A Peer Learning Initiative on Single Windows Implementation and Management is organized by the International Trade Center in the framework of the European Union-funded Ready4Trade Central Asia (R4TCA) and hosted by the Pakistan Single Window.
The event brings together public and private sector customs and trade experts from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to share their knowledge, experiences, and regional best practices for the development and implementation of the national single window.
Naveed Qamar, the Federal Minister for Commerce, was the Chief Guest at the opening session while the keynote address was delivered by Mukarram Jah Ansari, Member Customs Operations, Federal Board of Revenue.
The Federal Minister of Commerce, Syed Naveed Qamar, appreciated the efforts of PSW and stated that since this is the first in-person event in Islamabad on a very important theme it makes it even more special.
He restated Pakistan’s commitment to trade facilitation and said, “Our government is committed to deepening our political, diplomatic, and trade relations with all our neighboring states. Our ties with Central Asia go back several centuries and both regions have benefitted from the free flow of ideas, goods, and people over national and international boundaries from ancient times.”
“Our government is keen to revive those ties through increased engagement on government-to-government and people-to-people levels, and by providing the enabling environment to promote regional trade and connectivity,” he added.
The national single window for trade and transport is an established concept that provides a digital platform for the electronic exchange of information amongst different stakeholders engaged in cross-border trade.
The Single Window digitizes all cross-border trade-related processes, procedures, regulatory and information requirements and allows for electronic processing of customs declaration and other cross-border trade-related documents such as import permits, licenses, export certificates, and other documents providing a paperless and streamlined cross-border trading environment.
The three-day event aims to present and discuss the state of development and implementation of the NSWs in these countries to enable mutual learning, discuss past and present challenges in implementation, and share best practices and lessons learned.
It will also ensure that regional networks of exports are established, intensify sharing of knowledge on obstacles to trade, strengthen trust among experts and formulate coordinated solutions in facilitating trade and border practices.
In his welcome note, Pierre Bonthonneau, ITC Senior Trade Facilitation Adviser, said, “Peer Learning Initiatives are to network with the same people who are facing similar challenges, to exchange ideas for bringing reforms and to create a human infrastructure that is necessary for coordination and connection of countries for trade reforms.”
Pakistan recently rolled out its own single window – Pakistan Single Window – on June 30, 2022, in line with its commitments under the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.
The system integrates Pakistan Customs, the Department of Plant Protection, the Animal Quarantine Department, the Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department, the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority, and the Export Development Fund.
In addition, 29 commercial banks are also integrated with the PSW platform for the exchange of cross-border trade-related financial information in real-time.
PSW has successfully integrated with the IBM/Maersk-owned Tradelens system while technical discussions for integration with the China Single Window are currently in progress.
PSW is hosting this event as part of its trade facilitation and regional connectivity agenda. Given that Pakistan provides the shortest and most viable route to the marine shipping lanes to the Central Asian Republics and Western China through its warm water ports at Karachi and Gwadar
It recognizes the need for effective coordination amongst the regional customs administrations and is therefore making a focused effort for deepening its engagement with the Central Asian states to promote mutual learning, cooperation, and technical collaboration.
The cross-learning during this PLI will enhance participants’ understanding and stimulate discussion on strategic digitization reforms that consider the existing regional IT infrastructure, its potential for interoperability, and integrated data flows, and will pave the way for further cooperation on trade data exchange to reduce border clearance times.
As part of the EU-financed R4TCA, PLIs are designed to network with professionals from the same field, learn from their peers about regional best practices, and brainstorm on ways to further coordinate and harmonize border practice.
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