Premier Inaugurates Paperless Customs Service
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated paperless customs service on Saturday September 12, 2020. On the inauguration ceremony, the Premier noted that the paperless customs service has multifaceted benefits for the country. The new technology also plays a critical role to strengthen country’s economy by modernizing the service and encouraging global investment. The service is expected to help to update the information management and exchange system with the use of technology.
“We will continue implementing technologically advanced service provision in all sectors.” Prime Minister Abiy said on the occasion.
The Customs Commission has undertaken a wide range of institutional reform activities over the last few years, it was indicated.
Read More at:
https://www.fanabc.com/english/premier-inaugurates-paperless-customs-service/
https://ethiopianmonitor.com/2020/09/13/customs-commission-goes-digital-to-facilitate-trade/
Ethiopia Unveils New Currency Notes
Ethiopians have a three-month window within which they will be able to exchange old currency notes for new ones from the banks after the government demonetized its currency. Ethiopia on Monday unveiled new Birr notes for 10, 50 and 100 denominations, in addition to introducing a new Birr 200 note.
According to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the new notes will “curb financing of illegal activities, corruption and contraband.” Ahmed added that enhanced security features on the new notes will also cease counterfeit production. Ahmed said this was a necessary action to take to prop up the economy which, like several others, has also been battered by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. “Introducing the changes in our currency notes was deemed necessary to salvage the country’s fractured economy,” Ahmed said.
Read More at:
https://furtherafrica.com/2020/09/15/ethiopia-unveils-new-currency-notes/
https://www.ethiopianreporter.com/article/19833
The Directive of National Bank of Ethiopian can be seen at https://www.effsaa.org/download/nbes-directive-on-the-new-currency/
Jinan Sinotruck Co. Wins the Long-Awaited Bid of ESLSE
Ethiopian Shipping and Logistic Service Enterprise /ESLSE/ has awarded the Chinese prominent truck manufacturer Jinan Sinotruck Co. for procurement of 150, 6×4 trucks at a total cost of 13 million dollars. According to the enterprise the procurement will be financed (70 percent) by loan from the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia while the remainder will be financed by the Enterprise itself.
According to experts, ESLSE has about 440 trucks. 215 of those trucks were purchased from the French automotive company, Renault Trucks, about 4 years back. The rest came from different organizations. The different organizations came about by the amalgamation of the Ethiopian Shipping Lines, the Dry Port Services Enterprise and the Maritime and Transit Services in 2012. The experts further say that the Renault Trucks are in good condition as they were recent purchases whereas the rest are not in the best of conditions.
Read More at:
https://www.capitalethiopia.com/capital/jinan-sinotruck-co-wins-the-long-awaited-bid-of-eslse/
The Bureau to Penalize from Birr 500.00 to Birr 6,000 for Movement of Heavy Vehicles during Restricted Hours.
Addis Ababa City Transport Bureau announced that, the movement of heavy vehicles in the city is prohibited from 04:00 P.M. – 08:00 P.M. The bureau will imposes a penalty of Birr 500 to Birr 6,000 on those who will violate the rule.
The bureau said that, it has implemented a guideline to determine the movement of heavy vehicles to reduce traffic congestion and accidents during working hours.
Read More at: https://www.ethiopianreporter.com/index.php/article/19861
On the other side Addis Ababa Traffic Management Agency has launched Addis Ababa road safety strategy. The strategy aims to alleviate traffic congestion in Addis Ababa, develop infrastructure and reduce road traffic accidents by 10% according to Addis Ababa Traffic Management Agency Director Eng. Jiregna Hirpa.
Read More at: https://www.ethiopianreporter.com/article/19860
COMESA Launches Regional Customs Transit Guarantee Scheme Mobile App.
The COMESA Regional Customs Transit Guarantee Scheme (RCTG Carnet) has launched a Mobile Application designed to provide access to real-time information to Clearing and Forwarding Agents.
The Application which is accessible on Google Play Store and Apple Store is a one-stop shop that will allow Clearing and Forwarding Agents in member countries to view current bond balance and active Carnets, get notifications on Carnet acquittals and expiry of RCTG Bonds.
Carnet is a Guarantee document that is used throughout the transit process as a proof of a valid Guarantee/Bond and an undertaking to comply with Customs obligations within each transit country.
The RCTG Scheme is a customs transit regime developed to facilitate the movement of goods under customs seals in the COMESA region. It provides the required customs security and guarantee to the transit countries. Among its key benefit is the reducing the cost of Bond /Guarantee and collaterals charged by Sureties and agents.
“I certainly believe that the creation of this Mobile Application is a very practical way of enabling Clearing and Forwarding Agents to access real-time information on their RCTG bonds from wherever they are without going through Customs Authority offices”, Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe said.
COMESA RCTG Carnet is the second of its kind in the world after the European Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) Carnet and the only one in the region and continent. It is recognized by the World Customs Organization (WCO).
The RCTG Scheme has 13 members namely: Burundi, Djibouti, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Currently, the Scheme is operational in five countries; namely: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The RCTG Carnet is fully digitalized and integrated with the National Customs IT Systems.
During the year 2018 nearly $2billion COMESA RCTG Carnet (guarantee) for customs duty and taxes for goods in transit in the Northern and Central Corridor countries were issued.
Find the App on Google and apple store on:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.comesa.rctgmobile
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1530035067#?platform=iphone
FIATA Delivers ‘Reset Programme’ Progress Report
The FIATA Presidency is pleased to deliver a Progress Report on the ‘reset programme’ – an organizational initiative endorsed by the Extended Board in 2019 and set to prepare FIATA for future industry challenges.
The head office has been restructured and moved from Zurich to Geneva to increase advocacy and place it in the heart of the capital of international trade.
The FIATA Logistics Institute was born to bring all education and training activities under one umbrella, and a digital strategy has been developed and is in motion to help freight forwarders enter the world of digital supply chains.
FIATA has also worked to protect and leverage freight forwarders intellectual property and to modernize its communication to engage younger professionals in freight forwarding.
FIATA also decided to launch a new internal newsletter dedicated to members to provide an overview of the logistics news landscape, as well as relevant news from international organizations related to trade and logistics.
Read More at:
https://fiata.com/news/fiata-e-flash/2020/fiata-delivers-reset-programme-progress-report.html
The progress report can be seen at:
https://fiata.com/fileadmin/user_upload/2020_documents/Reset_programme_report.pdf
DP World in Historic Bid to Run a Port in Israel
The remarkable thawing of ties between some Middle Eastern nations and Israel has led to an unexpected port development with a Dubai terminal operator closing in on a deal to buy into the port of Haifa.
DP World, one of the world’s largest terminal operators, is now in discussions with Tel Aviv-based DoverTower to bid to take over operations at the previously government-owned Haifa port. DoverTower is owned by Israeli businessman Shlomi Fogel, and is a shareholder in Israel Shipyards and a partner at Eilat port.
“Our work to build trade routes between the UAE, Israel and beyond will help our customers to do business in the region more easily and efficiently,” said DP World chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.
Read More at: https://splash247.com/dp-world-tipped-to-invest-in-israeli-port/
