The OSBP Sourcebook is a key resource that elaborates the One-Stop Border Post concept and provides guidelines on OSBP operations. The 3rd edition has been prepared in alignment with Agenda 2063 as Africa moves towards a single customs union through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
One-stop border posts (OSBPs) are a unique modern approach for improving efficiency at land border crossings by combining the stops required for processing exit and entry formalities of the adjoining states at one location. OSBPs have been gradually introduced over the last decade or so in Africa where there are many landlocked countries, and one of the major challenges for trade facilitation has been delays and high logistics costs due to the inefficiencies at land border crossings.
The OSBP concept has drawn wide attention from many African states and international development partners as an innovative solution to increase efficiency and facilitate trade in line with the spirit of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and there has been a high-level global commitment to developing and operating OSBPs in East, West, and Southern Africa. The first functional) OSBP was opened at Chirundu between Zambia and Zimbabwe in December 2009 and thereafter a number of OSBPs have been planned on the continent.
To provide a practical reference by sharing experiences and lessons learned from developing OSBPs for the decision-makers and the implementers of OSBP projects, the 1st edition of the OSBP Sourcebook was prepared in 2011 in collaboration with the regional economic communities (RECs) of Africa, international development partners active in OSBP projects, and border agencies that were active in the implementation of OSBP projects. Since there was a need to update this reference to compile later knowledge, wider experiences, and good practices, a 2nd edition of the OSBP Sourcebook was prepared and published in May 2016.
