SADC Electronic Certificate of Origin launched
Delegates to the indaba-Picture by Cfm
Trade in southern Africa is expected to improve following the launch of the SADC Electronic Certificate of Origin in Blantyre.
The event has attracted delegates from Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Malawi Revenue Authority – MRA executive director of corporate services, Agnes Katsonga Phiri, observes that the e-certificate will eliminate cases of forgery of official documents by traders.
Katsonga Phiri further expects the technological advancement to resolve delays that some business persons are subjected to considering the congestion that verification of details in the manual certificates caused.
On his part, SADC Director of Financial Investment and Custom Sadwick Mtonakutha has noted that the meeting has come at the right time as Malawi will be among the first countries to pilot the initiative.
Among the issues discussed include importance of Electronic Certificate of Origin on regional value chains development.
The development is also coming at a time African countries are working on boosting trade amongst themselves through the Africa Continental Free Trade Area(AfCFTA).
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