The new procedure that obliges traders in the import-export business to secure permits via the celebrated Ethiopian Electronic Single Window Service (eSW) is now fully operational.

The portal, which connects 16 major regulatory agencies, enables traders to submit documentation and receive electronic import and export permits through a single-window submission. The system was launched this January, but it became mandatory for traders as of July 8 following a request from the Customs Commission to the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE).

The Commission sent a letter to the central bank requesting the enforcement of the eSW system through banks to decrease the physical contacts as a means to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

In the process, the traders have to go to the premises of the Commission to get a username and password after producing their business license. With their account, the officers of the Commission feed sales contract agreements, proforma invoices and letters of credit into the system for the exporters, as well as insurance certificates, proforma invoices, certificates from the regulatory agency and undertaking letters for importers, into the system.

All this data will be scrutinised by each of the 16 respective regulatory agencies before the issuance of the permit. The entire process is said to take three days. Out of the 16 government bodies, four of them - Oromia Islamic Affairs, the Ethiopian Food & Drug Authority, the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce & Sectoral Association and the Ethiopian Conformity Assessment Enterprise - are not giving service.

However, after the death of the famous Afaan Oromo singer Hachalu Hundessa at the beginning of this month followed by a nationwide internet shutdown, a hiccup occurred when issuing a permit through the new system online.

Traders from all over the country started flocking to their respective banks to get on the new system and run through their respective permits. This led to heavy traffic from business people in different parts of the country at banks.

"This could have been avoided, because even with the internet shutdown, traders can access the system since it is locally hosted," said Robel Tesfaye, programme director for the Ethiopian Single Window Service programme.

The project office of the new system, which is located at the headquarters of the Ministry of Revenues, started taking on the load of customers from the banks. The project office gives two services, creating a username and password for traders to be registered in the system and processing application permits for exporters and importers.

"This is to give confidence to the traders to have trust in the system but also to make them familiar with the new system," said Robel. "But this can be done through their mobile phone or computer at home."

Despite the intentions of making the system an obligatory procedure due to the pandemic, the project office is filled with a queue of people in close proximity who are confused and frustrated.

"This is the fourth day I'm in line just to get the username and password," said Tizazu Adela, general manager of Bete Meri Trading, which has been importing electronics for the last 10 years. "There is no chair or window open for that matter."