(DTIS) Update, Volume 1 – Main report - Enhanced Integrated ...

These figures give an idea of the economic potential of the southern route and the growing importance ofthe way South using Lake Tanganyika. These tonnages from the south have been rising steadily for thepast four years (Table 5.5). It should be noted however that only 133,237 t were transported by lake in2010 and were composed largely of manufactured goods from Zambia (sugar and cement). Theseproducts find a market outlet in Burundi through the lake because of cheap transport cost (without thelake, Zambia would be at a greater economic distance from Burundi than China). Burundi's COMESAmembership has also made imports of Zambian products more accessible and more competitive.Table 5.5: Evolution of the tonnage of Burundi’s imports originating from the South2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Zambia (1) 48,277 16,117 12,432 31,249 101,272 92,291South Africa (2) 5,446 6,120 4,107 3,266 5,244 12,566Zimbabwe (3) 204 639 121 109 72 106Total (1+2+3) 53,927 22,876 16,660 34,624 106,588 104,963Source: BRB (www.brb.bi/se/docs/bulmens/iv6.pdf)There is potential to further develop the Southern corridor. The southern route can become aworkable reality provided that transportation costs combining rail, road and lake are equivalent to, orcheaper than, the cost of shipping from East Asia, and COMESA custom tariffs remain attractive. Theeconomic potential in terms of transit for goods from the South (RSA, Zimbabwe, Zambia), to the EACand the DRC can only be fully realized if lake transport is properly organized and seamless modetransfer is introduced between road and lake transport in the south of Lake Tanganyika.6.4 Air Transport ConnectivityAir cargo volumes through Bujumbura airport are very low (Table 5.6). There is market potential,notably in fresh and processed horticultural commodities, which could be realized by providing efficientair transport services. However, the figures concerning air cargo have not changed much since 2006,suggesting that there has not been growth in demand. The market is particularly narrow and sluggish,and peaked in 2010 at 3,114 tons for import (59 tons / week) and 331 tons for export (6.3 tons / week).The demand seems limited and some products are available only in small quantities, which are notenough for dedicated services to remain competitive in foreign markets. Air carriers are prepared todeploy more capacity to Burundian trade only if production increases, while potential exporters wouldlike to have price guarantees and regularity before committing to production. One alternative to thisconundrum is to increase air transport connectivity by feeding Bujumbura traffic by road to Uganda andto Nairobi in particular, the air transport hub in East Africa. The price differential between air freight forsimilar products sent to Europe from Bujumbura and Nairobi is one euro per kilogram. This ispotentially a significant cost saving.Table 5.6: Traffic at Bujumbura international airport, in tons (cargo, baggage and postal)ImportExportYear commercial baggage postal commercial baggage postal2006 2,590 487 59 210 432 162007 2,251 491 38 278 403 242008 2,184 608 40 365 401 262009 2,416 736 51 275 495 332010 3,114 589 45 331 372 352011 2,240 436 46 310 290 26Source: BRB (http://brb.bi/se/docs/bulmens/v3.pdf)102 / 153