Access to stable and affordable internet continues to be a challenge in Tonga and is holding back businesses who trade internationally, says Tonga's top customs official.
The Ministry of Revenue and Customs is now looking at collaborating with other government agencies and local internet service providers, said Tonga Customs CEO, Michael Cokanasiga.
They want to discuss options for dedicated and affordable internet access to traders, who are using the ASYCUDAWorld automated customs management system. He told a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) regional workshop in Fiji from 27-28 March they want to support the theme of Trade Facilitation, Digitalization and Digital Transformation in the Blue Pacific.
The Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) is a digital customs management system that covers most foreign trade procedures, developed by UNCTAD.
He said that despite the fact that paper-based systems are becoming obsolete access to stable and affordable internet access continues to be a challenge.
Cokanasiga said after the ASYCUDAWorld system was piloted in 2021, theTonga Customs services had its facilities available to its stakeholders to use the system.
"Because of the problems that traders face with the internet, we have 6-8 computers all connected to the internet and dedicated for stakeholder training, which have also been made available for traders to access ASYCUDAWorld during the inception stage of the project."
He said, while the fully fledged deployment of ASYCUDAWorld system was in February this year, to change management from manual processes to a digitalized system is a marathon and not a sprint.
There have been several lessons learned as they continued to improve the system and processes and in pushing the Tonga Customs administration forward, its partners need not be left behind.
“Some of our other ministries and government agencies don’t have automated systems, so that had been a shortfall. But we are continuously building capacities for our customs team, so that we can help our partners."
Tonga started with the ASYCUDA Project in 2020 but faced a number of challenges along the way, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai volcano.
Meanwhile, under the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus regional free trade agreement, UNCTAD is implementing the institutional strengthening and modernisation of the customs administration of Tonga through the deployment of ASYCUDAWorld.
The launch of ASYCUDAWorld is expected to help modernize Tonga’s customs administration, automate customs clearance processes, and improve the country’s ability to engage in international trade.
