Digital addict: Leading the digital revolution in trade and customs
Alioune Ciss, a Senegalese born in New York, has been leading the Dubai-based Webb Fontaine since 2021. This role marks a significant career shift after spending 24 years at the United Nations in Geneva.
Passionate about digitalising and dematerialising port and customs procedures, he envisions a connected Africa, for an economic transformation that benefits growth and populations.
The Africa CEO Forum , held in Kigali, Rwanda, from May 16-17, provided an excellent opportunity for African leaders to network and form potential partnerships. Among the Senegalese present at the 11th edition, held in Kigali (Rwanda) from May 16 to 17, Alioune CISS divided his time between networking and panel discussions. "We were able to meet heads of government, professionals and decision-makers from the port industry. And it was really rich." says Mr. Ciss. After a six-hour flight from the United Arab Emirates, he was enthusiastic about connecting with peers and discussing the future of trade facilitation and customs modernisation. He is the CEO of Webb Fontaine, which is a global leader in trade facilitation and customs and port modernisation. The company operates in Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, using cutting-edge technology to optimise international trade procedures.
Before becoming the CEO in January 2021, Ciss was Webb Fontaine's Executive Director of Business Development, a role he took on in 2015. He contributed to the company's growth by developing innovative commercial strategies. “I had the opportunity to collaborate with talented teams to develop and implement innovative business strategies; which contributed to the company's growth and success." he emphasises.
From the United Nations to port modernisation
His career began at the United Nations in 1991, working on projects related to the automation of customs procedures and trade facilitation.
Mr. Ciss is passionate about his early professional life. "I'm aware that my career path is rather atypical, and I'm grateful for the opportunities I've been offered throughout my career," he says at the outset. The son of a Senegalese diplomat, Alioune Ciss was born in New York. "I've been lucky enough to live in several countries. This experience has exposed me to a multitude of cultures, which has profoundly enriched my openness," he adds. After studying mathematics, he specialised in computer science. That's how he joined the United Nations in 1991. "At the time, the UN was looking for young computer scientists. I was accepted. I did a lot of work in Central and West Africa," he reveals. At the UN, where he has spent a good part of his career (24 years), he went from being a computer programmer to managing projects linked to the automation of customs procedures and the facilitation of international trade.
Today, at Webb Fontaine, he proudly assumes the mantle of a Senegalese leader at the head of a large organisation: "It is with great honour and humility that I assume this strategic position. With the feeling of being among those Senegalese and Africans who shine on the international stage, it's a source of immense pride. However, the most important thing is that I am aware of the importance of giving back to my community, not only to Senegal, but also to Africa."
His ambition is to create opportunities for future generations through digitalisation. In his view, thanks to a mix of experts from various backgrounds, from customs to logistics to the port industry, it is possible to digitise the entire value chain of goods movement, enabling all players to work electronically and in an integrated way. Solutions which increase revenue, reduce costs for users, promote transparency and facilitate the dematerialisation of procedures for the rapid delivery and payment of government services.
The company headed by Alioune Ciss operates in 22 countries, including Senegal, through a subsidiary dedicated to digitalisation projects in the country. For him, it's a way of supporting change in his country. “Last year, we began working sessions with the Dakar Port Authority and port stakeholders to set up the "Single Window". Then, we planned to set up our first Research and Development Center in Africa in Senegal. And we are more than ever ready to support the policy of digital sovereignty." he says.
Helping to connect Africa
He also intends to extend his intervention to the continent, where, he says, demand is also high. "Across Africa, more and more governments today want to revolutionise international trade to make our countries more attractive. Webb Fontaine is proud to be able to support these states in their programs to modernise and optimise foreign trade procedures through public-private partnerships and a vast program of technology and skills transfers." emphasises Mr. Ciss.
He suggests that the preferred approach is to implement solutions in a format in which Webb Fontaine directly assumes all the investment required to develop and implement services, as well as all the financial and operational costs associated with managing these projects. In his view, this not only creates jobs for young people in the field of new technologies, but also means that these solutions can be implemented in the shortest possible time and under optimum conditions for the benefit of the local population.
Webb Fontaine's CEO advocates, among other solutions, management systems for customs procedures using advanced Artificial Intelligence technologies, auditing of the value and classification of declared goods, the one-stop foreign trade shop, the one-stop port shop, and GPS cargo tracking. Not to mention solutions for the digitisation of financial bodies such as tax authorities, notably via a national e-payment platform. This is his way of contributing to Africa's development, particularly in Senegal, where the new authorities are placing digitalisation at the heart of the "Project".
Originally published on Le Soleil newspaper by Demba Dieng on May 26, 2024.
