It took an average of 1.41 days to clear goods through customs controls in 2017 – with sub-Saharan Africa trailing behind the average – according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata) Cargo IQ statistics.
“This is too slow for businesses that compete on speed to meet their customer needs,” said Iata global head of cargo, Glyn Hughes. He said that the association needed to work with governments in Africa and the rest of the world to cut down on the tape around crossborder customs clearance and facilitate “faster, cheaper and easier” trade.
He pointed out that Iata was pressing for governments to implement, amongst others, the Montreal Convention 1999 (MC99) which enables digital documentation in customs documentation – a key enabler of the electronic air waybill (e-AWB).
“To date, 131 countries have implemented MC99. But some key countries where air cargo has an important role still need to come on board – including Algeria, Angola, Ghana and Tunisia in Africa,” said Hughes.
He added that revisions to the Kyoto Convention of the World Customs Organisation would also facilitate smart border solutions that reduced complexity and cost.
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African airlines topped the international FTK growth chart in January for the 16th time in 17 months, with year-on-year growth of 12.9%
