The sixth edition of the International Single Window Conference (ISWC) and Exhibition will begin in Accra on Tuesday, October 3, 2017 to discuss best practices regarding Single Window and its implementation.

The three-day conference is being organised by the African Alliance for Electronic Commerce (AACE) in partnership with Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

More than 1000 participants, including nearly 200 delegates from several countries in Africa, Europe, America, Asia and Middle East are expected to take part in the conference on the theme: “Trade Facilitation Agreement and e-Commerce Development: The Role of Single Window as a Catalyst."

The objectives of the conference include raising awareness on the implementation of the single window concept at the global level, its contribution to improvement in company competitiveness and the business climate.

It also aims to share information on international standards, which underpin single windows and cross border exchange of data as well as share updates on the progress made in other parts of the world such as Asia and Africa on the concept.

Ahead of the conference, GCNet, pioneer Single Window and e-Solutions provider for Trade Facilitation and Revenue Mobilization, held a media workshop on the Single Window concept to deepen the understanding of Ghanaian journalists about the concept, its processes and importance to trade and revenue mobilisation.

Information was also shared on GCNet’s activities in relation to the implementation of the concept in Ghana.

Welcoming the media to the workshop, Mrs. Aba Lokko, Head of Communications at GCNet, said her outfit is happy to partner African Alliance and other stakeholders to organise the 6th edition of the International Single Window Conference.

She said it would create an opportunity for Ghanaians to have more information about the concept to enable them appreciate the value it holds for national development.

“We took the initiative to organise this workshop to ensure that journalists who will be assigned to cover the event will have a better understanding of the concept ahead of the conference to enable you educate society about Single window from an informed point of view,” she said.

She commended the media for their effort in educating Ghanaians about the Single Window concept and said GCNet remained committed to partnering with them to share accurate information to foster understanding of what the Single Window idea is all about, particularly GCNet’s role in the implementation of the concept in Ghana

Mr Emmanuel Darko, Deputy General Manager, GCNet said the company had been at the forefront of single-window since its inception and many gains had been made in trade facilitation.

However, he said, there was the need to streamline agency inspection and examination processes such as joint inspection and continuous sensitization and education of sstakeholders to promote compliance, and elimination of duplications.

Mr Matthew Soputamit, Vice President, Administration AACE, said AACE is a continental body setup to help promote the idea of single window operation in Africa.

He said the international Single Window Conference was meant to be an exchange hub focused on the Single Windows concept and other trade related issues.

He said the AACE had, among others, been able to publish an elaborate Guide for the implementation of Single Window in Africa and organized awareness workshops on the concept of Single Window in foreign trade.

It has also carried out peer Review Assessment with the World Bank on the single window impact on the performance of goods movement through Africa ports, and on trade facilitation in general in which Ghana, Cameroon, Mauritius, Madagascar and Senegal participated.