Egyptian economic growth has improved in recent years and shows more potential for better performance within the national programme of reform and modernization. According to the Global Competitiveness Index of 2018, Egypt is still required to make substantial efforts to improve competitiveness to sustain the growth toward achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in coming years.
The Global Competitive Report of 2018 also specifies a strong correlation between competitiveness and income level of all countries. In order to achieve better livelihood and more business opportunities in the country, the business environment needs to be made more viable. Adoption of a National Single Window by a country would promise substantial improvement in providing better public services, more efficiency and convenience for consumers, businesses and industries.In order to improve national competitiveness, more efforts are required by the regulatory agencies as well as by the private sector in various capacities. For that, optimizing regulatory controls with less costs and more convenience to the public and end-users is essential. Furthermore, leveraging on advantages of information and communication technology can be seen as a new asset to policy instruments that the Government of Egypt has in operationalizing modernized control. A National Single Window, essentially is a platform, designed for this purpose.
The project of Strengthening Arab Economic Integration for Sustainable Development (AEISD), by UNDP, aims at provision of support to Arab countries to improve the regional connectivity and trade efficiency as continuation to positive effects of the earlier programme of assistance in 2014 – 2016. UNDP starts its implementation with Egypt Customs Authority (ECA), Ministry of Finance in late December 2018 after having completed the administrative process with concerned Egyptian authorities. A new Work Programme was designed and endorsed by the Commissioner of ECA. One of main components of the programme relates to the design and development of Egypt National Single Window (ENSW).
The ECA informed the new decision by the Government of Egypt of assigning ECA as the lead agency in the ENSW. In 2015, UNDP assisted Egypt with the preparation of the ENSW Roadmap and the recommended framework of institutional arrangements for ENSW was positively considered by EgyTrade. Support to the latter continued until Quarter IV of 2016.
Having a NSW operational aims to facilitate secured international trade, improve regulatory control and to collect due revenues under the national laws. These can be seen as the basis in putting the SAFE framework into action with participation of regulatory authorities and the private sector. Indeed, the NSW constitutes the digitalized platform of data and information as well as its processing for expeditious release of shipments through international entries to the customs jurisdictions. For certain, it would assist better management by the Government with more accurate and timely data in real time. It is well proven that adoption of a single submission, carrying out coordinated information, and o unified application of relevant laws and regulations, create a suitable environment for investment, business, trade and industry.