Customs: Gov’t partners with Korea for e-clearance

Negotiations that started in 2012 between the governments of Cameroon and Korea through the Korea Customs Service, KCS, to have the latter export its ‘one-stop’ customs service system is beginning to yield fruits.

Both governments, represented by Cameroon’s Minister of Finance, Alamine Ousmane Mey and the Korean Ambassador to Cameroon, Lim Jae Hoon, on Friday September 4, 2015 in Yaounde, chaired the signing of a Public-Private Partnership on the one hand and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Director General of Customs, Minette Libong Li Likeng and the Vice-Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service, Lee Don-Hyun. The Partnership was signed between government and Compass, a Korean company.

What Is E-clearance?

The e-clearance system, according to Lee Don-Hyun, is a seven-module internet clearance portal that provides a convinient and cost-effective solution to customs clearance. It allows users to access the portal at anytime, anywhere, using an internet-compatible device to connect to the system and access powerful features with the highest security standards. The 20-year-old system, with its wealth of experience and knowhow, is what the Korean government is ready to share with the Cameroon Customs.

From the initial import and export declarations to the required permit and point where goods are finally released from customs control, all operations are automated without any human intervention. Lee Don-Hyun said, “My personal experience with the system has been the increase in revenue collection and customs transparency, and this will definitely increase the cooperate competitiveness as well as help the modernisation efforts which will lead to the national competitiveness level.”

For What Input?

Alamine Ousmane Mey and Lim Jae Hoon rejoiced at the happy denouement to negotiations, saying both countries were ready to take their cooperation ties to any level. The introduction of the e-clearance system, they said, is in line with government’s commitment to link the Cameroon Customs system to the developed benchmark performance scheme.

The use of Information and Communication Technologies stands out as an indispensable tool to Cameroon’s vision of attaining an emergent status by 2035 and Alamine Ousmane Mey sees in the e-clearance or UNI-PASS system, ranked as one of the best in the world, a leeway for Customs modernisation.

Cameroon’s future customs clearance system based on the Korean model is expected to usher in security, productivity, increased competitiveness, reduce complexities while maintaining the country’s aspirations, the Minister noted. “We hope to harness the knowhow and efficiency in the tranfer of this technology,” Alamine stressed.

The Director General of Customs, Minette Libong Li Likeng, pledged commitment to the implementaion of the system. “We have challenges in clearing goods,” she said. The ‘one-stop’ system is going to improve and facilitate the way of collecting customs duties and ensuring transparency.

When Will It Be Operational?

Minette Libong li Likeng explained that at least two or three years were needed for the system to be put in place but they were going to begin module by module. “It is not a one day issue,” said the Director of Customs.

She explained that it is not a ready-made system whereby they are only expected to plug in and out. On the contrary, “We need to build the system, taking into consideration the reality of Cameroon.”