Gov�t launches online trade gateway
Pauline Dikuelo | Wednesday January 27, 2016 18:00
This one-stop shop service, which will be a significant contributor to trade facilitation, is expected to improve the time it takes to import, export and clear goods in and out of Botswana.
The trade portal also aims to make it easier for traders and investors to understand, comply with regulatory requirements associated with exporting and helping Botswana to fully comply with its international obligations at the WTO level.
It is also part of the government’s broader commitment towards implementing the new World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement on trade facilitation. The World Bank funded the project to the tune of P7 million.
Speaking at the launch in Gaborone yesterday the Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Sadique Kebonang said the establishment of the trade portal is a clear and bold announcement of Botswana’s full commitment towards the WTO agreement.
“With all this information readily available and clear instructions on how to export or import, traders should find it quicker and easier to be compliant and discharge all formalities with fewer time consuming interactions,” he said.
Services already provided on the portal include company name search, application forms, licences, permits, trading rules and requirements.
Kebonang added that time constraints had been affecting Botswana’s rankings and competitiveness, especially with regard to the Trading Across Borders measure where countries are weighed on the flow of goods and services across borders.
He attributed the unsatisfactory performance of Botswana on the 2016 Doing Business Report rankings to lack of pace in improving trade facilitation. According to the 2016 Doing Business Report, Botswana is ranked 51 on the Trading Across Borders measure from 50 in 2015, which was a notch down.
“This area looks at indicators like time to export and cost to export which basically are the time and cost for obtaining, preparing, submitting documents during part of border handling, customs clearance and inspection procedures,” he said.
The trade portal also marks an important milestone in the continued improvement in the country’s business environment as well as acceleration in regional and international trade.
A senior economist at the World Bank, Richard Record said the project was one of the many partnerships that they had with government, adding that the project would help improve trade facilitation. The trade portal concept was borne out of a need to make trade regulatory information in Botswana easily and readily accessible to the business community both in Botswana and abroad.
The 2014 trade statistics figures show that Botswana’s exports stood at P76.5 billion with major commodities being diamonds, copper-nickel, beef and soda ash while imports were at P65.1 billion with major commodities being diamonds, fuel, machinery and electrical equipment.