CAPE TOWN, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's National Assembly has passed the One-Stop Border Post Bill to streamline cross-border coordination and facilitate smoother movement of people and goods between neighboring countries.

A one-stop border post is a shared port of entry jointly managed by two countries at a single location, in accordance with mutually agreed legal and administrative arrangements.

The bill, adopted on Tuesday, "aims to establish a legal framework for creating shared border posts between South Africa and its neighboring countries," said a statement issued by the parliament.

"It provides for the development of common control zones where officials from both countries can enforce their respective national laws in a coordinated and efficient manner," it said. "These zones are intended to improve the facilitation of trade and the movement of people, while strengthening security and cooperation at ports of entry."

According to the statement, the One-Stop Border Post Bill, tabled in the parliament in September 2024, aligns with the objectives of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons, which aims to promote economic cooperation, regional integration and sustainable development within the SADC region.

Following its adoption in the National Assembly, the bill will now be sent to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence before being signed into law.

Once enacted, it is expected to "significantly enhance intra-African trade and investment by improving border efficiency, facilitating easier movement of goods and people, and strengthening economic cooperation," said the statement.

"It supports the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area by promoting streamlined, modernized border management systems that can boost local economies and create employment opportunities across the continent," the statement added. ■