DILI, 29 august, 2021 (TATOLI) -United States International Agency (USAID) and Timor-Leste customs Authority established Customs Trade Portal (CTP) and Customs Authority Strategic Plan (CASP) that provides free and easy online access to trade-related information through the website; www.customs.gov.tl.
According to the statement released by USAID, The Customs portal is available in Tetun, Portuguese, and English, it is also included a document database where visitors can access and download nearly 200 procedures, policies, laws, and other trade publication:’Visitors can submit questions in an automated chatbot feature and access up-to-date, trade-related news,’
It is highlighted that CA also launched a new Strategic Plan that sets out the organization’s vision and includes measurable standards and targets and lays out a strategy for the reforming of CA over the next five years (2021-2025).
‘The Strategic Plan is guided by four core values, namely, integrity, professionalism, transparency, and respect,’ said.
“Today represents another milestone in our journey to becoming a modern and professional organization,” said Acting Commissioner Jose Abilio of the Customs Authority.
Mr. Abilio acknowledged the importance of providing access to information, nothing that the longer-term goal of the CA is to “Make trade faster, simpler, and fairer.”
The Minister of Finance, H.E. Rui Augusto Gomes said, “The launching of the Online Trade Portal and the Five-Year Strategic Plan marks another great milestone for the Customs Authority.
‘These are indeed significant initiatives and they are essential to enable the Customs Authority to fulfill its institutional obligations to become an independent, trustworthy and efficient organization, placing client-centered-services in its core service delivery.” Gomes said in a statement.
The Customs Authority has made tremendous efforts to promote good governance and integrity and tackle crime and corruption by establishing a Customs Hotline and providing anti-corruption training to its officials.
“The new Customs Trade Portal and Strategic Plan represent two important steps on Timor-Leste’s journey to modernize its Customs Authority and become self-reliant,” said U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Tom Daley.
The new CTP and SP received support from the U.S. government through the four-year, $8.8 million USAID Customs Reform Project.
The United States government, through USAID, works in partnership with the government of Timor-Leste to support broad-based and effective development. Since 2001, USAID has provided nearly $350 million in development assistance to Timor-Leste.
USAID supports Timor-Leste in its efforts to build a more prosperous, healthy, and democratic country, by supporting programs that foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth, especially in the agriculture and tourism sectors; improve the health of the Timorese people, particularly women and children and strengthen the foundations of good governance.
These areas are highlighted in Timor-Leste’s Strategic Development Plan 2013-2030 and will serve to make the country more self-reliant to better address its development challenges.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
