Maldives : South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation National Single Window Project

Project Name

South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation National Single Window Project

Project Number

51330-001

Country / Economy

• Maldives

Project Status

Active

Project Type / Modality of Assistance

• Grant
• Loan
• Technical Assistance

Source of Funding / Amount

Grant 0646-MLD: South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation National Single Window Project

Source	Amount
Asian Development Fund	US$ 5.00 million

Loan 3794-MLD: South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation National Single Window Project

Source	Amount
Concessional ordinary capital resources lending	US$ 5.00 million

TA 9739-MLD: South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation National Single Window Project

Source	Amount
Technical Assistance Special Fund	US$ 500,000.00
High Level Technology Fund	US$ 500,000.00

Strategic Agendas

• Inclusive economic growth
• Regional integration

Drivers of Change

• Gender Equity and Mainstreaming
• Governance and capacity development
• Partnerships
• Private sector development

Sector / Subsector

• Industry and trade / Trade and services

Gender

Some gender elements

Description

The project will leverage information and communication technology to improve efficiency in cross-border control procedures. It will support the development of an automated system that will enable sharing of harmonized data across systems of cross-border regulatory agencies, Maldives Ports Limited, and Maldives Airports Company Limited. It will also allow traders and other service providers to submit, and to obtain unified clearance of, export and import documentation requirements through a single point of entry. The report also describes a technical assistance that will support the Government of Maldives in related capacity development of various stakeholders, including on change management.

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy

Maldives is one of the smallest countries in Asia and the Pacific by population and land area. Its estimated population of 436,330 is widely dispersed over 188 inhabited islands across an archipelago that is more than 800 kilometers long and 130 kilometers wide. Despite its geographical challenges, Maldives has successfully developed many islands into high-end tourist resorts. Strong growth in the tourism and tourism-related activities helped the country attain middle-income status in 2011. However, Maldives' narrow economic base, which is largely concentrated on tourism, fisheries, and construction, has constrained its growth prospects.

An national single window (NSW) is designed to facilitate and establish an efficient international trade environment by reducing delays and lowering costs associated with clearance of goods, while maintaining the requisite controls and collection of levies, fees, duties, and taxes, where applicable, on imports or exports. The NSW road map and business process redesign for the NSW in Maldives were prepared to help improve trading across borders. The road map defines the scope for business process redesign of procedures and data harmonization among the five cross-border regulatory agencies and identifies the legal framework requirements and business model options for the NSW operator. The business process redesign provides the design for streamlined procedures within the NSW environment. Maldives' NSW development will follow international standards, as embodied in the United Nations recommendations.

The project will establish an NSW in Maldives as an electronic platform, which allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents at a single entry point to fulfill all import- and export-related statutory requirements. The NSW will provide an efficient environment for streamlined international trade procedures between private sector stakeholders and border control agencies. This includes (i) a labor-saving set of standardized and transparent international trade procedures, (ii) enhanced border control, and (iii) more readily available data on trade flows. The establishment of the NSW is in line with the operational priorities for trade facilitation under the SASEC program.

Impact

(i) Efficient international trade facilitation ensured.

(ii) Faster, cheaper, and more predictable cross-border trade in the SASEC subregion achieved

Project Outcome

Description of Outcome

Efficiency in cargo clearance improved.

Progress Toward Outcome

Implementation Progress

Description of Project Outputs

National Single Window system for international trade and reengineered trade processes established.

Capacity of relevant agencies and private users, including women to utilize the NSW developed

High-level technology to support national single window and trade facilitation pilot tested.

Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)

NSW system is under rebidding process for system development and pilot test NSW phase 1. Bids received on 30 May 2022. Bid evaluation panel held introductory first meeting on 25 July 2022. Estimated time for completion of bid evaluation is mid-Aug 2022. Technical bid evaluation report was received on 27 October 2022. Financial bids were opened on 14 November 2022, evaluation is ongoing. NSW system is under rebidding process for system development and pilot test NSW phase 1. Technical bid evaluation report was received on 27 October 2022.NSW system is under rebidding process for system development and pilot test NSW phase 1. Technical bid evaluation report was received on 27 October 2022.NSW system is under rebidding process for development pilot test NSW phase 1NSW system is under rebidding process for development pilot test NSW phase 1NSW system is under rebidding process for development pilot test NSW phase 1E-transaction bill submitted to Parliament in August 2021, first reading completed and is currently at the committee stage. E-transaction Bill enacted on 27 April 2022.Dissemination of the findings of pilot testing is tentatively scheduled in Q1 2023.Pilot test for utilizing blockchain technology in trade facilitation has been ongoing since September 2020 and is estimated to be completed by Q4 2022.

Geographical Location

Nation-wide

Safeguard Categories

Environment

C

Involuntary Resettlement

C

Indigenous Peoples

C

Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects

Environmental Aspects

Involuntary Resettlement

Indigenous Peoples

Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation

During Project Design

During Project Implementation

Business Opportunities

Consulting Services

International expertise (29 person-months)

National expertise (8 person-months)

Procurement

1. One contract to develop, install, supply, and maintain national single window software and hardware.

2. One contract for the Automated System for Customs Data enhancement software development.

3. Four contracts to interface development in existing software systems.

Contact

Responsible ADB Officer

Gentile, Elisabetta

Responsible ADB Department

Sectors Group

Responsible ADB Division

Public Sector Management and Governance Sector Office (SG-PSMG)

Executing Agencies

Ministry of Finance (formerly Ministry of Finance and Treasury)

Timetable

Concept Clearance

19 Dec 2017

Fact Finding

12 Aug 2018 to 16 Aug 2018

MRM

15 Jan 2019

Approval

30 May 2019

Last Review Mission

-

Last PDS Update

15 Dec 2022

Funding

Grant 0646-MLD

Loan 3794-MLD

TA 9739-MLD