Despite a critical role played by cross-border movement of goods in international trade, the former is made complex and unpredictable by various factors. In Rwanda as is the case in other parts of the world, one stop border posts (OSBPs) adopted at the East African Community level have been implemented and operationalised to facilitate cross-border trade and movement of goods. This paper aims to assess the effects of OSBPs trade facilitation initiative on the movement of goods along the Rwandan customs posts using multi-level model. The main findings reveal that the implementation of OSBPs initiative has significantly and positively affected the movement of goods along the Rwandan customs posts giving an impression that the implementation of OSBPs trade facilitation initiative has considerably contributed to the improvements in the level of trade facilitation; and hence, streamlined and expedited the movement of goods along the Rwandan customs posts by removing unnecessary barriers.
References
[1]
World Bank (2012) Rwanda Economic Update. Leverage Regional Integration. 3rd Edition, World Bank, Kigali.
[2]
Gasiorek, M., Mendez-Parra, M. and Willenbocked, D. (2017) The Costs of Logistics and Transport Barriers to Trade in East Africa. Policy Briefing, Overseas Development Institute, London.
[3]
Chimilila, C., Sabuni, C. and Benjamin, A. (2014) Trade Facilitation in EAC Customs Union: Its Achievement and Implementation in Tanzania. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 5, 1-15.
[4]
East African Community (EAC) (2016) The East African Community One Stop Border Posts Act, 2016. The East African Community Official Gazette No. 4 of 15th April 2016. East African Community, Arusha.
[5]
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (2013) Enabling Agricultural Trade Project: Rwanda Cross-Border Agricultural Trade Analysis, February 2013.
https://www.agrilinks.org/sites/default/files/resource/files/USAID-EAT%20Cross-Border%20Trade%20Analysis%20Rwanda.pdf
[6]
Kingombe, C. (2014) Implementing the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in Africa: The Role of the African Development Bank. Trade Facilitation Rules as a Trade Enabler: Options and Requirements. African Development Bank Group, Geneva.
[7]
Transport Logistics Consultants (2017) Japan International Cooperation Agency Project on Capacity Development for International Trade Facilitation of the Eastern African Region: End Line Time Measurement Survey at the Rusumo Border. Final Report, Transport Logistics Consultants, Nairobi.
[8]
Cheruiyot, S. and Rotich, G. (2018) Factors Affecting the Implementation of One Stop Border Post Strategy: A Case Study of the Malaba Border. International Academic Journal of Human Resource and Business Administration, 3, 303-324.
http://www.iajournals.org/articles/iajhrba_v3_i1_303_324.pdf
[9]
Mupayi, S. and Manyeruke, C. (2015) The Impact of the Chirundu One Stop Border Post in Addressing Border Protectionist Challenges. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6, 11-20. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s2p11
[10]
Grainger, A. (2007) Trade Facilitation: A Review (Working Paper). Trade Facilitation Consulting Ltd., London. https://www.tradefacilitation.co.uk
[11]
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (2006) Trade Facilitation Handbook Part I—National Facilitation Bodies: Lessons from Experience. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Geneva, UNCTAD/ SDTE/TLB/2005/1.
[12]
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development) (2001) Business Benefits of Trade Facilitation. Working Party of the Trade Committee. TD/TC/ WP (2001)21, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, Paris.
[13]
UN-OHRLLS (2013) The Development Economics of Landlockedness: Understanding the Development Costs of Being Landlocked, New York.
[14]
Orliac, T. (2012) The Economics of Trade Facilitation. Ph.D. Dissertation, Atelier national de reproduction des theses, Lille.
[15]
Kieck, E. (2010) Coordinated Border Management: Unlocking Trade Opportunities through One Stop Border Post. World Customs Journal, 4, 3-14.
http://www.iajournals.org/articles/iajhrba_v3_i1_303_324.pdf
[16]
Bruce, W., Sydney, C., Kristiaan, B., Koichiro, T., Sue, K., Akie, T. and Paul, K. (2011) OSBP Source Book 1st Edition, September 2011.
https://docplayer.net/20383865-Osbp-source-book-1st-edition-september-2011.html
[17]
East Africa Trade Hub (2012) Integrated Border Management. Compete Knowledge Management Technical Bulletin – IBM (September).
[18]
PIDA (Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa) (2006) One-Stop-Border Post Sourcebook. 2nd Edition.
www.au-pida.org/download/one-stop-border-post-sourcebook-2nd-edition/
[19]
Polner, M. (2011) Coordinated Border Management: From Theory to Practice. World Customs Journal, 5, 49-64.
[20]
Woudsma, C. (2001) Understanding the Movement of Goods, Not People: Issues, Evidence and Potential. Urban Studies, 38, 2439-2455.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00420980120094605
[21]
Arvis, J.F., Smith, G. and Carruthers, R. (2011) Connecting Landlocked Developing Countries to Markets: Trade Corridors in the 21st Century. The World Bank, Washington DC. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-8416-9
[22]
Engman, M. (2005) The Economic Impact of Trade Facilitation. OECD Trade Policy Papers, No. 21, OECD Publishing, Paris.
[23]
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) (2011) Trade Facilitation through Customs Procedures: Assessment of APEC’s Progress. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Melbourne.
[24]
Lesser, C. and Moisé-Leeman, E. (2009) Informal Cross-Border Trade and Trade Facilitation Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa. OECD Trade Policy Papers No. 86, OECD Publishing, Paris.
[25]
Morgan, R.E. and Katsikeas, C.S. (1997) Theories of International Trade, Foreign Direct Investment and Firm Internationalization: A Critique. Management Decision, 35, 68-78. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251749710160214
[26]
Robert, M.D. and John, H.M. (2004) International Economics. 6th Edition, Taylor & Francis e-Library, New York.
[27]
Schumacher, R. (2012) Free Trade and Absolute and Comparative Advantage: A Critical Comparison of Two Major Theories of International Trade. Vol. 16, Universitätsverlag Potsdam, Potsdam.
[28]
Suranovic, S. (2010) International Trade: Theory and Policy. George Washington University (GW), Washington DC.
[29]
Harrigan, J. (2001) Specialization and the Volume of Trade: Do the Data Obey the Laws? Working Paper No. 8675, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge.
https://doi.org/10.3386/w8675
[30]
Gupta, S.D. (2015) Comparative Advantage and Competitive Advantage: An Economics Perspective and a Synthesis. Athens Journal of Business and Economics, 1, 9-22. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajbe.1-1-1
[31]
Shippers Council of Eastern Africa (2015) East Africa Logistics Performance Survey 2012: Cost, Time and Complexity of the East African Logistics Chain. Shippers Council of Eastern Africa, Nairobi.
[32]
Tyson, J. (2015) Effect of Sub-Saharan African Trade Corridors on Vulnerable Groups. ODI Report, Overseas Development Institute, London.
[33]
TradeMark East Africa (2018) Enhancing Trade and Regional Integration in East Africa: One Stop Border Posts. TradeMark East Africa, Nairobi.
[34]
Gashayija, N. (2015, January 12) Importance of One Stop Border Post Facilities in EAC Integration. The New Times.
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/184873
[35]
TradeMark East Africa (2017) TradeMark East Africa Annual Report 2016-2017. TradeMark East Africa, Nairobi.
[36]
Daniel, W.W. and Cross, C.L. (2013) Biostatistics: a Foundation for Analysis in the Health Sciences. 10th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken.
[37]
George, D. and Mallery, P. (2003) SPSS for Windows Step by Step: Answers to Selected Exercises. A Simple Guide and Reference. Allyn and Bacon, Boston.
[38]
Parilla, E.S. (2013) Level of Management Practices of Micro and Small Businesses in Ilocos Norte. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 3, 439-466. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v3-i7/67
[39]
Saduak, W., Poungsuk, P., Phonpakdee, R. and Deeying, S. (2017) Problem Condition in the Agricultural Learning Center Using at Praibuengwittayakom School, Srisaket Province, Thailand. International Journal of Agricultural Technology, 13, 2117- 2124. http://www.ijat-aatsea.com
[40]
Mathieson, C. (2016) The Political Economy of Regional Integration in Africa. The East African Community Report. European Centre for Development Policy Management, Mestreech. http://ecdpm.org/peria/eac
[41]
Ombudo K., A., Echandi, R., Kusek, P. and Polanco, R.J. (2014) East African Common Market Scorecard 2014: Tracking EAC Compliance in the Movement of Capital, Services and Goods. East African Community, Arusha.
[42]
English, P., McSharry, P. and Ggombe, K. (2016) Raising Exports and Attracting FDI in Rwanda. IGC Policy Note, No. 38402, International Growth Centre, London.
[43]
Peugh, J.L. (2010) A Practical Guide to Multilevel Modeling. Journal of School Psychology, 48, 85-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2009.09.002
[44]
TradeMark East Africa (2016) TradeMark East Africa Annual Report 2015-2016. Trade- Mark East Africa, Nairobi.
