NAIROBI, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Africa's largest trading bloc, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states, on Monday commenced a four-day meeting in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi to discuss ways of implementing a regional electronic single window for facilitating trade.
The event brought together senior government representatives of the 21-member trading bloc, to review ways to operationalize a one-stop digital platform that will enable cross-border traders to provide information to various official agencies through one single point of entry to fulfill all import-export and transit-related regulatory requirements.
Christopher Onyango, director of the Trade and Customs Division at the COMESA, said that so far 14 member states are at various levels of implementing their national single window to facilitate international trade.
"The trading bloc has agreed on the need for the COMESA regional electronic single window system through linking all national systems to enable interoperability. Benefits that are expected include faster processing time, and cost savings for regional trade," Onyango said.
Barakat Mahdy, chairperson of the Second COMESA Technical Working Group on Electronic Single Window, added that with a membership of 21 countries, the intra-COMESA trade can be such a complex affair involving extensive documentation and coordination amongst multiple agencies stakeholders.
Mahdy noted that the COMESA regional electronic single window will generate several benefits for cross-border and international trade.
"Governments are set to enhance revenue collections arising from higher compliance and improved efficiency in operations. Traders and economic operators will experience faster clearance times, more transparent and predictable processes, improved logistics, and less congestion," he revealed. ■