The EAC Deputy Secretary General, in charge of Productive and Social Sector, Christophe Bazivamo has disclosed that all is set for the launch of the EAC Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS) in collaboration with the EAC Partner States National Focal Points on Covid-19 and TradeMark East Africa (TMEA).
Addressing a weekly online EAC Ad hoc Regional Coordination Committee meeting (EARCC) on Covid-19, the Deputy Secretary General confirmed that RECDTS will be launched at five border points of Rusumo (Tanzania/Rwanda) on 12th August, 2020; Mutukula (Uganda/Tanzania) on 14th August, 2020, and; Malaba border (Kenya/Uganda) on 21st August, 2020.
The RECDTS will also be launched in Namanga on the Tanzania/Kenya border on 28th August, 2020 as well as Kabanga/Kobero border (Tanzania and Burundi) on 31st August, 2020.
He informed the EARCC meeting that in a preparation for the launching of the application, the EAC Secretariat has distributed special terminals (tablets) procured with the support from TMEA to support operationalization of the system, adding that all selected borders will be equipped with the necessary terminals to allow easy movement of the truck drivers.
The tracking system is expected to be the key to the region’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. After installation, users are to share their Covid-19 test results on the platform for easy information exchange along the Central and Northern corridors. The system will subsequently pass on the results using already existing systems used by the national revenue and health authorities in the region.
Bazivamo assured stakeholders that they will get optimal use of the tracking system. “It is one thing to have the system but it is another to make good use of it. And, on behalf of the EAC Secretariat, I want to commit to ensure that we get optimal use of the system,” he said.
The RECDTS 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 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,” said Bazivamo.
