Kara DIALLOTrade Information Manager, ALLIANCE BORDERLESS

kdiallo@borderlesswa.com Lagos, 26 février 2014

BORDER INFORMATION CENTRES PROGRAM

Challenges and Prospects

BORDERLESS CONFERENCE 2014

General SituationMillions of

farmers in West Africa

International markets

(Billions of dollars)

Under-investment,

limited access to finance,

energy costs

Customs procedures

are slow and Complex

Non-tariff barriers, inefficient

transportation

Improper handling, storage,

transportation cost prohibitive

ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme Gap Analysis FINDINGS

ETLS Information Dissemination Private sector has limited knowledge and

access to information on official customs procedures for goods and vehicles in transit.

National legislation is difficult to obtain on procedures for transportation.

Movement of Goods Duty free treatment for unprocessed goods is

not being implemented contrary to the ETLS.

Documentary requirements for intra-ECOWAS trade have not been harmonized across the region, leading to higher administrative costs and delays at borders.

Non-tariff barriers persist, in the form of quantity, quota or seasonal restrictions, in addition to checkpoints and road barriers

Transport Differing axle-load limits, vehicle

standards and inspection requirements exist across the region

• Administrative procedures in conflict with regional rules drive up transport costs

During the Gap Analysis of ETLS, the private sector has reported various differences that impede the free movement of vehicles and goods across borders.

Studies in nine countries of the sub region have identified access to information as a key obstacle to the consistent implementation of ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme.

In 2011, the USAID West Africa Trade Hub has developed the "Border Information Center" initiative to help solve this critical issue, the access to information at the borders.

JUSTIFICATION

Border Information Centres are platforms for exchange between all stakeholders in cross-border trade and thus serve to facilitate collaboration between them.

MISSIONS OF BICs

The main mission of IFC is to improve intra regional trade through the following objectives:

1. Reduce the costs of trade between countries through improved procedures and reduced transit time at borders;

2. Increase formal trade flows by reducing informal trade and smuggling.

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

Month 1

Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

Month 5

Month 6

Identify Border for Potential BIC           

Field Assessment & Host Identification           

Stakeholder Buy-In: Presentation of Field Assessment Results

           Defining Partner Roles and Responsibilities

           Baseline Assessment on Border Crossing Times

           Compile Guide on Goods Clearance Processes

           Communications Materials and Information Packets

           BIC Staffing

           BIC Office Facilities and equipping

           Launch of the Center

           BIC Operations

           

DATE OF LAUNCH

1. Ghana/Togo (August 2011)

2. Burkina Faso /Ghana (September 2012)

3. Bénin/Nigeria (December 2012)

4. Port of Dakar (March 2013)

5. Côte d’Ivoire/Ghana(May 2013)

BIC Host Institution Contacts

Noé Mr. Iba TIAPhone: +225 09 18 24 01 +225 07 69 21 82Email: ibtiathomas@gmail.com

Elubo  

Mr. Robertson AFFUMPhone: +233 508 923 157 +233 245 535 127Email: roberts.kobe@yahoo.com

Aflao Mr. Seth DOVLOPhone: +233 244 209 966Email: efoseth52@yahoo.com

Kraké 

Mr. Christophe Cossi GNIMAVOPhone: +229 66 17 85 85+229 97 61 61 98Email: christcoss@yahoo.fr

Seme Mr. Joseph BAMIGBOYEPhone: +234 803 333 4287Email: elderbamigboye@gmail.com

Dakola/Ouagarinter Mr. Dieudonné BATIONOPhone:+226 50 40 40 41 +226 74 52 88 88Email: batbegniasso@yahoo.fr

Port de Dakar   Mr. Jean Baptiste DIOUFPhone : +221 33 849 07 07Email : jeancodou@hotmail.fr

Dakola, Sep. 28, 2012

Krake, Dec. 11, 2012

Elubo, may 23 2013

9

ACTIVITIES OF CENTRES

1. Dissemination of information (At the office and in the field with the both private and Public sectors)

2. Daily assistance to economic operators (customs documentation, linkage, interventions in the level of Customs, Police, etc…)

3. Training of border stakeholders (on customs procedures, regulations on trade and transport)

4. Survey on border crossing time

5. Facilitation meetings between cross border trade stakeholders (Advocacy for accelerated procedures)

- Customs procedures and required documentation for goods (brochures);

- Regulations on transport and required documentation for vehicles, and drivers (Drivers Guide);

- Agreements and various protocols of ECOWAS and UEMOA on Trade, Transport and Inter-State Transit (Reports and flyers)

DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION

ACTIVITIES OF CENTRES2013 figures

TRAININGTHEME VENUE PARTICIPANTS

Stakeholders’ Training on border crossing trade

Paga (Ghana)    Seme (Nigeria) 

 Elubo (Ghana)

60 participants : Customs, Freight Forwarders, Transporters’ Unions, GCNET, BIVAC 45 participants : freight forwarders, transporters and shipping agents 43 mainly clearing agents

Customs procedures for goods in Transit 

Paga (Ghana) Dakola (Burkina Faso)

49 freight forwarders 53 freight forwarders

Schemes on importation and exportation

Kodjoviakope (Togo) Noe (Côte d’Ivoire)

32 freight forwarders 27 participants : freight forwarders, Customs, transporters

Customs duties and operation in the ASYCUDA++

Krake (Benin) 

17 freight forwarders

Customs regimes and their codification in ASYCUDA++

Porto Novo (Benin) Kodjoviakopé (Togo) Ouagarinter (Burkina Faso)

58 Customs Officers 30 Clearing agents 50 participants : clearing agents, Customs, COTECNA and CBC 

Training Session on SYADAM Noe (Côte d’Ivoire) 13 freight forwarders

TOTAL 12 Sessions 477

ACTIVITES DES CENTRES2013 en chiffres

FACILITATION DES RENCONTRESTHEME VENUE PARTICIPANTS

Stakeholders’ Meeting on trade facilitation issues (Discussions, recommendations, Advocacy)

Aflao (Ghana)

70 participants: Customs, Immigration, Clearing agents, Police

Noe (Côte d’Ivoire)

26 participants: Customs, Police, FRCI (Côte d’Ivoire army), OFT, OIC, Phyto-sanitary and veterinary services, clearing agents, transporters and traders association

Elubo (Ghana)

35 participants: Customs, freight forwarders’ Association, BIVAC and GSA

Paga (Ghana)

15 participants: Customs, GSA, Freight Forwarders, Police, Port Health, Immigration and the Department of Agriculture

Dakola (Burkina Faso)

15 participants : Customs, Police, Gendarmerie, the Chamber of Commerce, CBC, Freight Forwarder’s Association, and the transporter’s Union

Ouagarinter (Burkina Faso)

43 participants: Customs, Police, Gendarmerie, National Health Laboratory, Direction of Road Transport, CBC, CCI-BF, Freight forwarders, Transporters Association, trucks drivers, COTECNA

Cotonou (Bénin) Seme (Nigeria)

24 participants : Direction of Road Transport, CNCB, Port of Cotonou, Chamber of Commerce, Freight Forwarder’s Association, Transporter’s Association, ALCO 30 participants: Customs, Clearing Agents, Transporters, Nigeria Shipper’s Council, medias

TOTAL 8 Meetings facilitated 258  

13

SERVEY ON BORDER CROSSING TIME

The data were collected in the period between October 7th and November 15th, and the sample size for the data was 240 for the whole survey.

The survey was undertaken by interviewing truck drivers, clearing agents, Customs officials, and other stakeholders whose services have direct impact on clearing procedures.

In general, the survey concluded that delays at the borders are not only caused by customs procedures, but also caused in various ways by traders, drivers and freight forwarders.

The survey thus suggests that it is also necessary to sensitize these stakeholders, particularly on the need to have the necessary funds and documentation available where required, in order to reduce delays.  

PROSPECTSI. Capacity building of existing BICs

II. Projects to create new BICs- Cinkassé (Togo/Burkina Faso border)- Niangoloko (Côte d’Ivoire/Burkina Faso border)- Malanville – Gaya (Benin/Niger border)- Kidira – Diboli (Sénégal/Mali border)

- Information and Sensitization Workshop at Dakar Port

- 2nd Border Information Centres Forum : Trade Advisors’s Training in Management ; Revision of the intervention strategy; Integration of new activities in the work plan (new performance indicators)

We hope that everyone can move unhindered for better competitiveness of West African economies.

Thank you for your kind attention