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June 2011

INTERNATIONAL SINGLE WINDOW CONFERENCE

The Dakar Roadmap

The 2nd edition of the International Single Window Conference, staged on 8-9th June 2011 in Dakar gave rise to a new start; a vision shaped through a roadmap structured around seven major recommendations.

« The switch from automated to paperless trade formalities » was the theme of this edition. The Senegalese Minister of Commerce presided over the opening ceremony in the presence of the Director General of Customs, the representative of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the Chairman of the Asia-Europe Alliance for Paperless Trade (ASEAL) and GAINDE 2000 Managing Director who is also chairing the African Alliance for e-Commerce (AAEC). The Dakar Conference brought together representatives of international institutions, public administrations of African countries, experts, and culminated in the formulation of seven recommendations aimed at strengthening the promotion of Single Windows worldwide.

Delegates pondered over the possibility of establishing a Worldwide Alliance for Paperless Cross border Trade and a framework of diffusion and sharing complying with the international standards and recommendations, with the view to creating conditions for effective and interoperable trade environments. They also found it fitting to encourage bilateral, sub regional and regional pilot projects, and foster the sharing of experiences for a rapid evolution of Single Window models towards best practices. Among other recommendations, the delegates agreed on the following: technical assistance and fund raising for national Single Window projects; creation of a network of regional experts in Africa to accompany the preparation and implementation of paperless trade projects; establishment of regional data models.

These recommendations were made after two days of discussions among trade facilitation specialists that perused the best practices in terms of paperless trade. Thus, the Dakar Conference examined the Single Window implementation stages (reconciling the legal, technical and organizational factors to define an appropriate single window model; assuring single window performances and ensuring a sustainable dynamic of improvement).

Ahead of the Conference, Dakar also hosted the 6th ASEAL Summit, held for the first time on African soil and the 2nd Forum of the African Alliance for e-Commerce on 6th and 7th June 2011 respectively. These meetings enabled participants to agree on the establishment of cooperative environments and interoperable systems as part of the promotion of Single Windows, with a focus on two main challenges: interoperability and the acceptance of international documents.

April 2011

February 2011

Bulletin de la dématérialisation - N°8

FAVORISER LA COLLABORATION DES ACTEURS PORTUAIRES POUR LA FLUIDITE DES OPERATIONS

La dématérialisation des procédures du commerce extérieur est en marche au Sénégal. Après la mise en place d’un cadre juridique pour l’archivage numérique, la signature électronique, le paiement électronique et les télé- procédures, place à la phase opérationnelle. D’où l’entrée en matière de la Communauté des Acteurs Portuaires de Dakar (Cap Dakar) dont la collaboration est incontournable sur le chemin de la recherche de compétitivité du Port autonome de Dakar, tendon d’Achille de l’économie sénégalaise.
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January 2011

Bulletin de la dématérialisation - N°7

L’ARCHIVAGE ELECTRONIQUE

L'information, dynamisée par le développement des technologies, est devenue la clé de voûte dans les transactions d'où l'importance de l'archivage électronique qui facilite l'accès à l'information. Au Sénégal, cette activité est bien moulée dans un cadre juridique mis en place par les autorités pour se servir du passé pour mieux préparer l'avenir.
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December 2010

Bulletin de la dématérialisation - N°6

L’ADIE AU COEUR DE LA PROBLEMATIQUE DE L’INFORMATISATION ET DE LA DEMATERIALISATION DE L’ADMINISTRATION

Les transactions électroniques ne devraient souffrir d’aucune contrainte pour leur mise en oeuvre correcte au Sénégal. Un tour d’horizon sur les réalisations de l’Agence de l’Informatique de l’Etat montre que le pays est en bonne position dans ce domaine au niveau régional et international. Un acquis qui est la résultante d’un cadre juridique cohérent matérialisé par la mise en place de lois régissant l’activité.
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November 2010

Bulletin de la dématérialisation - N°5

L’ENJEU DES TIC DANS LA COMPETITIVITE DES PLACES PORTUAIRES

Les technologies au coeur d’une vision ambitieuse

Le Port Autonome de Dakar réceptionne 24h/24 des navires et des marchandises. La cadence de déchargement des conteneurs est en moyenne de 17 mouvements par grue. Une prouesse qui est à l’actif d’une vision stratégique ayant permis la réalisation d’investissements structurants qui confèrent au port de Dakar plus de compétitivité.
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October 2010

Bulletin de la dématérialisation - N°4

LA SIGNATURE ELECTRONIQUE

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September 2010

Bulletin de la dématérialisation - N°3

LE PAIEMENT ELECTRONIQUE

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July/August 2010

Bulletin de la dématérialisation - N°2

LE COMMERCE MONDIAL ET LA DEMATERIALISATION
A l’heure de la mondialisation, les transferts et les échanges internationaux de biens et services, de main-d’oeuvre et de connaissances, sont plus que nécessaires. Au Sénégal, bon nombre d’entreprises sont dotées d’outils informatiques pour se connecter au commerce international, ce qui a conduit l’Etat à mettre en place un cadre juridique approprié pour les échanges. Les jalons devant aider le secteur privé à accroître sa réactivité par le processus de dématérialisation, dont la finalité est d’augmenter la satisfaction de sa clientèle, de réduire les délais de livraison, ont été posés....

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June 2010

Bulletin de la dématérialisation - N°1

LES MISSIONS DE LA DOUANE A L’EPREUVE DE L’EVOLUTION DES TECHNOLOGIES
Devant sa mission de perception à la frontière des droits et taxes exigibles à l’entrée des marchandises et aussi de lutte contre la fraude en veillant à ce que les importations ou les exportations prohibées n’aient pas lieu, les douanes sénégalaises se sont mises à l’épreuve de l’évolution des technologies. Une option avec comme toile de fond la dématérialisation des procédures de dédouanement dans l’optique de mieux contribuer à la compétitivité de l’économie sénégalaise....

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May 2010

SEMINAIRE ANNUEL – GAINDE 2000

Le séminaire d’entreprise constitue un maillon du plan social de GAINDE 2000. Il vise généralement à préparer une réorganisation et améliorer le baromètre social.
Les employés de GAINDE 2000 se sont réunis sous forme de séminaire les 22 et 23 Mai 2010 à Saly. Pour cette édition, le thème était axé sur : « les ressources humaines, clients ou fournisseurs de l’entreprise ».
Ce thème pose la problématique des relations entre l’administration et le personnel sur la gestion des ressources humaines. L’objectif est de renforcer la cohésion entre les équipes, relier les niveaux hiérarchiques autour d’un objectif commun pour bâtir une entreprise performante et pérenne.
Au travers des valeurs de l’entreprise que sont le travail, la rémunération, la motivation, la justice et l’équité, les employés se sont penchés sur le sujet et préconisé des solutions et/ou axes d’amélioration.
Ce séminaire de deux jours a favorisé les échanges avec les collaborateurs et une meilleure appropriation des valeurs du management.
La 2ème journée a été consacrée aux ateliers incentive.

April 2010

Making Trade Faster: Integrated Single Window Platform

In Senegal, the innovative use of technology in trade was undertaken by GAINDE 2000, a Microsoft partner. Based on Microsoft technology, GAINDE 2000 developed a paperless, ‘Single Window’ solution called ORBUS combined with a customs solution called TradeX to facilitate the preclearance formalities of various applications needed along the customs clearance process. ORBUS is currently a mandatory system for many Senegalese organizations and is used in 20 government agencies to link banks, exporters, importers, customs authorities and insurers to the same platform.

The electronic Single Window is aimed at shortening the time spent on the processing of requests for permits and certificates required during an import or export operation and to make the process significantly more efficient for traders and concerned offices. The platform has become sustainable due to a small fee charged by the Senegalese Government for every electronic document to all importers/exporters.

Developing the electronic Single Window concept and linking multiple government agencies to the private sector, has helped the Senegalese government develop an end-to-end secure paperless customs platform. Because of the high level of interoperability, the solution now offers much faster trade processes. Senegal is now positioning itself as a regional leader in the field and other countries including Kenya have since adopted the solution.

Recently, GAINDE 2000 launched a project aimed at modernizing its fast, efficient and paperless trade system. This upgrade targets improving Senegal’s e-trade system, the interconnection of all the components of the Single Window and an extension to the solution’s port and logistics services. Furthermore, the e-business platform will be made interoperable with foreign platforms, notably countries in Asia and the European Union for the exchange of trade-related documents.

March 2010

Dématérialisation des procédures du commerce extérieur : Renforcement des capacités individuelles

Le renforcement des capacités est une activité continuelle et constante au sein de GAINDE 2000. La valorisation des capacités est un processus par lequel les ressources humaines, de même que les capacités organisationnelles et opérationnelles des institutions, sont améliorées afin de mieux exécuter les fonctions prioritaires.

Dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre du projet de dématérialisation des procédures du commerce extérieur, GAINDE 2000 a initié un programme de renforcement des capacités de ses ressources. Ce programme vise à :

• Améliorer les capacités individuelles ;
• Participer plus efficacement aux activités du projet ;
• Bénéficier d’une assistance technique ;
• Accroître les performances individuelles.

Ainsi, des formations ont été suivies en gestion de projets, communication, réseaux, informatique, services management, sécurité, application …

Le projet de dématérialisation va induire inéluctablement de nouveaux processus, des changements applicatifs et la mise en place de nouveaux services. A cet effet, la formation constitue un levier essentiel pour garantir le meilleur niveau technique des ressources internes et accroître leur efficacité.

February 2010

CROSS BORDER INFORMATION EXCHANGE

SENEGAL, 20 January 2010 --- GAINDE 2000 has awarded a cross border information exchange job to TIME Engineering Bhd (TEB), Malaysia's leading ICT government linked company. The job is a pilot project to establish the Asian and European electronic gateway for Africa via Senegal.

The gateway is expected to facilitate the exchange of electronic information and transactions between economies in Africa with their counterparts in Asia and Europe, said Ibrahima Diagne of GAINDE 2000, Senegalese national Single Window operator and the founding chair for the African Alliance for Ecommerce.

In a statement, GAINDE 2000 said the cross border component, is a part of a wider project sponsored by the Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF), a donor organization dedicated to support projects in Africa for the purpose of enhancing investment climate (www.icfafrica.org).

TEB, the principal project partner, will be responsible for the establishment of the Asian gateway in compliance to the requirements of the Malaysian national Single Window, ASEAN Single Window and also the Pan Asian e-Commerce Alliance.

The contract is expected to benefit Senegal as it would catapult the African nation into the mainstream of globalization by projecting an environment of advance facilitation of trade, commerce and information.

"This will also allow Senegal to have electronic access to two other major continents in the world and hence improving the competitiveness of the country in global economics," Ibrahima said.

GAINDE 2000 believes that such a project has high potential of unifying the other economies of Africa into a single geographical economic powerhouse.

The move is in line with Malaysia's latest initiatives into Africa for the promotion of trade and commerce. This project also enables Malaysia to play crucial role in reducing traditional barriers to trade and commerce between Africa and Asia, where Malaysia played a major role ASEAN and other similar organizations.

GAINDE 2000, said Malaysia is an active player in the regional and international area for electronic trade, commerce and information with a pool of experts who had been involved in the conception of the ASEAN Single Window, the first regional Single Window in the world.

Malaysia is also actively involved in international initiatives to liberalize trade and commerce using information and communication technologies (ICT) such as UNCEFACT, UNECE, UNESCAP and also private sector driven initiatives like the Pan Asian e-Commerce Alliance (PAA) and Asia-Europe Alliance (ASEAL).

Senegal and Malaysia share the same ambition to create an environment enabling paperless trade among different region of the world. In this regard, an MOU has been signed in November 2008 between GAINDE 2000 and TEB.

On its part TEB intends to ensure GAINDE 2000 and the Senegalese ICT industry, receive maximum benefits from its involvement through knowledge transfer and training.

January 2010

5th Asia-Europe Alliance (ASEAL) Summit, 18 - 19 January 2010, Cititel Mid Valley, Malaysia

Asia-Europe Alliance is an international organization. It aims to develop and expand cooperation in the field of Paperless Trade in order to contribute to economic development of Asia and Europe, in accordance with ASEAL's Charter, Statute and Rules of Procedure. ASEAL was founded in September 2004 by DAKOSY AG (Germany), KTNET (Korea), Paris-eCommerce International (France) and SITPRO Ltd.(United Kingdom).

The 5th ASEAL Summit has been organized by DagangNet on 18-19 January 2010 in Malaysia. The Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister has officially launched the Summit with public and private sector, economic contribution. During 2 days, valuable results on crossborder paperlesstrade were provided thanks to high level of presentation and discussions. More than 10 crossborder projects have been presented between Asia, Europe, Africa, America.

Crossborder paperlesstrade strategic vision, work done between economy and government, the marketing strategy with road show, event & online services were the main topic dedicated to:

• increasing trade and investment flows;
• lower barriers to startup-up paperfree exchanges;
• lower costs for business activities;
• raising awareness of ASEAL.

GAINDE 2000 (Senegal) has been ASEAL observer since January 2007. Being an observer allows Senegal to launch pilot projects on paperlesstrade with European and Asian countries. Thus, GAINDE 2000 has launched a cross border information exchange project with Malaysia in order to establish the Asian and European electronic gateway for Africa via Senegal. The gateway is expected to facilitate the exchange of electronic information and transactions between economies in Africa with their counterparts in Asia and Europe. Senegal will have electronic access to two other major continents in the world and hence improving the competitiveness of the country in global economics. The move is in line with Malaysia's latest initiatives into Africa for the promotion of trade and commerce. This project also enables Malaysia to play crucial role in reducing traditional barriers to trade and commerce between Africa and Asia, where Malaysia played a major role ASEAN and other similar organizations.

Senegal will host the 6th ASEAL Summit in January 2011. Its proposal to be fully member of ASEAL has been approved.

December 2009

REVIVAL OF THE E-PAYMENT PROJECT

CONTEXT

As part of the paperless trade project in Senegal and the deployment of the new customs automation system, GAINDE 2000 has organized a meeting with stakeholders due to be involved in the electronic payment of customs duties and related taxes: local banks, Treasury and customs. A workshop had been staged in this respect during the project launch in Saly, on 5-6th July 2009.

ELECTRONIC PAYMENT OF CUSTOMS DUTIES AND TAXES

The e-payment project derives from the Customs top management’s resolve to step up the use of New Information and Communication Technologies in the good clearing process. The main objective is to set up a platform enabling traders to pay their customs dues from their offices, with reliable security guarantees. This component of the trade facilitation system is an initiative in which the Treasury and the National Branch of the Central bank of West African States (BCEAO) have taken part. After over 16 months of works, all the technical and legal elements have been put in place for the establishment of the e-payment platform. Exchanges of automated data are secured through the use of authentication tokens and a highly protected system.

SYNOPSIS

E-PAYMENT & PAPERLESS FLOW

Electronic payment is part of the sub project 2 of the ongoing paperless trade project. This sub project seeks to step up the e-trade system nationwide, which goes through the interconnection of the Single Window (ORBUS), the customs automation system (GAINDE) and the e-payment module (CORUS). The main objective is to cut the time spent on the preparation, submission and processing of customs declarations. The electronic payment project mainly seeks to establish the following:

• Facilitate online payments;
• Standardize procedures;
• Simplify operations.

The online payment service contributes to the reduction of operations execution time, and the costs of transactions through the elimination of movements and paperwork. At the same time, stakeholders gain a lot in terms value dates and e-archiving.

November 2009

Electronic data exchange with other countries: signing of MoU

The paperless trade project also aims to exchange trade data between Senegal and different countries. Reducing of costs and time in imports and exports process will include receiving trade, transport and Customs related data electronically from the exporting country, thereby avoiding the need to manually enter the data into the system.

In November 2009, a delegation of GAINDE 2000 had been to France and Malaysia (as hub to Asia) for the signing of MoU related to electronic data exchange with partners: CONEX, France e-Commerce, TIME Engineering Berhad.

Paperless trade fosters economic growth and reduces digital divide in Africa.

Through this cooperation, the different countries seek to promote the establishment of paperless trade between Africa, Europe and Asia via electronic exchanges of documents required in cross-border trade. The major benefits will be:

• secured transmission of trade and customs-related documents;
• platforms interoperability;
• platform of automated services;
• transfer of knowledge and technology among parties.

Specialized in customs and computer science, CONEX is a leader in his field of activities: processing customs declarations, customs tariff information, training, auditing, consultancy.
A MoU has been signed with GAINDE 2000 on 13rd november 2009.

CONEX / GAINDE 2000, 13/11/2009

France-ECI promotes paperless trade in France, Europe, and french speaking countries.
A MoU has been signed with GAINDE 2000 on 16th november 2009.

France eCI / GAINDE 2000, 16/11/2009

October 2009

Sectoral meetings with ORBUS stakeholders

A series of sectoral meeting was held in October between GAINDE 2000 officials, stakeholders and insurance companies, as part of ORBUS operation and the objectives at interconnecting the Single Window with the clearing and electronic payment systems, and optimising the non customs inspections under the ongoing paperless trade project.

This meeting was held in the wake of the March 2009 Seminar that gathered insurance companies and ORBUS users. It provided the occasion to assess the recommendations stemming from the seminar and draft a roadmap to be respected by the parties concerned, the objective being to integrate all the insurance companies in the ORBUS Single Window for the issuance of insurance certificates. During the meeting, all the constraints impeding the effective integration of all insurance companies have been identified. Under the roadmap, a few users will be pilot sites, towards the effective operation of insurance transactions in ORBUS.

The streamlining of non customs inspection procedures is aimed at reducing the goods inspection time. As part of the paperless trade project, GAINDE 2000 plans to optimise the non customs inspections through the creation of an Inspection Single Window at the Port and Airport area and the establishment of an interface for the processing of the data and inspection results. In this connection, GAINDE 2000 held a meeting with all the inspection stakeholders sensitised during the project launch seminar, with the view to identifying and validating the requirements and equipment necessary to optimise stakeholders’ operations.

September 2009

As part of ICF 2 sensitizing efforts, a round of field visits were paid to various quality control stakeholders in the Port and Airport areas: the Maritime Fishery Department, the Phytosanitary Unit, the Forestry Department and the Bureau of Standards. These visits made it possible to identify the processes, the methods and the means used in physical inspections, but also to fathom the inspection time and duration and shed light on the limits and constraints impeding inspection activities. On the other hand, the visits provided an occasion to review ORBUS forms, validate the principles and rules of information routing from one stakeholder to another. These quality control stakeholders play a major role in optimizing non-customs inspections.

At stake, the project is expected to help:

• Coordinate and optimize inspections between inspection bodies and customs;
• Set up One-stop shops for inspections ;
• Integrate risk analysis in inspection procedures.

The ICF Project Management Committee started its activities on 7th September 2009. It represents the paperless project’s execution body and comprises representatives of customs and the port, project teams, experts and consultants. During its first meeting, the Project Management Committee addressed the recommendations stemming from the Project Launch Seminar of July 2009. The recommendations are integral parts of the roadmap entrusted to the Project Leads.

July 2009

CONTEXT

Paperless trade consists in the greater resort to new technologies in the processing of trade operations and formalities, towards reducing substantially the processing time and consequently the related costs. Senegal boasts a long experience in terms of automation of trade procedures, which started in 1990 with the automation of the customs declaration. This dynamic has been strengthened with the advent of GAINDE 2000, fruit of public/private partnership and set up to facilitate trade-related formalities.

The Government of Senegal, the private sector, the customs administration and GAINDE 2000 have undertaken reforms in cross border trade in the Doing Business Report 2010.

EXPECTED RESULTS

(i) Completion of the round-the-clock operation of the Dakar Port by mid-November 2008 [Group 1, Follow-up and Monitoring Committee, Ministry of Maritime Economy (MEMTMPP), Customs, Port Authority (PAD), Community of Port Stakeholders(CAP Dakar)] ;

(ii) Possibility for online transmission of manifests to allow for the declaration of goods prior to the arrival of the vessel (MEMTMPP, Customs) ;

(iii) Launch of the pilot phase of the electronic payment system (CORUS) ahead of the generalisation thereof (GAINDE 2000, ORBUS) ;

(iv) Deployment of the new version of the GAINDE system (customs system) (Group 1, Customs) ;

(v) Upgrading of the ORBUS portal (GAINDE 2000, ORBUS) ;

(vi) Implementation of the Port Community-based System (Port Single Window) (Group 1, MEMTMPP, PAD);

(vii) Interconnection of the ORBUS/GAINDE /CORUS systems (Group 1, MEMTMPP, Ministry of Economy and Finance) ;

(viii) Creation of an integrated Single Window for import/export operations (Group 1, MEMTMPP, MEF) ;

(ix) Improvement of the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) (Group1, MICOM, MEF, MEMTMPP) ;

(x) Establishment of more competitiveness in the port, notably in approach operations such as road transport (Group 1, MEMTMPP, MICOM);

(xi) The realisation of a benchmarking study to reduce the goods release costs in the Dakar Port (Groupe1)

ACTIVITIES

The main activities of the Project revolve around the following points:

• Interconnection ORBUS/GAINDE/CORUS nationwide with the view to reducing the customs declaration preparation time;
• Integration, in the system, of logistic services related to goods release;
• Improvement and streamlining of non-customs inspection procedures for imports and exports, towards shorter processing time;
• Interoperability with foreign systems, notably those of countries of the European Union and the Asian region, in a bid to reduce unnecessary double data capture and curb the possibilities of errors;
• Dissemination of the Senegalese experience in the West African sub region, with the view to extending paperless trade in intra-regional exchanges.

PARTNERS

The paperless trade project will start in July 2009 thanks to the support of Investment Climate Facility in Africa (I.C.F.). Set up in 2006 to help streamline the Investment climate with the view to fostering economic growth in Africa, ICF collaborates with African governments to promote an environment conducive for prosperous business on the continent, by systematically focussing on domains in which some practical measures can be undertaken to eliminate the identified constraints and problems. ICF brings its contribution to the efforts at removing the obstacles impeding the development of business in Africa, with a stress on the paramount importance of a sound investment climate for Africa’s economic growth.

On this occasion, GAINDE 2000 staged a residential seminar at Les Bougainvillees Hotel on 04-05 July 2009, grouping all stakeholders involved in trade and partners:

1. Users of the ORBUS System: importers, exporters, clearing agents;
2. Customs and stakeholders of the clearing chain;
3. E-payment stakeholders: Treasury, Banks, Central Bank (BCEAO) and users;
4. Port stakeholders: CAP Dakar (Community of Port Stakeholders), shipping agents, handling services, transporters, logistics actors;
5. Dakar Port Authority;
6. Trade facilitation partners: APIX, CPI, CSV 24/24, ASEPEX, BCEAO, COSEC, ADIE ;
7. Private sector: USETTA, CNP, CNES, MDES, UNACOIS, CCIAD, SATS ;
8. Quality control bodies: DITP, DPV, DSV, DEF, DCQ, DM ;
9. International partners: TNL (UK), CFAO (France), CONEX (France), France E-Commerce (France) ;
10. Work groups of the Phase I dealing with Finance, Insurance, Certificates of Origin, Quality Control and Standards, COTECNA/Customs/Users.

June 2009

As part of its activities, GAINDE 2000 has set up a coaching and assistance program intended for advanced education institutions. In 2009, several probation opportunities have been offered to students in various domains. In the first semester of 2009, it has sponsored the School-Enterprise Forum staged in March by Group Sup de Co Dakar (Advanced School of Commerce), as well as the Open House of the Computer Section of Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD). A round of exchange sessions was kicked off last May with students from the Higher Institute of Computer Sciences (ISI) of Dakar.

The program held in the form of internships, coached field actions, one-day conferences, exchange sessions and visits..., is aimed at:

• Facilitating students’ immersion in the professional environment;
• Backing up the theoretical classes with practice;
• Fostering the discovery of professions;
• Developing entrepreneurship among students;
• Stepping up the relation with the economic circles;
• Coaching students in their dissertation;
• Offering a platform conducive for the drafting of their probation report.

National education has a major role in developing creativeness among the youths, preparing them to lead projects and develop new activities, and helping them to be more enterprising in their professional career. It plays this role by building on the rock-solid partnership between schools and enterprises, between boards of education and the local administrative structures, the professional organizations and the consular chambers.

Exchanges are still under way with some training institutes. Partnership with the higher education institutions is expected to favor:

• The recruitment of students that have acquired a proper knowledge of GAINDE 2000 operation and environment;
• The development of research and innovation within GAINDE 2000, which has recently set up a unit dealing with research;
• Technological cooperation: establishment of mini-projects stemming from research conducted by students during their academic training.

The partnership convention is expected to integrate the following activities:

• Company Days : the Company presents its activities, fields of competence, and recruitment prospects to students … ;
• Conferences on the emerging technologies ;
• Roundtable discussions on business processes to help students make specialization options;
• …

May 2009

GAINDE 2000 has staged a national sensitizing and communication tour as part of Phase One of the project at improving ORBUS performances by 20 percent and scaling up its scope (new stakeholders and/or new services) with the support the Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF). In 2008, GAINDE 2000 landed assistance from ICF to step up and upgrade the ORBUS Single Window that facilitates the electronic processing of trade-related formalities.

OBJECTIVES

• Sensitize traders;
• Exchange with trade stakeholders;
• Position ORBUS in the national landscape;
• Revive partnership with the Chambers of Commerce for the distribution of the service of electronic collection of pre clearance documents at local level.

STAGES

From 6th to 25th April, the tour took the GAINDE 2000 team to the following regions: - Thies - Louga - Diourbel - Kaolack - Saint-Louis - Fatick - Ziguinchor - Kolda

AUDIENCE

EXCHANGES

The exchanges took place at the regional Chambers of Commerce, with traders hailing this initiative undertaken by GAINDE 2000 which, through ORBUS, assists them in their activities by facilitating the electronic collection of pre clearance documents. With ORBUS, traders are offered the following advantages:

• Information on formalities;
• Information on the costs of documents;
• A better planning of their shipments and orders;
• Drastic reduction of the formalities processing time;
• Online information on the status of files ;
• Availability of a Facilitation Center for information on foreign trade procedures and rules;
• Reduction of graft attempts with the reduction of physical contacts between traders and officers of administrative bodies;
• Better working environment thanks to a greater transparency in the application of administrative procedures.

PARTNERSHIP WITH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Initiated in 2004 following the launch of ORBUS, the partnership with the Chambers of Commerce derives from the strong will of GAINDE 2000, in a bid to:

• Extend ORBUS activity via regional Chambers of Commerce;
• Make the service available nationwide.

Trade stakeholders in the regions commend the extension of ORBUS services for the following reasons:

• Better command of documents-related costs;
• Swiftness in the release of goods.

April 2009

During the 7th session of the Presidential Investment Council (CPI) held on 12th November 2007, the Senegalese Head of State instructed the Government to undertake reforms that would enable the country to feature, in the Doing Business Report 2009, among the Top 10 countries in Africa and hold the top position among French- and Portuguese-speaking countries in the sub region.

In The Doing Business Report 2009, Senegal occupies the 5th position among the Top 10 reformers in the world and the top slot in Africa. It has been crowned the world’s top reformer for the “Cross-border trade” Indicator.

The 3 key reforms addressed in the ranking are:

• Incorporation in 48 hours thanks to the setting up of the Incorporation Support Office (BCE);
• The significant reduction of the ownership transfer time ;
• Cross-border trade through the simplification of formalities and the marked reduction of the processing time.

These reforms have enabled the country to follow an upward trend in the Report 2009, going from the 168 to the 149 position in a ranking of 181 countries.

"The country’s great strides are the offshoot of the combined efforts of the Administration and the private sector which, as part of work groups and in the framework of the Follow-up Committee of the Presidential Investment Council, endeavours to effectively implement the reforms necessary for the improvement of the business environment as instructed by the Head of State."

The Doing Business is a yearly survey conducted by the World Bank Group on the regulatory business environment in 178 countries. It started in 2004 and every year, the methodology is enriched and the number of countries rises up.

Thanks to a methodology built on clear-cut definitions, clear rules and a modelling of survey materials (classic enterprise, classic title deed, typical commercial contract…), the Doing Business measures and quantifies the regulatory business environment and its application in each of the 178 countries through 10 indicators.

Each of the indicators comprises criteria and the most used criteria to fathom the indicators are generally the following:

• The number of procedures;
• The time, in days, to accomplish the procedures and the overall cost of procedures;
• The cost is set in % of a value that varies from one country to another: the company’s capital, the income per capital, the value of the title deed, the worker’s wage, the adult population…

Senegal, top reformer for the « Cross-border trade » indicator

This indicator lists the procedural constraints weighing on the exportation and importation of a standard consignment. All the official procedures are taken into account, from the agreement among parties to the delivery of goods, as well as the time and costs necessary for their realisation.

With the electronic processing of certain procedures, the number of documents has been halved and the export/import time reduced.

A system of risk analysis for the inspection of goods has been put in place.
Moreover, customs stations have extended their operation schedules, with stand-by duty assured around the clock.

Lastly, some major works have been realised for the renovation and extension of port and road infrastructure.

Objectives for the Doing business 2010 for the “Cross-border” indicator

(i) Completion of the round-the-clock operation of the Dakar Port by mid-November 2008 [Group 1, Follow-up and Monitoring Committee, Ministry of Maritime Economy (MEMTMPP), Customs, Port Authority (PAD), Community of Port Stakeholders(CAP Dakar)] ;

(ii) Possibility for online transmission of manifests to allow for the declaration of goods prior to the arrival of the vessel (MEMTMPP, Customs) ;

(iii) Rapid launch of the pilot phase of the electronic payment system (CORUS) ahead of the generalisation thereof (GAINDE 2000, ORBUS) ;

(iv) Rapid deployment of the new version of the GAINDE system (customs system) (Group 1, Customs) ;

(v) Upgrading of the ORBUS portal (GAINDE 2000, ORBUS) ;

(vi) Implementation of the Port Community-based System (Port Single Window) (Group 1, MEMTMPP, PAD);

(vii) Interconnection of the ORBUS/GAINDE /CORUS systems (Group 1, MEMTMPP, Ministry of Economy and Finance) ;

(viii) Creation of an integrated Single Window for import/export operations (Group 1, MEMTMPP, MEF) ;

(ix) Improvement of the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) (Group1, MICOM, MEF, MEMTMPP) ;

(x) Establishment of more competitiveness in the port, notably in approach operations such as road transport (Group 1, MEMTMPP, MICOM);

(xi) The realisation of a benchmarking study to reduce the goods release costs in the Dakar Port (Groupe1)