and Kabanga/Kobero (Tanzania and Burundi).
During the weekly online meeting of the Northern Corridor stakeholder, the EAC clarified that the RECDTS is not just a COVID-19 tracker but rather a cargo and drivers tracking system. Before the launch, the EAC added, stakeholders would be requested to complete a questionnaire through the consultant enlisted by the EAC Secretariat to undertake a study on transport safety in the region.
The tracking system will ride on the existing systems used by the national revenue and health authorities in the region. After installation, the system will provide an easy and secure information exchange platform along the Central and Northern Corridors where users are to share COVID-19 test results.
Hon. Christophe Bazivamo also informed the EARCC meeting that in preparation for the launching of the application, the EAC Secretariat had distributed special terminals (tablets) procured with the support from TMEA to support the operationalisation of the system. He added that all selected borders would be equipped with the necessary terminals to allow smooth movement of the truck drivers.
Besides, the RECDTS is directly linked to the national Laboratory repository for all COVID-19 results for each Partner State. Only the negative results are automatically linked to the application, and information is shared across all transport corridors through a secure mechanism. This will help in sharing of EAC COVID-19 Test certificate for cross border truck drivers/crews electronically, and facilitate easy information exchange along transport corridors within the EAC and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The EAC has also assured stakeholders that the tracking system will be used optimally.
The system is a culmination of the joint resolution by the EAC Ministers responsible for Health, Trade and EAC Affairs to facilitate the free movement of goods and services in the region during a Joint Ministerial meeting on COVID -19 responses by Video Conference on 25th March 2020. By this decision, the EAC Secretariat was directed to develop an electronic surveillance system to facilitate the implementation of the decision.