- SVG Government signs contract to set up Electronic Single Window for Trade Facilitation (ESWIFT)
The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is making strides towards establishing an Electronic Single Window for Trade Facilitation (ESWIFT) as part of the Digital Transformation Project.
On Friday, November 17th, the government signed a contract with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for the implementation of the ESWIFT through the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, and Information Technology.
UNCTAD and the Government have agreed to collaborate in the field of business facilitation by building an Electronic Single Window for Trade Facilitation in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines under this contract. The ESWIFT will increase efficiency by providing dependable digital services that aim to improve compliance, transparency, and convenience of doing business in the import and export of commodities into and out of the country.
The ESWIFT implementation is anticipated to cost the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines two million three hundred thirty-eight thousand four hundred US dollars (USD2,338,400). The system is scheduled to be completely operational by June 2026.
The contract was signed on behalf of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines by Mr. Edmond Jackson, Director General of Finance and Planning, and on behalf of UNCTAD by Mr. Vinod Nair, Officer-in-Charge, Programme Support and Management Service.
The Digital Transformation Project, which began in 2020, aims to integrate contemporary technology across all government sectors and services, improving efficiency, transparency, and engagement between the public and commercial sectors, as well as between local and regional communities. The project is scheduled to be finished in 2026.
