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By Stephen G. Fellajuah Three member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) — Guinea, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire — have officially launched the System Interconnected Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT), a groundbreaking electronic customs platform designed to simplify and secure regional trade. Developed under the auspices of ECOWAS and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), SIGMAT aims to digitize customs declarations, expedite the movement of goods, and enhance revenue protection by enabling real-time data exchange among member states’ customs administrations. The official rollout, held at the Mamba Point Hotel in Monrovia, brought together senior customs officials, trade experts, ECOWAS representatives, and members of the press to celebrate what participants described as a milestone for regional integration. In his welcoming remarks, Saa Saamoi, Commissioner of Customs at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), hailed the launch as a turning point for regional trade facilitation. "Today marks a significant milestone not only for Liberia Customs but also for the broader ECOWAS region as we take a decisive step towards modernizing and harmonizing our transit system,” Saamoi stated. He emphasized that through this collaboration, Liberia joins Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire in deploying a platform that enhances transparency, reduces clearance tariffs, and strengthens border management. This demonstrates Liberia’s commitment to regional integration, trade facilitation, and the digital transformation of customs, he added. Colonel Major Bouagba Brice, Inspector General of Customs of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, underscored the importance of real-time trade data sharing among the three countries. "The deployment of the initiative will help in the facilitation of trade, as well as reduce the cost of doing business and reduce customs fraud,” Brice emphasized. Echoing similar sentiments, Mohamed Lamine Traore, Technical Advisor to the Director General of Customs of the Republic of Guinea, said SIGMAT will significantly enhance border security and efficiency. "Another important aspect of the initiative,” he noted, “is security. This collaboration will enable that security.” Representing Liberia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Deputy Minister Wilmot A. Reeves highlighted the alignment between SIGMAT and Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development. "This interconnected system is something that supports the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development,” Reeves stated, commending the synergy between national and regional economic objectives. Delivering remarks on behalf of Dr. Kalilou Sylla, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, Resident Representative of the ECOWAS President in Liberia, underscored the regional importance of an efficient transit regime. "As Heads of Customs administrations in your respective countries, you are well aware not only of the importance of transit, but also the challenges associated with every suspense regime,” she said. “The challenges of transit affect government revenue and industry and pose significant danger to national and regional security and stability.” Ambassador Nkrumah recalled that ECOWAS first launched SIGMAT in Abidjan in 2019, followed by the adoption of the Supplementary Act on ECOWAS Community Transit in December 2021, marking a major stride toward overhauling regional trade systems. She noted that almost all ECOWAS member states have installed SIGMAT in their customs systems, with a few yet to operationalize it. She added that the full benefits of SIGMAT can be obtained when all member states have deployed the transit solution along all regional corridors. The collaborative rollout across Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia is seen as a major advance toward a fully integrated, efficient West African trade network. "The deployment of SIGMAT between Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia today is a testament to the fact that ECOWAS is concerned about all trade corridors in the region,” Ambassador Nkrumah concluded. “We will continue to support all member states in their efforts to achieve full connectivity and enhance the fluidity of cross-border trade.” With SIGMAT now across the three countries, ECOWAS officials and customs leaders say the region is one step closer to realizing its vision of seamless, transparent, and secure trade across West Africa. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
