Kenya has made remarkable strides since the official launch of the National Electronic Single Window System (Kenya TradeNet System) in May 2, 2014, with documentation of cargo clearance across its borders now much easier, faster and convenient. The adoption of the System has enabled centralized lodgment of international trade documentations for both import and export including trans-shipment.

KenTrade the implementing Agency has stepped up efforts to ensure the System users and other stakeholders properly understand the System through several awareness and sensitization workshops, conferences and walk-ins which have increased uptake in System usage, enhanced user experience and notable innovations geared at improving international and cross border trade facilitation in Kenya.

The number of Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) processing permits through Kenya TradeNet System has increased from 22 in 2015 to 30 in 2016 with  5 more PGAs  at various stages of implementation( development, User Acceptance Testing, and piloting). In some cases, the average number of documents required for processing applications has reduced by about 50 per cent while time taken to process clients’ requests has reduced by over 50 per cent. It is worth noting that among the first PGAs to adopt the System such the Kenya Dairy Board and Port Health have reported tremendous improvement in processing of Permits ,compliance and increase in revenue.

Among the new innovations that KenTrade hope to leverage on to boost trade facilitation through the Kenya TradeNet System is the ongoing integration with the  Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) being implemented by one of our  key Partner Government Agency, Kenya Revenue Authority. The new System is expected to replace the Simba System which has been in use in the country over the last 10 years. . iCMS will encompass all KRA functionalities that were scattered in other systems including Real Time Cargo Management System (RTMS) which was expected to manage Customs operations at the entry/exit borders.

Also in progress is the enhanced communication with stakeholders through implementation of a Short Message Service (SMS) being integrated with the Kenya TradeNet System to proactively deliver required real-time updates on cargo documentation status  to clients which to allow closer monitoring of documents lodged through the TradeNet System.

As part of trade facilitation, the Agency has improved the traders experience in payment processes by integrating the TradeNet System with the Digital Payment platform (e-citizen) as an alternative channel for collecting license and permit fee payments in addition to the iTax platform.. With the support of Trade Mark East Africa and UNCTAD, KenTrade is implementation f the E-Portal project whose greatest beneficiary will be traders who intend to import/export cargo to/from Kenya. Completion of the eportal project will enable Kenya to comply with article 1.2 of World Trade Organization (WTO)Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) on provision of information through the internet.

So far, 20 out of the 21 Kenya TradeNet System modules and functionalities have been successfully implemented. Work to implement the last module, cargo declaration is ongoing and it is expected the module will be operational by end of June 2017.

Source: Ken Trade