Egypt is set to increase the pace of a project to introduce a new customs management system that will modernize and automate key processes and reduce the cost of doing business in the country.

Finance minister Mohamed Maait said that by simplifying and digitizing procedures, goods will be able to spend less time sitting at ports waiting for customs clearances, Daily News Egypt reports.

This will mean ports of entry become transit hubs for goods, rather than acting as storage as is currently the case. In turn, this will facilitate the movement of local and foreign trade, stimulating investment and maximizing exports.

Mr Maait said the "single window for national trade" platform covers more than 90 percent of Egypt's imports through logistic centers established in the ports of Cairo, Alexandria, East and West Port Said, Port Tawfiq, Ain Sokhna, Dekheila, and Damietta. 

Meanwhile, the 'Nafeza' electronic platform is set to extend to Safaga, Nuweiba, Ismailia, and Aswan before the end of 2021, thereby establishing an electronic link between all customs ports.

This will ensure stronger governance, protect the country's national security, and prevent the entry of any harmful or dangerous goods into Egypt.

Shahat Al-Ghatouri, head of the Egyptian Customs Authority, added: "We continue to standardize procedural and documentary transactions at all customs ports for import and export operations."

Mr Maait said his ministry is eager to restructure customs requirements in order to ensure these procedures are unified across various ports. As well as maintaining the security of the unified customs declaration, this should also simplify and standardize rules for determining value for the collection of taxes and customs duties.