The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), through the financial backing of the European Commission has announced plans to digitalize the economic block's customs clearance procedures.

Under the project, member countries will receive donations of computers, equipped with computerized customs management systems, which will eventually introduce a paperless system of customs processing.

At its last summit in Nairobi earlier this year, COMESA observed that the customs service in many of its member countries is still stuck in the pre-independence era, remaining a paper transaction from beginning to end as far as clearance of goods are concerned.

Under the new plan, members will use the Automated System for Customs Data and Management (ASYCUDA) software, developed by the United Nations conference on Trade and Development in 1981.

The software covers most foreign trade procedures and handles manifests and customs declarations, accounting procedures, transit and suspense procedures. ASYCUDA also generates trade data that can be used for statistical economic analysis.

A COMESA spokesperson says the project is aimed at increasing trade facilitation, improved efficiency and effectiveness in customs procedures, provision of timely and accurate trade data and the use of international standards.

The system is also expected to enable member countries to streamline customs procedures and adopt cohesive strategies that would foster the cargo processing and promote regional trade.

COMESA says it will donate computers to the value of US$100,000 to US$400,000. The Democratic Republic of Congo, the Comoros, Eritrea, Swaziland and Seychelles are the five newest countries that will benefit from the donation.

The ASYCUDA system is already in operation in nine other COMESA countries.

Highway Africa News Agency