The Government of Ethiopia has launched an electronic platform that would enhance efficiency in trade logistics landscape of the country by speeding the customs process for importers and exporters within the country.

Here Is All You Need To Know

• Labelled, Ethiopia Electronic Single Window Service, the platform will reduce the 44 days hectic long paper work process for importers and exporters to 15 days.
• Gradually, it is also expected to cut the 15 days to three working days.

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“…we launched the Ethiopia Electronic Single Window Service – a key technology that will enhance cost effectiveness and efficiency in trade logistics landscape of Ethiopia,” Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s prime minister noted in a tweet, after attending the launching which held at the Office of the Prime Minister.
• The online e-business / e-government services aim to streamline processes and save time. Embracing digital transformation offers better service rendering practices and higher customer satisfaction.

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• Studies to launch the electronic platform had been on for the past five years, according to Adanech Abebe, Minister of Revenue, who indicated that the technology will play key role in facilitating and speeding the process for importers and exporters.

• Abebe noted that the new electronic platform will also make the customs procedure easily predictable and reachable.

• The new service would also cut the paper works, and l spare traders from wasting their times and days running from one office to another.

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• Gradually the number of companies using the system would be increased.
• South Korean companies have taken part in the development and deployment of the new electronic customs procedures processing platform.

• At the initial stage, 16 trading companies, both private and state-owned will use the new electronic customs procedures processing platform.

• Building data center and preparations of the procedures and regulations that govern the system are under way, according to Minister Adanech.

• It will be recalled that with the aim of facilitating the customs procedures deploying new technologies, the government has recently announced liberalization of logistics related businesses to foreign companies and investors.

• The government of Ethiopia has also invited foreign companies to buy share in the state monopoly, Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise.

• This latest move is expected to improve the ease of doing business ranking of Ethiopia, which now ranks 159 out of 190 countries on the World Bank Index.

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based Lawyer with special focus on Business Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Entertainment and Technology Law. He is also an award-winning writer. Working for notable organizations so far has exposed him to some of industry best practices in business, finance strategies, law, dispute resolution, and data analytics both in Nigeria and across the world