The National Single Window System (NSWS) represents a milestone in Fiji’s pursuit of more efficient, streamlined international trade by developing and implementing paperless processes.
Highlighting this at the the handover of the Fiji National Single Window Blueprint from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, ASYCUDA today, Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, Manoa Kamikamica said the System will enable electronic exchange of trade-related documents and information between Government agencies, reducing the time and costs associated with trade.
“The blueprint is a road map to developing the system which recognizes the need for different agencies involved in the trade clearance process and outlines their roles and responsibilities in the interconnectedness approach through this platform.”
“I convey my sincere appreciation to the European Union for supporting “Improving Pacific Islands Customs and Trade” (IMPACT) – a project implemented under the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).”
Kamikamica further added the blueprint was made possible by several stakeholder consultations in the past, which involved Government agencies and private sector partners, and once implemented, it will benefit the business community as well as Government agencies in many ways.
The system will standardize data and documentation requirements; harmonize processes and procedures; establish secure communication channels for information exchange between Government agencies and private sector participants; current hardships brought by manual trade clearance processes resulting in a reduction of associated costs; accuracy and reliability with trade-related data, and improve and bring greater transparency and easier regulation by relevant agencies.
While handing over the blueprint, the Chargée d’Affaires of the European Union to Fiji and the Pacific, Dr. Erja Askola said the European Union and Fiji aim to strengthen their trade relations based on the EU-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement, which allows Fijian businesses to export all their goods to the 27 EU Member States without duties and quotas and has helped Fiji’s exports to the EU market double between 2014 and 2022.
Currently, 11 UNCTAD member States are running an electronic single window based on ASYCUDA technology.
These are Barbados, Burundi, Comoros, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Vanuatu and Zimbabwe.
