AfricaPress-Tanzania: ALL is set for the launch of the EAC Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS).
Speaking here recently, the East African Community (EAC) Deputy Secretary General, in charge of Productive and Social Sector, Mr Christophe Bazivamo disclosed that the RECDTS will be launched at five border points of Rusumo (Tanzania/Rwanda), Mutukula (Uganda/Tanzania) and Malaba border (Kenya/Uganda) on specified dates.
The driver tracking systems will also be launched at Namanga on the Tanzania/Kenya border.
Mr Bazimavo who was addressing the EAC Ad hoc Regional Coordination Committee meeting (EARCC) on Covid-19, said the
EAC Secretariat has distributed special terminals (tablets) procured with the support from Trade Mark East Africa(TMEA) to support operationalisation 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.
Mr Bazivamo further 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,” added Mr Bazivamo.
