Why we go with the flow.

Last time, I spoke about facilitation payments and the fact that such payments are a normal part of doing business in Africa. Today I want to share a cautionary tale about how trying to work around the system can cause no end of trouble.

During a visit to Kinshasa airport, I visited a warehouse operated by a customs agent. I was there to witness the process whereby one needs six or more stamps on an AWB in order to clear a shipment. This, in itself, was remarkable to see and brought home the reality of the day to day routines of importers in the country. I heard stories of 'routine' inspections, where anyone visiting the warehouse to pick up packages was 'fined' for no reason other than literally being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I must have raised an inquiring eyebrow because I was taken into the warehouse and shown what looked like about 40-50 pallets of malaria medication labeled "President's Malaria Initiative" with the logos of USAID and CDC clearly stamped above and below that title.

I pretended to take a photo of our guide but managed to get the pallets in picture. (See photo). The one in the foreground is on the top of two tiers of pallets and there were more stacks to the right and left for about 10 rows.

I was informed that these medications had been sitting in place for TWO YEARS and were now out of date. Someone had tried to push for rapid clearance without the usual accommodations and a relatively low level official had blocked the import, presumably thinking that the leverage (see my last blog) on this shipment was high. No one relented, on either side, and the shipment will now be destroyed. Of course whether it is actually destroyed or finds its way onto the street is another story.

While we are adamantly against bribery in any form to gain business, we have no choice but to go with the flow in order to operate at any level of efficiency.

Attempts to curtail this sort of activity are in process and the newly appointed Director is attempting to work toward a system whereby one gets a single stamp in order to clear a shipment. He is also rotating staff to prevent individuals from getting too entrenched and thereby creating the sort of small fiefdom that has led to the current situation. I, for one, wish him all the very best in this endeavor. His country will greatly benefit if he gets it right.

TW

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