EAC strengthens trade integration with new centralized platform

News / Tue, 02/04/2025 - 13:56

JOSEPH NG’ANG’A- KNA

The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat has unveiled a revamped Single Customs Territory (SCT) Centralized Platform, a tool designed to facilitate the seamless exchange of customs and trade data in real time among the interconnected customs and ports authorities of partner states.

The launch coincided with the celebration of International Customs Day, themed “Customs Delivering on its Commitment to Efficiency, Security, and Prosperity.” EAC Secretariat Secretary-General Veronica Nduva, who officiated the launch, highlighted the platform’s importance in advancing regional integration and deepening trade.

“The Single Customs Territory was established in 2014 to simplify, automate, and speed up the movement of goods across the EAC. The Centralized Platform is a critical component of the SCT framework.

"By enabling real-time sharing of customs information, this platform strengthens regional efforts to address challenges such as delays in customs clearance, non-tariff barriers, high transaction costs, and inefficiencies in cross-border trade,” she said.

Since its initial implementation in 2017, the Centralized Platform has evolved over the years, with the initial versions supporting transactions related to intra-regional trade, exports from the region to global markets, transit goods, and the issuance of certificates of origin.

In 2023, the platform was upgraded to its second version, incorporating maritime trade— which had previously relied on a bilateral integration model—alongside features for managing Regional Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) and regional clearing agents for mutual recognition.

Building on these advancements, with the support of the governments of the UK and Netherlands, 2024 saw the introduction of scanner image sharing between partner States, beginning with Kenya and Uganda.

This addition enhances transparency and efficiency in customs processes, further solidifying the platform’s role in streamlining trade across the region.