The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun implementing the COMESA Regional Transit Customs Bond Guarantee (RCTBG). This follows the signing of the Inter Surety Agreement by the Director General of the DR Congo National Surety (Societe Nationale d'Assurances – SONAS) Mrs Agito Amela Carole, Friday 10 July 2015.

The RCTBG is a customs transit regime designed to facilitate the movement of goods under customs seals in the COMESA region and to provide the required customs security and guarantee to the transit countries.

With the signing, SONAS becomes part of a chain of National Sureties which issue the RCTBG also referred to as the COMESA Carnet. The RCTBG is also integrated in the COMESA Virtual Trade Facilitation System (CVFTS) which is already part of the National Bureaux that issue the COMESA Yellow Card and is a share-holder in Reinsurance Corporation, the ZEP-RE.

“The participation of SONAS in issuing one single Customs Bond for transit goods from the point of departure to destination sets the stage for the operationalization of Single Customs Territory (SCT) between Congo DR and other COMESA Member States that are in the process of rolling out the CVFTS,” COMESA Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya who witnessed the signing said.

Further he said the implementation of the COMESA Carnet will reduce transaction costs and delays that are associated with different national regulatory requirements that entail the opening and cancellation of Customs Transit Bonds in each country.

In her remarks the Director General of SONAS thanked the Secretary General for the support and noted that the participation in the scheme by his organization would benefit not only the economy of DR Congo but of the region as a whole. The initiative is also part of the program of implementing the WTO Bali Agreement on Trade Facilitation.

Mrs Carole requested the Secretary General to assist with the training of SONAS Staff to ensure effective and efficient operations of not only the COMESA Carnet, but of the Yellow Card. She thanked the Secretary General for the support rendered to her country.

Mr Ngwenya thanked the Government of DR Congo for designating SONAS to issue the COMESA Carnet. He assured the Director General that in the coming weeks the COMESA Secretariat will deploy a Team in DR Congo to provide training to both the staff from SONAS and Congolese Customs in issuing and managing the COMESA Carnet through the CVTFS.

He further stated that ZEP RE will as is the case for other National Sureties provides re- insurance cover for the Single customs bonds issued by SONAS.

COMESA Director of Investment Promotion and Private Sector Development Mr. Thierry Mutombo attended was in attendance.