AU agency improves African trade 25 years later
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) has been pushing for intra-continental trade with the introduction of the One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) programme in southern Africa. The programme transformed from a single crossing at Chirundu between Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2009 to 32 operational posts to date, with another 85 currently in the making. This achievement […] The post AU agency improves African trade 25 years later appeared first on The Namibian.
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The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) has been pushing for intra-continental trade with the introduction of the One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) programme in southern Africa.
The programme transformed from a single crossing at Chirundu between Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2009 to 32 operational posts to date, with another 85 currently in the making.
This achievement is part of the AUDA-NEPAD’s silver jubilee celebrated on Thursday.
The OSBP initiative changed trade and movement of goods and people in Africa, reducing average border waiting times by 42% and, in certain cases, by as much as 98%.
As AUDA-NEPAD celebrates its silver jubilee, it highlights the agency’s 25-year journey of turning continental visions into measurable realities that foster African-led growth and self-sufficiency. AUDA-NEPAD chief executive Nardos Bekele-Thomas says the celebrations honour a choice made in 2001, a deliberate, political and intellectual choice by a generation of African leaders who believed that Africa could no longer be spoken for, planned for, or developed from the outside.
“Twenty-five years is not merely a measure of time. It is a measure of resolve and a testament to what becomes possible when Africa dares to lead. We invite every member state, every partner, and every African citizen to walk with us through this milestone year. Together, we will build the Africa we want,” Bekele-Thomas said.
The post AU agency improves African trade 25 years later appeared first on The Namibian.
