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ESWATINI FIRST COMESA MEMBER STATE TO PILOT E-CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN

By Nomfanelo Maziya | 2024-11-09

New economic opportunities are set to be unlocked as Eswatini becomes the first member state to pilot the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) electronic Certificate of Origin (e-CO) project.

With Malawi and Zambia also ready to pilot the project, the kingdom will be the first to pilot the implementation of the e-CO through the integration of ASYCUDA with the COMESA e-CO system to enable exporters to submit and receive processed certificates of origin through the Customs Declarations Management System.

It promises substantial benefits for businesses and customs authorities.
For businesses it means reduced processing times and lower costs, enabling them to move goods across borders more swiftly and efficiently.

Four customs authorities, it offers a more robust system verification, allowing for better control over goods entering and leaving their respective countries.

Furthermore, it will increase government revenue by reducing the forgery of certificates and improve volume of trade.

This was highlighted by Minister of commerce, Industry and Trade Mancoba Khumalo during the launch held at Eswatini Revenue Service headquarters yesterday.

“This innovative tool represents a monumental shift in the way we conduct cross-border trade, aiming to streamline processes, increase efficiency and enhance transparency,” said the minister.
The e-CO resonated with the National Trade Facilitation Roadman which is to transform Eswatini into a one-stop, paperless and climate-smart seamless trade hub with digitalised processes.

“The traditional, paper-based Certificate of origin has served us well over the years. however, in today’s digital age, the demand for a faster, more secure, and reliable system has grown exponentially,” he said,

The e-coo is designated to meet these demands by providing a digital platform that simplifies the certification processes, minimises paperwork, and reduces the time needed for verification and aproval.

By adopting this technology, the country is supporting businesses to become more competitive in the international market, ‘while also addressing issues of fraud and authenticity verification that can sometimes arise with paper documents.

Making her remarks, COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, said COMESA would soon be launching the regional e-CO during the forthcoming Council Meetings among the three member states as leading touch in implementation of the e-CO.

“The eCO system is expected to be a game-changer for the entire spectrum of intra-regional trade,” Kwapepe said.

It is expected to provide simpler and fully online processes thereby offer numerous benefits to stakeholders including the exporters, importers, customs authorities and the national treasuries.

A fully operational e-CO comes with several positive attributes apart from unlocking new economic opportunities, such as improving compliance with national and regional legal requirements, enhancing security through the digital signature and secure data exchange as well as increasing efficiency and transparency through the real-time tracking and monitoring of processes and certificates.

While congratulating the kingdom for its achievement, the secretary general called upon other member states to embrace the full implementation of the COMESA electronic certificate of origin as soon as possible. She highlighted the 32nd meeting for COMESA Council of Ministers in 2014, which urged member states that are ready to accept and use the e-CO to do so and member states whose systems to do not provide for e-CO to enact enabling laws as soon as possible with the view to replace the manual certificate of origin with the e-CO.
inistry of Commerce, Industry and Trade Mancoba Khumalo makes his remarks. (Pics by Nomfanelo Maziya)

Ministry of Comemrce, Industry and Trade PS Melusi Masuku and ERS Acting Commissioner General during the launch

COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe Kapwepwe, makes her remarks

ERS Acting Commissioner General Leonard Nxumalo, COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Mancoba Khumalo, EU Ambassador-designate Karsten Mecklenburg and PS Melusi Masuku following proceedings during the launch.

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