Crown Agents, currently the only observer member of the African Alliance on E-commerce (AACE), was invited to share its expertise at the Alliance's recent event in Accra, Ghana. The purpose of the event was to discuss the reasons for deploying E-commerce systems to simplify trade transactions in African countries. Crown Agents' Senior Solutions Specialist, Valentina Mintah, attended along with representatives of member countries and international organisations.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications in Ghana, opened the event by highlighting how important it was for African countries to develop a strategy to deepen ICT usage. He said that the AACE operators have a major role to play to ensure the exchange of information on new developments and best practices for the promotion of E-commerce. Mr Ibrahim Nour Eddire Diagme, Chairman of the AACE, said that the Alliance has set up a competency framework to help African countries in the development of their Single Window projects.
The AACE is a framework for the exchange and sharing of expertise and best practice relating to trade facilitation. Its member countries are Cameroon, Congo, Cote D'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Libya, Madagascar, Morocco, Senegal and Togo. It aims to promote the concept of national and regional Single Window compliance with recommendations from international institutions such as WCO, UN/CEFACT. Single Window boosts the development of inter and intra regional trade in Africa which makes businesses more competitive and ready to meet the challenges of globalisation.
Speaking at the event, Valentina reiterated Crown Agents' commitment to the Alliance in order to facilitate trade and informed members about the ground breaking Single Window project in the Philippines. Valentina also proposed that a stronger network should be created within the region to ensure that progress is made in the Alliance. Crown Agents was included in the new task force set up to drive the Alliance forward.