This document discusses electronic single windows and customs as complements for trade facilitation. It notes that electronic single windows can help coordinate customs and economic operators to better integrate supply chains. By capturing trade information earlier, single windows allow for improved risk management and accelerated customs clearance through increased integration and interoperability of international trade procedures and data flows. The document also provides background on the African Alliance for Electronic Commerce, an organization promoting electronic single window implementation across Africa to strengthen foreign trade.

1. www.african-alliance.org
Dakar , WCO IT June 2016
Electronic Single Window and Customs
A complementarity for trade facilitation
Jalal Benhayoun
Vice Chair AAEC
jbenhayoun@portnet.ma

2. AACE 2015 All rights reserved 1
Population: 1,15 billion
54 countries
Growth rate: 5%
Share in global trade 2%

3. International trade:
Beginner mode
AACE 2015 All rights reserved 2
Buy
Ship
Pay
Importer Exporter

4. International trade:
Critical mode
AACE 2015 All rights reserved 3
Importer Exporter

5. 4
The economic operator facing
the challenges of the international trade
 Immaturity of the functions of the supply chain in SME's
 Unclear procedures and circuits to import and export
 Uncertainty about the necessary time
 Uncertainty about costs involved
 Inventory shortage
 Inventory oversizing
 Surprises in the real cost
 Delays in customer delivery
 Weak competitiveness
 Break of production lines
 Losts in trade tranzactions
 Dissatisfied end customers
 Financial troubles

6. 5
ERP WMS TMS SRM
Customer Order Transport SupplierOrderTransport
ERP WMS TMS SRM
Customs
Terminal operator
Empotage
Customs broker
OGA
Freight Forwarder
Dépotage
Port autority
Warehouse
Import transporter
Control agency
Importer/Exporter
Shipping agent
Export transporter
Complexity of integration
of the international supply chain
In practical terms , it is almost impossible for a Supply Chain Manager to achieve the
full integration of its supply chain due to the complexity of external environment.

7. Trade facilitation pillars
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Physical flows
Data flows
Payments flows
 Modern infrastructure (Ports, aeroports, highways, logistics
plateforms,..;
 Strong connectivity: By sea, by air, by roads, by rails and
hinterland;
 Mature Services providers.
 Supply chain automation;
 Dematerialisation;
 National and international interoperability;
 Anticipation.
 Suitable payment instuments;
 Electronic payment culture;
 Harmonized payment system import and export operations.

8. 7
ERP WMS TMS SRM
Costumer Order Transport SupplierOrderTransport
ERP WMS TMS SRM
Customs
Terminal operator
Empotage
Customs broker
OGA
Freight Forwarder
Dépotage
Port autority
Warehouse
Import transporter
Control agency
Importer/Exporter
Shipping agent
Export transporter
An electronic Single Window can be a complementary coordination tool for the
customs to help the economic operators to better integrate their supply chain and
facilitate trade.
Complexity of integration
of the international supply chain
Electronic Single
Window

9. Who we are?
Idea in the
pipeline
Official
Launch in
Addis ababa
(9 founding
members )
From 9 to 16
members
WAEMU
Commission
become
AAEC
member
Concrete
implementati
on of AACE
projects
2008
2009
2009-2013
2013
2013-2014
The African Alliance for Electronic Commerce (AACE) is meant to be a
framework of exchanges and sharing about trade facilitation. It groups
17 member countries and seeks to promote the SW concept, in compliance
with recommendations of international institutions
Genesis

10. Our members goals

11. Our goals
Promote
E-Commerce
in Africa
Strengthen and
Promote the Concept of
Single Window for
foreign trade
In Africa
Set up a framework of
competence to assist
countries of the
region to develop
their Single Window
projects
Carry out projecs in
the Regionals
Economic
Communities
Serve as a focal point
for development
partners and
international
institutions interested
in Single Windows in
Africa

12. Governance
Chairman
Senegal
Commission
Communication &
promotion
Madagascar
Commission
benchmarking and
publishing
Congo
Commission Projects
Ghana
1er Vice-chair
Cameroon
2nd Vice-chair
Morocco
3rd Vice-chair
Kenya
Secretariat
Assistant

13. Partners

14. Publication
• The objective of publishing the guide is to
make available to countries to have a base
of knowledge of best practices on Single
Windows
Single window implementation guide in Africa
http://www.swguide.org

15. Sensitizing
 Egypt;
 Uganda;
 Niger;
 Burundi;
 Botswana.
Organizing of nationals workshops to raise awareness on Single Window
implementation

16. Regional interoperability
E-CERFICATE OF ORIGIN PLATFORMS (WAEMU & CEMAC)
Agreement signed in 2015 with the WAEMU Commission for the
extension of the E-certificate of Origin in the 8 members states

17. Peer review mechanism
• Countries assessed :
– Cameroon
– Ghana
– Mauritius
– Madagascar
– Senegal
Assessment of the single window impact on the performance of goods
movement through Africa ports: Peer review mechanism

18. International SWC and Exhibition
Promotion during annual International Single Window Conference: Dakar
2008; 2011-Madagascar 2013- Congo 2015

19. Upcoming event in 2016
virtual Single Window of Foreign Trade,
The requirement of inclusive collaboration
18
http://www.conferencesw.org

20. Next steps and challenges
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 Implementation of regional and African Trade Portals
 Promote and assist on SW implementation;
 Extension of the E-CO in the others regions;
 Boost interoperability (E-phytosanitary, E-permit,..)
 Develop resources and partnerships;
 Support WTO TFA;
 Extend to other members. Single
Window
Art 1
Art 4
Art
5
Art
3
Art
6
Art
10

21. SW and customs
complementarity for Trade
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Better risk
management
Large integration and
better interoperability
of international trade
Acceleration of
customs clearance
process
 Anticipate risk assessment basing on prior trade documents
and procedures.
 Harmonize risk management between customs and the
other control agencies;
 Capture trade informations earlier than when customs
declaration is done.
 Logistics, supply chain, ports and payments integration;
 Regional and global interoperability;
 Link with indirect foreign trade partners
 Accelerate customs clearence depends on the acceleration
of external procedures
 Payments (warehousing, loading/unloading, other
services);
 Inspection including other control agencies;
 Transportation;
 ..
 Track and trace.