Cote d'Ivoire has launched a digital customs platform to streamline cargo movements from the Port of Abidjan to Burkina Faso and Mali, aiming to boost efficiency in regional trade.
Under the initiative, the platform will electronically transmit geo-located cargo information directly from Abidjan to destination offices in the capitals of both the Sahel nations, reinforcing the security and efficiency of trade corridors.
"We no longer need this visa because traceability and transparency are now guaranteed electronically. We have better oversight of transactions between our countries. There was therefore no reason to keep this visa, which, in a way, could create bottlenecks. There are numerous benefits to eliminating this visa; there will be greater fluidity in transport, less road hurdle and much greater transparency, making the management of data much easier," said Amadou Coulibaly, Ivorian Minister of Communication and government spokesperson.
Cote d'Ivoire has historically served as the natural transit route for goods heading to its Sahel neighbors. However, recent regional tensions have pushed landlocked Burkina Faso and Mali toward the port of Lome in Togo for their commodity exchanges.
Ivorian authorities say the new initiative is designed to eliminate barriers, lower costs, and rebuild trust in order to draw partners back to the Abidjan corridor.
Analysts regard the effort as vital for intra-African trade and sub-regional integration, noting that it has drawn broad backing from stakeholders.
"In this project, everyone benefits in several ways. Malian and Burkinabe products will be able to transit through Cote d'Ivoire, generating revenue for the country; this will boost the vitality of the port of Abidjan; and all three countries will also save time, since in the past it took three to four days for the same procedure. There is also a financial benefit for Mali and Burkina Faso, as they used to spend a great deal of money transiting through the port of Lome," historian and Political Analyst Abdoulaye Bamba said.
Cote d'Ivoire launches digital customs platform to ease regional trade
