New e-pay system to boost trade efficiency

TANZANIAN traders are expected to benefit as import and export will become easier thanks to the launch of an electronic Certificate of Origin payment system which is expected to enhance trade efficiency.

The system under the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) project through financial support of TradeMark East Africa was launched in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
It is to expedite application and issuance of delivery of Certificates of Origin (CO) by reducing physical movements and time taken to process the document and thus cutting on days of processing the vital certificates.
Speaking at the event, TMEA Tanzania Country Director, John Ulanga said, “We TMEA are very happy to assist TCCAI on this project of LIPA FASTA system, because this is the aim of TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) which is growing prosperity in East Africa through trade.
He said: “We believe that enhanced trade contributes to economic growth, a reduction in poverty and subsequently increased prosperity towards improving the business environment in Tanzania, promoting trade and bringing business prosperity in Tanzania”.
Ulanga said TMEA has spent more than 600,000 US dollars in achieving this project for the Tanzanian Industries and Agriculture Association, TCCIA, but also has supported Zanzibar Industries Association, ZNCCIA.
The project has been made possible from the support of funds provided by the UK Government through its International Development Agency (DFID) through TradeMark, East Africa, (TMEA) which oversees the implementation of the project. He said trade improvements, opening more opportunities for Tanzanians to trade, the rest of Tanzanians will enjoy the opportunities.
He urged Tanzanians to grab the opportunities provided for by Trademark. “ Opportunities wait for no one, they are never lost, but can be taken by somebody else, if you don’t grab, others will grab” Said John Ulanga.
On his part, TCCIA President Ndibalema Mayanja said “We thank TMEA for funding for this project, The LIPA FASTA system, will help the businessmen save time and reduce costs, since time is the most important thing for any businessman, saving time, is saving money, and making more profit”, so whereas FASTA will increase the speed up the registration and obtaining the Certificates of Origin to more businessmen, and this will accelerate trading and improving the business environments in Tanzania.
The LIPA FASTA will ease the issuance of Certificates of Origin certificates by reducing physical movements and time taken to process the document.
The target is to reduce the time for issuance of the certificates from the current four days to just a few hours. Two similar systems have been launched by TCCIA where more than 1000 certificates of origin have been issued electronically and more than 90 NTBs eliminated as the result of evidence based advocacy carried out by the private sector.
More than 2000 SMS have been received in the NTB SMS system at TCCIA.
This information will be catalogued with an aim of eliminating those NTBs identified through the private sector advocacy platform.