The Procomex Institute, a Brazilian organization specialized in the modernization and facilitation of trade in Latin America, launched - this Thursday (05.09.2024) - a new project to measure and improve cross-border processes in the Capricorn Bioceanic Corridor, a crucial space between Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. This corridor seeks to enhance regional integration and the development of the countries involved, allowing for more efficient and agile trade.
The presentation of the work was given by Antonella Lanfranconi, Project Coordinator of Procomex, and was introduced by John Mein, Executive Coordinator of the institution. Its main objective is to strengthen the planning, management and regional coordination capacities of the national and subnational governments that are part of the Bioceanic Corridor. This project is one of the components of the Regional Master Plan for Integration and Development of the Capricorn Bioceanic Corridor (PM-CBC), where aspects related to trade facilitation and cross-border processes, physical and digital infrastructure, and productive and commercial development will also be evaluated.
The project, financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through the Regional Public Goods initiative, will last eight months (from August 2024 to April 2025). The Argentine provinces of Salta and Jujuy, the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the Chilean regions of Tarapacá and Antofagasta, and the Paraguayan departments of Boquerón, Presidente Hayes and Alto Paraguay are the protagonists of this initiative.
Procomex has stated that the key to the success of this corridor lies in strengthening the three essential components: infrastructure, services and institutions. It is in this first diagnosis where the private sector will play a crucial role. According to Procomex, the active participation of all logistics operators, transporters, freight forwarders, free zones and other trade players will be essential to detect bottlenecks and find solutions.
"Our approach is to work together with the private sector, integrating their knowledge of border operations to optimize import, export and transit processes," said Antonella Lanfranconi. This diagnosis will be carried out through virtual meetings, in which the current situation at each border will be mapped.
To this end, the project will use the process mapping methodology, starting with the identification of the current situation.The Is", a technique that will allow mapping the current state of borders. With a "holistic view" the sequence of activities in the logistics chain of the process, the responsible actors and the opportunities for improvement will be identified. In addition, the mandatory documents to carry out the procedures and the systems involved in commercial operations will be analyzed.
The land borders to be assessed include those between Brazil and Paraguay (Porto Murtinho-Carmelo Peralta), Paraguay and Argentina (Pozo Hondo-Misión La Paz) and Argentina and Chile (Paso Jama and Paso Sico).
According to Procomex, the second phase of the project consists of developing an action plan that will be discussed between public and private actors (from subnational governments, border control agencies and private sector operators at border points). Through three bilateral meetings and one multilateral meeting, solutions will be agreed upon to improve the agility and efficiency of processes at the borders.
What benefits will there be? The collaborative approach to work will also seek to strengthen trust and mutual understanding between the public and private sectors, conduct a comprehensive analysis to obtain a holistic view of the process and reach agreed solutions to real problems.
Face-to-face meetings to develop the action plan are scheduled for January and February 2025, with a final presentation in April.
In this way, the call is made to participate in a project that will define the future of trade in the Capricorn Bioceanic Corridor. Your experience and knowledge are essential to build a more agile, efficient and secure commercial process.
Procomex invites all foreign trade players to join and be part of this transformation.
The release is available here
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