Rwanda Electronic Single Window Supports Trade Facilitation

This paper provides an overview of the implementation of the Rwanda Electronic Single Window (ReSW) and its impact on trade facilitation since its introduction in 2012. In an effort to improve trading across borders, Rwanda’s Doing Business Committee planned to implement the ReSW in the shortest possible time and appointed the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) as the lead agency. An ReSW Steering Committee and project implementation team were established which included all stakeholders to ensure that the project addressed the broadest needs to achieve its goals. The use of the ReSW has resulted in reduced clearance times, and direct and indirect costs associated with international trade. Suggestions are offered in this paper about ways to further reduce time delays, for example, by critically reviewing the need to physically inspect a large part of cargo presently being inspected.