IPCOEA
IPCOEA-Improvement of Port Customs and Operations Efficiency in Africa.
The IPCOEA Project aims to foster the development of maritime trade in West Africa through support to local port management organisations, customs agencies and offices and trade support organisations in implementing Maritime/Port Single Windows in local ports of the region.
To improve the efficiency of customs and administrative clearance process of port operations in accordance with EPAs in Ports of the ECOWAS Area through the implementation of Single Window Systems.
- supporting the development of a conducive environment for the implementation of a single window approach in ECOWAS areas ports;
- supporting the implementation of Port Community Systems in ports of the ECOWAS;
- improving capacity of trade support organizations to support implementation of single window systems;
- acquiring and disseminating experience in implementation of single window approach to provide inputs to ECOWAS governments with regard to operational procedures to implement customs reform in accordance with EU-ECOWAS EPA and ECOWAS Customs Union/CET.
- Countries: Coastal countries of ECOWAS; Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte D’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
- Groups /Trade Support Organisations:
- ARSTM
- PMAWCA
- Port management organizations
- Customs agencies
- Public and private actors of port communities
- Decision makers in the trade sector of ECOWAS countries
Expected outcomes of the SPP can be detailed out as follows:
– Develop an innovative approach for participating ports to voluntarily work together to build a common understanding of their environmental and social sustainability concerns,
– Find a common ground for addressing environmental and social sustainability concerns for participating ports by sharing management methods and approaches,
– Set baselines and targets for improving performance on identified port environmental and social sustainability concerns
– Build and strengthen collaboration and cooperation among partnering ports to address impacts of climate change and shipping,
-Established a self-sustaining financing mechanism to support a long-term partnership among participating ports for continuous environmental and social sustainability improvements,
Formalize the environmental sustainability cooperation and collaboration actions of participating ports via an agreed-on and signed Charter.
Project completed with a closing ceremony held in Lagos on the 29th of March 2022, Rockview Hotel.
Activity 1
• Realize a Brief Study on the status of Port Community Systems and Single windows Systems.
Activity 2
• Raise awareness and dissemination campaign.
Activity 3
• Prepare and Plan to build capacity
Activity 4
• Deliver training in two phases
– Phase one: intensive training to a core group
– Phase two: delivery of short-term training to personnel of ports community
Activity 5
• Capitalize on the actions (Funding small projects etc)
• Develop a Practical Toolkit