Improving the Border Agency Cooperation

Among the OIC Member States for Facilitating Trade

The results of the modernisation project are quite impressive. Average time for processing a

customs declaration has shortened from 60 to 10 minutes between 2005 and 2012. The Kyrgyzstan

customs also reports less corruption as a result of automated declaration process and risk targeting

that requires less human interference. The customs also collects more taxes and duties today,

largely thanks to the modernisation efforts.

BAC in Pakistan: Integration on the busiest border crossing with India

Pakistan and India share a 2,900 km long land border that stretches from the Arabian sea to the

Himalayas. The busiest border crossing along the Indo-Pakistani border is located at the Attari-

Wagah in Punjab, Northern India and Pakistan. The Attari-Wagah border crossing is exceptional

because of its high traffic volumes and unique border crossing arrangements. The border features

integrated check points at the Indian and Pakistan side. The check points have dedicated cargo

handling terminals, import warehouses, export warehouses, parking areas for trucks and

dormitories for drivers. There are also special, integrated facilities for quarantine and vehicle

weighing. Further plans include integration of the Indian and Pakistani railways to enable smooth

cross-border rail traffic across the Attari-Wagah border.

Since the introduction of the integrated border posts, Indian customs authorities have recorded a

substantial growth in cross-border traffic – vehicles, imports and exports – at the Attari-Wagah

border station. Trading companies report faster and less expensive cross-border clearance. The

authorities attribute the growing traffic to the integrated check points and longer opening hours at

the border posts (12 hours instead of earlier 8 hours). The authorities also report that the

improved trade has improved living conditions, created employment opportunities and boosted

commercial activity of people at both sides of the border.

Pakistan has also made significant progress in establishing appropriate institutional mechanisms

aimed towards greater coordination between border agencies. The Pakistan Land Port Authority

(PLPA) is in the process of being established and is envisaged to be the main coordinating body for

addressing infrastructural, procedural and other border issues. PLPA is expected to be instrumental

in improving cross-border trade activities with COMCEC countries in the South and Central Asian

Regions.

3.3.

BAC activities in the countries in the African Region

3.3.1.

Country indicators

The African region consists of 17 OIC member states and is similar in size with the Arab region

with 412 million people. While Nigeria alone makes almost half of the population, the rest of

the countries are relatively similar in size. The African region covers a significant geographical

area of 7.8 million square kilometres. Of all three regions, the African countries have the

highest number of neighbouring countries (4.6 on average), of which almost all (3.6 on

average) are also OIC member states. This implies there would be significant potential for

cooperation through BAC activities.

ADB, 2014

OECD/WTO , 2014a.;

Email exchange Feb2016 with the expert NN