Latest news with #tradefacilitation
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
KOICA, GOEIC sign $11mln agreement to enhance Egypt trade facilitation
Egypt - The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Egypt's General Organization of Export and Import Control (GOEIC) on Monday signed an $11m agreement to establish a digital platform aimed at enhancing trade facilitation in Egypt. The Record of Discussion (ROD) was signed in Cairo for the project, titled 'Establishment of the Digital Platform for risk-based inspection and tracking to facilitate trade in Egypt.' The initiative is set to run from 2025 to 2029. The signing ceremony was attended by KOICA's Deputy Country Director, Lee Myungshyn, and GOEIC's Chairperson, Essam El-Naggar. Also present were Mai Hassab El Nabbi Assal, Assistant Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade for Development Projects, International Relations, and Political Communication, and Eman Fakhry, Senior Manager of the Asian Cooperation Sector at the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation. The project aims to streamline Egypt's import cargo inspection processes and bolster the country's global trade competitiveness. Key components include the development of digital systems for cargo risk-based inspection, a laboratory information management system, and a market surveillance system. 'We believe this project will significantly enhance Egypt's trade facilitation capabilities, fostering economic growth and sustainability. Our collaboration with GOEIC marks a crucial step towards a more efficient and competitive trade environment in Egypt,' Lee Myungshyn, Deputy Country Director of KOICA Egypt Office, said. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, said that 'this project is a continuation of the coordinating efforts undertaken by the Ministry in collaboration with all concerned parties to enhance the utilization of Korean grant resources to support the Egyptian government's plans for digital transformation and promote inclusive and sustainable development.' She emphasised that through the digital platform for risk-based inspection and tracking, national efforts are supported to facilitate and develop trade flows through digital transformation. Dr. Al-Mashat also highlighted the project's importancein enhancing competitiveness by accelerating inspection and customs clearance processes, thereby reducing administrative barriers and ensuring compliance with international standards in foreign trade. Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, indicated that 'this project is part of the state's vision to govern ports, accelerate, simplify, and reduce the cost and time of conformity assessment procedures for goods at ports, aiming to decrease release times to reach global standards.' He added that this includes tightening control over the trading, importing, and exporting of low-quality goods, in line with Egypt's international commitments under the World Trade Organization's 'Trade Facilitation Agreement' regarding the implementation of integrated risk management systems in cross-border trade. Essam Al-Naggar, Chairperson of the General Authority for Export and Import Control, praised 'the support from the Korean government for implementing this project, which will contribute to establishing a modern integrated system for monitoring the import of industrial goods, including market surveillance, similar to practices in developed countries.' KOICA is a Korean government agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dedicated to implementing grant aid programmes designed to combat poverty and support sustainable socio-economic growth in developing countries worldwide. The KOICA Egypt Office, established in 1998, provides technical and technological education for youth in Egypt, supports the digitalisation of government services and systems, and carries out programmes to address gender-based violence, strengthen women's empowerment, and support vulnerable groups.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: Stakeholders laud Customs over trade facilitation tools
Stakeholders have lauded the Nigeria Customs Service over several initiatives introduced by the Service to boost trade. The stakeholders poured encomiums on Customs during the 2025 NCS Trade Facilitation Stakeholders Consultative Forum which also marked the first anniversary of the Advanced Ruling Program introduced by the service. The event was themed, 'Trade facilitation measures for renewable energy and energy efficiency technology. Some of the initiatives introduced by the Service include B'Odogwu, a Unified Customs Management System, the Advance Ruling System, the Authorized Economic Operator Programme, the Time Release Study, among others. One of the stakeholders, who doubled as a representative from BUA Group, Olatomiwa Olafaremi, explained that the various trade facilitation tools introduced by the Service, especially the Advanced Ruling Program, have been beneficial. 'There have been issues here and there with the terminals, which we expected for a new system. But overall, we've had tremendous support from the customer care controllers. Most of the serial officers at the terminals in Australia have also been of tremendous support. The entire process has been seamless. Without knowing anybody, like I said, I am not speaking to our senior officers,' he said. Earlier, the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, explained that in recent times, trade facilitation has become integral to the operations of Customs administrations globally. Represented at the event by the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Tariff &Trade, Caroline Niagwan, Adeniyi added that the move aligns with the service's core mandate of implementing international trade laws. 'These include the WTO Agreement on the Implementation of Article VII of GATT 1994 (Customs Valuation Agreement), the WCO Harmonized System Convention of 1988 and its Annexes, and the WTO Agreement on Rules of Origin,' he said. According to him, the implementation of these agreements by the NCS stems from 'our role of collecting duties on internationally traded goods, which is essential for national economic development.' Adeniyi emphasised that determining customs duties through tariff classification, valuation, and origin assessment is a technically complex process. The CGC highlighted that these complexities can result in disputes, delays, and additional costs. He mentioned that challenges such as commercial fraud, revenue leakage, and the enforcement of policy measures to protect domestic industries, the environment, and public safety further complicate customs procedures. The NCS boss pointed out that with the increasing volume of global trade, expanding global value chains, and the rise of e-commerce and Just-In-Time services, it has become imperative for customs administrations to adopt mechanisms that support the seamless flow of legitimate trade. He maintained that in the context of Customs operations, trade facilitation refers to systems and procedures that streamline the import, export, and transit of goods. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Al Bawaba
11-05-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Vietnamese delegation reviews Dubai Customs' exemplary experience in trade facilitation and inspection operations
As part of its ongoing mission to share its accumulated expertise and pioneering model in trade facilitation and customs inspection with other countries, the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, represented by Dubai Customs, welcomed a distinguished delegation from Vietnam, led by H.E. Nguyen Thanh Diep, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the UAE and Mr. Mai Ngoc Thuan, the Former Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Former Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Senior Advisor to the Project on Researching Free Trade Zones Associated with Seaports in Cai Mep Ha Area. The delegation also included representatives from various sectors such as chambers of commerce and industry, customs authorities, port administration, logistics services, transportation infrastructure development, and marine visiting delegation was received by Mohammed Al Ghaffari, Executive Director of the Human Resources Division at Dubai Customs, along with Dr. Mohamed Jumah Rahmah, the Executive Director of Technology & Digital Transformation at PCFC, Taleb Aldhanhani, Director‑ Licensing and Services Department at Trakhees Department, Waleed Isa bin Darwish, Director of Sea Customs Centers Management, and a group of department heads and inspection Customs: A model in global trade facilitationIn his welcome address, Mohammed Al Ghaffari highlighted that Dubai Customs has established itself as a leading global model in streamlining trade operations and customs inspection, becoming a point of reference for customs administrations across many countries. He noted the keen interest of visiting delegations in understanding the cutting-edge digital platforms developed by Dubai Customs for cargo tracking and its advanced inspection equipment. He emphasized that these efforts have significantly contributed to Dubai's prominent role in global trade, strengthening its ranking among the most advanced and secure commercial hubs worldwide, and among the best cities to live and work Mohammed Jumaa highlighted the technological solutions implemented by the PCFC in the trade and port sectors, pointing to its ongoing efforts in digital transformation and the use of smart applications that streamline licensing and inspection procedures. These efforts aim to establish Dubai as a premier global trade hub. He also emphasized the PCFC' openness to sharing expertise and transferring its successful experiences to various countries and further explained that the organization has recently launched its comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, in line with Dubai's vision to accelerate the adoption of AI solutions across sectors. This strategy aims to transform all services into smart operations that enhance user experience and increase business bin Darwish shared further insights, stating: 'We provided the delegation with an in-depth presentation during their visit to the Jebel Ali Customs Center and TECOM, where they were introduced to our state-of-the-art X-Ray scanning technology — the first of its kind globally — used for inspecting heavy and light vehicles, massive equipment, and yachts. This system has greatly enhanced the inspection capacity at Jebel Ali, accelerating procedures, improving workflow efficiency, and reinforcing the port's position as the largest in the Middle East and one of the most significant seaports worldwide. The system drastically reduces inspection time from nearly 6 hours manually to just 5 minutes. Additionally, we demonstrated a streamlined clearance journey for customers, showing how goods can be processed within minutes. Our goal is to continuously elevate Jebel Ali Port's international standing by leveraging innovation to enhance the customer experience and ensure their satisfaction.'Commitment to security and global supply chain resilienceHe added: 'Dubai Customs is dedicated to advancing the capabilities of its inspection officers by equipping them with the latest knowledge and skills in customs inspection practices. Given the non-stop commercial activity at the Dubai World Trade Center and the emirate's strategic ports, the Maritime Customs Centers Management is committed to ensuring smooth cargo flows to support global supply chain resilience, while simultaneously confronting all forms of smuggling of banned, restricted, and counterfeit goods with absolute vigilance.' The Vietnamese delegation commended Dubai Customs' impressive progress in technological innovation, particularly in the areas of inspection systems and customs services, and applauded the department's role in enhancing the efficiency of customs operations and combating the movement of illegal goods and hazardous shipments. The delegation also expressed their interest in adopting Dubai's modern systems and learning from its extensive experience to bolster Vietnam's customs capabilities and streamline its trade and logistics processes.
Zawya
11-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Vietnamese delegation reviews Dubai Customs' exemplary experience in trade facilitation and inspection operations
Dubai: As part of its ongoing mission to share its accumulated expertise and pioneering model in trade facilitation and customs inspection with other countries, the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, represented by Dubai Customs, welcomed a distinguished delegation from Vietnam, led by H.E. Nguyen Thanh Diep, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the UAE and Mr. Mai Ngoc Thuan, the Former Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Former Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Senior Advisor to the Project on Researching Free Trade Zones Associated with Seaports in Cai Mep Ha Area. The delegation also included representatives from various sectors such as chambers of commerce and industry, customs authorities, port administration, logistics services, transportation infrastructure development, and marine engineering. The visiting delegation was received by Mohammed Al Ghaffari, Executive Director of the Human Resources Division at Dubai Customs, along with Dr. Mohamed Jumah Rahmah, the Executive Director of Technology & Digital Transformation at PCFC, Taleb Aldhanhani, Director‑ Licensing and Services Department at Trakhees Department, Waleed Isa bin Darwish, Director of Sea Customs Centers Management, and a group of department heads and inspection officials. Dubai Customs: A model in global trade facilitation In his welcome address, Mohammed Al Ghaffari highlighted that Dubai Customs has established itself as a leading global model in streamlining trade operations and customs inspection, becoming a point of reference for customs administrations across many countries. He noted the keen interest of visiting delegations in understanding the cutting-edge digital platforms developed by Dubai Customs for cargo tracking and its advanced inspection equipment. He emphasized that these efforts have significantly contributed to Dubai's prominent role in global trade, strengthening its ranking among the most advanced and secure commercial hubs worldwide, and among the best cities to live and work in. Dr. Mohammed Jumaa highlighted the technological solutions implemented by the PCFC in the trade and port sectors, pointing to its ongoing efforts in digital transformation and the use of smart applications that streamline licensing and inspection procedures. These efforts aim to establish Dubai as a premier global trade hub. He also emphasized the PCFC' openness to sharing expertise and transferring its successful experiences to various countries and continents. He further explained that the organization has recently launched its comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, in line with Dubai's vision to accelerate the adoption of AI solutions across sectors. This strategy aims to transform all services into smart operations that enhance user experience and increase business returns. Waleed bin Darwish shared further insights, stating: 'We provided the delegation with an in-depth presentation during their visit to the Jebel Ali Customs Center and TECOM, where they were introduced to our state-of-the-art X-Ray scanning technology — the first of its kind globally — used for inspecting heavy and light vehicles, massive equipment, and yachts. This system has greatly enhanced the inspection capacity at Jebel Ali, accelerating procedures, improving workflow efficiency, and reinforcing the port's position as the largest in the Middle East and one of the most significant seaports worldwide. The system drastically reduces inspection time from nearly 6 hours manually to just 5 minutes. Additionally, we demonstrated a streamlined clearance journey for customers, showing how goods can be processed within minutes. Our goal is to continuously elevate Jebel Ali Port's international standing by leveraging innovation to enhance the customer experience and ensure their satisfaction.' Commitment to security and global supply chain resilience He added: 'Dubai Customs is dedicated to advancing the capabilities of its inspection officers by equipping them with the latest knowledge and skills in customs inspection practices. Given the non-stop commercial activity at the Dubai World Trade Center and the emirate's strategic ports, the Maritime Customs Centers Management is committed to ensuring smooth cargo flows to support global supply chain resilience, while simultaneously confronting all forms of smuggling of banned, restricted, and counterfeit goods with absolute vigilance.' The Vietnamese delegation commended Dubai Customs' impressive progress in technological innovation, particularly in the areas of inspection systems and customs services, and applauded the department's role in enhancing the efficiency of customs operations and combating the movement of illegal goods and hazardous shipments. The delegation also expressed their interest in adopting Dubai's modern systems and learning from its extensive experience to bolster Vietnam's customs capabilities and streamline its trade and logistics processes.
