The Charge d’Affaires at the Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific, Dr. Erja Askola,

Regional Coordinator for the ASYCUDA Programme in the Pacific, Mr Jayvee Santos,

Members of the Press,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all.

It is a great pleasure to be here today as we mark a significant milestone in Fiji’s pursuit of streamlined and efficient international trade, this blueprint marks a milestone step for Fiji into paperless trade by developing and implementing the National Single Window System.

The Single Window System will enable electronic exchange of trade-related information and documents between Government agencies, reducing the time and costs associated with trade as well as improve the ease of doing business.

In February 2017, the Fiji Government took a significant step towards modernising trade operations by ratifying the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA). Under the WTO TFA, Fiji is required to attempt to establish a single window system to streamline and simplify its trade procedures by 2025 – and today demonstrates our position of being well on track in line with this ratification.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The blueprint is a road map to developing the system which recognises the need for different agencies involved in the trade clearance process and outlines their roles and responsibilities in the interconnectedness approach through this platform.
I convey my sincere appreciation to the European Union for supporting “Improving Pacific Islands Customs and Trade” (IMPACT) – a project implemented under the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The blueprint was made possible through several stakeholder consultations in the past which involved the Government agencies and private sector partners, and the system once implemented, will bring many benefits to the business community and the Government agencies.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The system will:
• standardise data and documentation requirements;
• harmonise processes and procedures;
• establish secure communication channels for information exchange between Government agencies and private sector participants;
• current hardships brought by manual trade clearance processes resulting in reduction of associated costs;
• accuracy and reliability with trade related data, and;
• improve and bring greater transparency and easier regulation by relevant agencies.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Before I invite Her Excellency Dr. Erja Askola to deliver her message, I thank the European Union for this blueprint which underscores the importance of collaboration and investing in technology and infrastructure, making Fiji’s system sustainable and efficient.

Thank you and Vinaka vakalevu.