The Federation of Clearing and Forwarding Associations of Southern Africa (FCFASA) recently hosted a capacity building workshop in Mauritius.

The theme of the workshop was on improving trade across the borders while most of the discussions showcased the improvements that Mauritius has done to digitise their business processes in order to ease the process of doing business with their country. Mauritius has three national strategic objectives, which is improving the competitive landscape of Mauritius products, development itself as a regional and trade hub and the implementation of world customs organisation SAFE framework of standards.

Mauritius has three national strategic objectives, which is improving the competitive landscape of Mauritius products, development itself as a regional and trade hub and the implementation of world customs organisation SAFE framework of standards.

Mauritius has developed and introduced several electronic systems during the past few years to improve their business processes such as a port community system, customs systems and a single window system which link all the trade between Mauritius and the outside world.  The Single Window system, which integrates all the systems, has been implemented on a

The Single Window system, which integrates all the systems, has been implemented on a private-public partnership basis where the Government of Mauritius owns 60% of the system while 40% is owned by the private sector.  Namibia is in the process of establishing a single window system and the current system implemented in Mauritius provides an important benchmark for Namibia.

FCFASA is the Regional apex body for the National Clearing and Forwarding Associations in southern Africa. Launched at its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 29th April 2010 in Zambia, FCFASA is domiciled in Zimbabwe as a non-profit membership organisation. FCFASA members cover the key transit routes of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA).

The Walvis Bay Corridor Group derived great benefit from attending this important stakeholder engagement session.  As part of the continuous drive of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group to develop and promote the Logistics Hub concept in the SADC region, the freight forwarders remain an integral part of this success and growth opportunities.  The Walvis Bay Corridor Group forms a part of the National Steering Committee responsible for the development and implementation of this project, which is chaired by the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade & SME Development.