www.trendsnafrica .com had run a cover story a few weeks back titled “One step forward: Two step backwards”. The spin of the story was the wrangling among the members of African Union in the midst of a number of positive developments that are happening. AfCATA is one such thing. Yet, before the world’s largest free trade area dawned, skirmishes have started among the countries, blocking the initiatives and well thought out actions.
Our portal had done a round -up of some of the negative border developments that had happened in the recent times that will act as a drag on the development of the continent. Nigeria is the latest African nation to close its borders, close on the heels of similar actions by Kenya, Rwanda and Sudan in recent months. There are many reasons for the closures. Some of them are trivial, others are more diplomatic and trade, yet another are borne out of health and security precautions. These are a slap in the face of continent’s integration efforts. All these are happening in the midst of the much touted African Continental Free Trade Agreement that provides for the free movement of goods and persons across African countries.
Nigeria’s customs agency, the other day, confirmed that it had closed its land borders indefinitely, barring all movement of goods, to curb smuggling. No import or export can take place through the land borders, which are believed to be highly porous. The closure is not having any impact on Nigeria’s economically crucial oil exports, which are mostly shipped out through offshore oil platforms. Some of the illegal oil trade (smuggling)t hrough borders will now come to an end The blockade is likely to make a variety of food items, such as rice, tomatoes, poultry and sugar, more expensive for consumers. Exports are also restricted, which will stop movements of cocoa and sesame seeds via land borders.
In yet another development, last month, Sudan arbitrarily closed its borders with Libya citing security reasons. It is also reported that the entry points with other central African countries are also sealed or are in the process of doing that. In August this year, Uganda and Rwanda agreed to re-open their borders, and committed to resolving a diplomatic dispute that had triggered hostilities. People are keeping their fingers crossed how long that truce last knowing very well the mercurial diplomatic ties among the countries in the region. Rwanda had closed a busy border crossing with Uganda in February, accusing Uganda of harassing its citizens and backing rebel groups against the Kigali government. In June this year, Kenya closed its border with Somalia, and suspended cross border trade, as part of security operations against terrorist group Al Shabaab. Apart from security concerns, there are human and narcotics trafficking that affect the diplomatic relations.
Spread of Ebola is another health reason for countries to close the borders to prevent the infected persons crossing the borders. Countries have heeded the World Health Organization’s (WHO) call not to close borders in the wake of the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities in Rwanda closed their border for several hours. Death due to Ebola was the reason for the closure in the Congolese city of Goma, which is lying just across the Rwandan city of Gisenyi. Many of the two cities’ residents walk through the border border for work and other activities.
Hardly a year after Ethiopians and Eritreans celebrated the re-opening of their borders, which got world-wide attention, President Isaias Afwerki’s government closed the border points at Serha-Zalambesa, Bure – Assab and Om Hajer-Humera, without giving its neighbor any official explanations.
Analysts are asking whether these closures, which are often due to trade and diplomatic perceptional differences are in tandem with the avowed objective of free trade. Again, the solution for this has to emanate from Africa alone and not from outside.
