Webb Fontaine awarded contract with the Central African Republic

Webb Fontaine has been awarded a three-year contract to set up, operate and manage a series of customs-related services in the Central African Republic (CAR). Expected to go live in February, the e-customs portal will provide operators with a secure and paperless environment for the electronic management of Trade Import or Export Declarations (TID or TED) by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. In addition, it will support the online submission of customs pre-arrival declarations allowing customs administration to perform valuation and classification prior to the arrival of goods.

Moreover, operators are also given access to an import duties and taxes simulator and trade-related information. Webb Fontaine will also be tasked with setting up a Centre of Excellence that will enable the customs administration to progressively carry out classification and valuation of imported goods.

Didier Reymond, CEO of Webb Fontaine said: “The agreement between Webb Fontaine and the Government of the Central African Republic is part of the country’s drive towards digitisation and is a huge step in the right direction for the trade community of the CAR. It will mark a significant improvement of the business climate through the dematerialisation of certain commercial procedures and provide the government with a customs valuation database self-updating itself throughout the trade process.”

The implementation of the e-customs portal will provide the CAR with a range of online services that will greatly save time by reducing travel, delays and costs related to the customs clearance of goods.

Mr. Ange Maxime Kazagui, Minister of Communication and Media, and Spokesperson for the Government of the Central African Republic, outlined the authority’s expectations saying: “Our Government is looking forward to the outcome of this partnership with Webb Fontaine. A first of its kind in CAR, the introduction of the e-customs portal is a significant step in our current modernisation reforms and will not only help us improve the customs revenue of the country, but also reinforce the capacity of customs officers through the Centre of Excellence.”

The launch of the e-customs platform will contribute to a decisive step in the establishment of a digital economy throughout the CAR.

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