RTIS: Building A Regional eCommerce Infrastructure In ECOWAS

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RTIS Building A Regional eCommerce
Infrastructure In ECOWAS

• A presentation of
• The ECOWAS Community Computer Centre
• At The ECA eTrade Forum,
• ECA Conference Centre,
• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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ECOWAS_1

• A sub-regional development economic Community
  founded in 1975.
  
• Comprises 15 West African States from Senegal in
  the west to Nigeria eastwards.- including three
  landlocked countries.
  
• Main goal is to ensure the economic integration
  and rapid development of the Community as a
  whole.
  
• Promotes free trade, Customs Union and implements
  common socio-economic development policies
  across Member States.
  

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ECOWAS_2

• Comprises four main institutions
• The Executive Secretariat
• The ECOWAS Parliament
• The ECOWAS Court Of Justice
• The ECOWAS Bank For Investment Development

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What is RTIS?

• A Regional Trade Information System For ECOWAS
• Driven by ECOWAN, the Community Wide Area
  Network.
  
• Facilitates rapid information exchanges among
  buyers and sellers.
  
• An integrated platform for Trade Promotion and
  economic cooperation among Member States.
  
• A web of databases providing content about goods
  and services in the ECOAWS space and beyond
  

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RTIS INFRASTRUCTURE_1 (ECOWAN)

• RTIS is supported by the ECOWAN platform for
  intra-regional Networking
  
• ECOWAN is an INTRANET A Community Wide Area
  Communications Network
  
• Driven by V-SAT Technology with nodes installed
  in all Member State capitals.

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RTIS INFRASTRUCTURE_2 (ECOWAN)

• Hub of National LANs and WANs and also serves as
  a secured gateway To The Internet.
  
• Facilitates Inter-connectivity among Member
  States and ECOWAS all four major Institutions
  
• Provides a safe gateway to the African Union
  continental architecture linking its Regional
  Economic Communities.
  
• Implements all ECOWAS Sectoral Databases for
  Trade, Agriculture, Industry, Energy etc.

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WHY ECOWAN?

• CONNECTIVITY To integrate Member State economies
  effectively through a cyber-loop.
  
• SECURITY To ensure secured Networking insulated
  from Internet abuse and other cyber crimes
  
• PERFORMANCE To gain efficiencies in Data
  Exchanges and facilitate timely decision-making
  
• RELIABILITY To ensure controlled information
  channels and stabilise Network performance
  levels
  
• SUSTAINABILITY To ensure trouble-free
  communications and durability of ICT investments
  

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ECOWAN SHOWING ALL FIFTEEN POINTS OF PRESENCE
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ECOWAS INTRANET TOPOGRAPHY
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NODAL SUB-STRUCTURE
ECOWAS Unit
Central Bank
Statistics Office
Customs Office
ECOWAN Point of Presence ( Loca
l Hub)
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Backbone Structure
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ECOWAN Schema
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RTIS_1Content Overview

• Ports Management Systems
• Customs Administration Systems
• Clearing Forwarding Systems
• Legal, Insurance Banking Systems
• Settlement Payment Systems
• Haulage Transit Systems
• Distributive Trade Commerce
• Consumer Protection Advocacy Systems

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RTIS_2Customs AdministrationASYCUDA

• Automatic System For Customs Data an ECOWAS
  initiative, now in the public domain and wisely
  used.
  
• Comprehensive database covering Customs Posts,
  Agents, Traders, Transport Modes, Regimes,
  Products, Countries, Taxes, Measurements, etc
  
• Ensures automated goods Clearing, Forwarding
  Payments system.
  
• Monitors cargo movement in transit through an
  automatic Manifest Control System.
  
• Inter-connect several Customs Offices via LANs
  WANs
  
• Installed in ten ECOWAS countries since the
  1980s.
  

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RTIS_3 Legal Finance

• Business Registration Industrial Code
• Investment code and taxation incentives
• Labour laws Trades Union Movement
• Chambers of Commerce export promotion
• Banking, Finance Insurance Laws
• Cost of Borrowing and Credit guarantees
• Import Export Tariffs and Cargo shipment
• Public Private Sector Partnership Laws

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RTIS_4eCommerce Issues

• Establishment of institutional/legal framework
• Definition of and installing Network Anti-fraud
  Security Mechanisms
  
• Special insurance and legal arrangements for
  prompt settlement of breaches
  
• Establishment of ECOWAS-wide Payments Clearing
  System etrade cards
  
• Warehousing Distribution logistics parameters
• System specification and accessibility
  arrangements
  

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Conclusion_1

• The holistic view of RTIS has great potential for
  bringing the ECOWAS business landscape into the
  global mainstream.
  
• RTIS complements the ECOWAN architecture as a key
  content deliverable of the Network
  
• RTIS is pro-poor because of the scope and reach
  provided by the ECOWAN platform
  
• A valuable mechanism for ensuring even
  development opportunities among ECOWAS countries.

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Conclusion_2

• Bumpy Road ahead.

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APPRECIATION

• THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING