Project Impact Briefs

Traders using Bhomra Land Port, Bangladesh’s border crossing with India’s populous West Bengal region, often faced lengthy delays in exporting and importing goods. The Alliance, through its implementing partner Swisscontact, introduced an ePort management system, alleviating many of the obstacles hindering the port’s potential.

Guatemala has many geographic advantages, including coastal access to the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The country’s main ports are a strategic engine for national prosperity, but cumbersome, manual procedures have inhibited their potential. The Alliance digitalisation project developed a comprehensive, interactive maritime single window – automating procedures for vessels’ arrivals and departures and creating greater uniformity and efficiency.

In Togo, agriculture is central to the economy, supporting more than 60% of the working population of around nine million people, and contributing over 40% of GDP. The Alliance, through implementing partner GIZ, and in partnership with the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), supported Togo in adopting the IPPC ePhyto Solution, enabling the issuance and exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates, or ePhytos, quickly, accurately and at low cost.

Like a growing number of countries across the world, Nigeria is reaping the rewards after introducing the IPPC ePhyto Solution, enabling the exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates, or ePhytos, with major trading partners through a central hub, quickly, accurately and at low cost.

Jordan has ambitious plans to expand agri-food exports, building on its reputation as a premium supplier of fresh food products such as dates, tomatoes, and seeds. Recognising the benefits of trade facilitation in realising these ambitions, the Government worked with the Alliance to implement the IPPC ePhyto Solution enabling the quick, accurate, low-cost exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates.

Indonesia is the second-largest fisheries producer in the world after China, with aquaculture in particular sustaining double-digit growth for several decades. Working in public private partnership, the Alliance supported the Marine and Fishery Quality Assurance Agency in improving its risk management of control systems and import inspections.

Ecommerce has the power to democratise international trade and drive inclusive economic growth by unlocking the potential of MSMEs. The Alliance project in Cambodia is paving the way for MSMEs to venture into cross-border e-commerce by improving the country’s e-trade environment and increasing the capacity of small businesses.

In Fiji, a small-island state dependent on the efficient flows of trade via sea and air, agriculture represents the main source of income for a large percentage of the working population. An Alliance project to implement the ePhyto Solution enabled Fiji to digitalise its phytosanitary certification process, boosting agricultural trade and enhancing food security.

Ecuador, the world’s biggest banana exporter and a major producer of other crops such as cut flowers and cocoa, is constantly seeking ways of maintaining and growing international market share. The Alliance introduced the IPPC ePhyto Solution enabling the country to replace a complex, paper-based phytosanitary certification system with a seamless electronic process, allowing quick, accurate, low-cost, exchange.

Brazil’s transition to a more open economy has created a surge in demand for consumer and durable goods. The Alliance project implemented a risk management system and digitalised key processes to expedite trade and enhance consumer safety.

Inconsistent decisions on tariff classifications, shipment values, and rules of origin at Colombia’s borders were incurring unnecessary delays and additional costs for automotive parts imports into the country. The Alliance facilitated the development of a Center of Excellence, a virtual hub concentrating specialised automotive industry knowledge, to process advance rulings for the automotive industry.

Recognising the constraints of physical documentation and in line with Morocco’s strategic digital strategy, the Moroccan National Plant Protection Organisation decided to adopt the International Plant Protection Convention ePhyto Solution through the IPPC ePhyto Hub, which allows countries to electronically exchange ePhytos with one another quickly, accurately and at low cost.