The Commission for Africa Report released on 11 March 2005 took a fresh look at Africa's past and present and the international community's role in its development path. The report recognises the need for increasing Africa's capacity to trade. In particular the report highlights the importance of trade facilitation, including: customs reform; removal of regulatory barriers, especially in transport; improved governance; air and sea transport reform.
Building the case for trade facilitation and customs reform the report urges African governments to address cumbersome customs administration procedures, excessive bureaucracy, poor governance and corruption, lack of transparent regulatory frameworks, lack of automated systems, and low levels of human capacity.
SITPRO is exploring concrete proposals on what the private sector can do in improving trade facilitation and customs reform in Africa. SITPRO has been instrumental in forming Business Action for Improving Customs Administration in Africa (BAFICAA). BAFICAA's mission is to define a distinctive business role in pressing for customs reform as a contribution to trade lead growth in Africa.
For further information, please contact Shondeep Banerji (shondeep.banerji@sitpro.org.uk)
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 53, Summer 2005
