Nairobi: The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has launched its electronic certificate of origin system in Kenya, aiming to digitize trade procedures and ease intra-regional trade by cutting costs and delays linked to manual certification.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Christopher Onyango, director of trade and customs at COMESA, informed journalists in Nairobi that the new digital system is designed to streamline customs procedures, reduce red tape, and enhance intra-regional trade by enabling exporters and customs authorities to process certificates of origin electronically. Onyango stated that the electronic certificate of origin will replace manual certificates and reduce clearance times at border crossings, allowing goods from COMESA member states to benefit from preferential tariff treatment.

Josephine Makokha, rules of origin manager at the Kenya Revenue Authority, explained that Kenya joins Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in implementing the system. She highlighted that the platform simplifies the application, issuance, exchange, and verification of certificates. Makokha emphasized that the online certificates will be transmitted in real time among COMESA member states, allowing customs authorities to reduce the bureaucracy involved in cross-border trade.