- The Zimbabwe Electronic Single Window System (ZESW) was introduced in 2022 to improve trade facilitation at Zimbabwe’s ports of entry
- ZESW is designed to enhance efficiency in clearance, revenue collection, and enforcement of trade laws
- The system is led by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and supported by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
- It integrates regulatory and transitory services into a single digital platform, benefiting importers, exporters, and various government agencies
- ZESW aims to provide faster operations, enhanced transparency, improved risk analysis, and better compliance with global customs best practices
- The initiative is part of Zimbabwe’s alignment with global customs reforms and the National Development Strategy 1 which prioritizes trade facilitation
- Various government departments and agencies manage the country’s ports of entry, with ZIMRA coordinating the clearance processes
- The first stage of ZESW’s implementation is set to launch by the end of September 2023, starting with an intensive mapping exercise and integration of key processes
- Major beneficiaries include importers, exporters, shipping and freight forwarders, the transport sector, customs administration, and government departments handling food, drugs, health, agriculture, and environmental products
- Once operational, ZESW will allow all regulatory and transitory services, processes, and payments to be completed online through a single platform
- Benefits include more efficient resource use, enhanced fee collection, streamlined compliance, improved predictability and convenience for cross-border trade actors, enhanced risk analysis, improved security, reduced corruption and illegal trade activities, increased transparency, easier access to trade statistics, and greater accountability
- ZIMRA is preparing its system for integration and data processing from other agencies to support the ZESW platform
Source: fiscal-requirements.com
Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
