Virtual roll out of East African Community Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking Systems (RECDT)
- During the event, a real time live demonstration of driver registration and verification of EAC digital certificate at the borders
- Time: Zoom will be open from 12:00PM (EAT) on Tuesday 8th–September 2020 and event starts at 2.00PM.
- Join Zoom Meeting: Launch of EAC RECDT. Meeting ID: 834 8633 7113. Passcode: 506536
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 8th September, 2020: The East Africa Community Secretariat and its Partner States will hold a virtual event to officially mark the roll out of the Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS) from Malaba/Malaba the border between Uganda and Kenya and Mirama Hills / Kagitumba, the border between Uganda and Rwanda, today Tuesday 8th September, 2020 at 2PM.
The tracking system provides a surveillance system to monitor long distance trucker’s crew and enable contact tracing. It allows Partner States to electronically share truck drivers’ COVID-19 test results; therefore, minimizing need for multiple COVID-19 tests in a single trip.
Speaking ahead of the virtual launch, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sector, Hon Christophe Bazivamo said RECDTS is expected to support health related protocols and facilitate safe trade in the region.
“The reliance on manual certificates and delayed test results at the borders has been the main reasons for long delays at border points”. The tracking system is expected to be used in all Partner States and will eventually be extended to EAC neighbouring countries, particularly Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) added, Hon Bazivamo
He disclosed that the European Ambassador to Kenya H.E Simon Mordue is expected to be the guest speaker during the launch of the Tracking System.
A real time live demonstration of driver registration and verification of EAC digital certificate at the borders will be transmitted live from the Malaba/Malaba and Mirama Hills / Kagitumba borders.
Media houses in the region are invited to provide coverage to the virtual launch using; Zoom Meeting: Launch of EAC RECDT.Meeting ID: 834 8633 7113. Passcode: 506536. Time ; 2pm
Notes to Editors
On 25th March, 2020 the EAC Ministers responsible for Health, Trade and EAC Affairs held a Joint Ministerial meeting on COVID -19 responses by Video Conference which provided policy guidance for the region on the pandemic and resolved to facilitate the free movement of goods and services in the region. By this decision, the Ministers allowed the movement of trucks and vessels across the region. The EAC Secretariat was directed to develop an electronic surveillance system to facilitate implementation of the decision.
The EAC Secretariat with the assistance of Trademark East Africa (TMEA) has finalised the development of the EAC Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS) as mandated by the Joint Ministerial meeting of Ministers responsible for Health, Trade and EAC Affairs in their Video Conference in March 2020.
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For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka
Senior Public Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 768 552087
Email: sowaka [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001: 2015 Certified