Comesa to launch electronic single portal by year end

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) will launch its Electronic Single Window by the end of the year, a move that will centralise all services supporting inter-country trade and boost revenue collection.

The one-stop platform will enable traders to provide information for various official agencies through a single point of entry to fulfil all import-export, and transit-related regulatory requirements online, saving on time.

Comesa director of Trade and Customs Christopher Ochieng says the single window will facilitate faster processing of import and export procedures, coordination among customs and other agencies, and streamline workflows.

The efficiency brought about by the single window will help in addressing cases of congestion at points of entry and exit, which have been blamed on physical interactions and excess paperwork.

“The single window system generates several benefits to cross-border and international trade. For instance, governments are set to enhance revenue collections arising from higher compliance and improved efficiency in operations,” said Dr Ochieng.

Source: Business Daily