Swieqi, Malta & Johannesburg, South Africa – 15 October 2020: essDOCS, the leading enabler of paperless trade, and AfricaPLC, the innovative B2B / B2G industrial E-commerce marketplace and FinTech platform focused on improving intra-African and cross-border trade, announced today a partnership to accelerate the use of digital trade documents in Africa.
The partnership will provide integrated electronic document capabilities for AfricaPLC’s network of trade stakeholders involved in African trade, including regional and international exporters, importers, banks, chambers of commerce and more.
Through the AfricaPLC-essDOCS partnership, trade participants will be able to access essDOCS’ CargoDocs solution to securely and instantaneously draft, review, amend, sign, issue, transfer, present and surrender relevant original electronic export documents such as the bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, etc. Furthermore, exporters or forwarders will be able to apply for and receive back electronic certificates of origin signed and stamped by the relevant African chamber of commerce.
The partnership between the two companies underscores AfricaPLC’s mission to globalize African eTrade and commitment to support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which connects the world’s largest free trade area (by number of countries) with SMEs, MNCs, banks and government departments such as customs authorities. Trade under the AfCFTA is targeted to commence on 1 January 2020, as decided and announced jointly by the African Union heads of state on 17 June 2020.
Commenting on the AfricaPLC-essDOCS partnership, Hubert Danso, CEO & Chairman, AfricaPLC, said: “We are delighted to partner with essDOCS, who share our vision of paperless trade as the catalyst to improving intra-African trade and the continent’s access to the global economy. This innovative eTrade and Fintech partnership directly supports the pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Continental Free Trade Area and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.”
Alexander Goulandris, Co-CEO, essDOCS, said: “We are very excited to partner with AfricaPLC to extend the use of our digital trade solutions across the African continent. Our respective strengths will help accelerate digitization of trade for domestic, regional and global trades involving African trade stakeholders as well connecting AfCFTA countries with global markets.”
Work on the AfricaPLC-essDOCS integration is currently underway, with the first joint solution (electronic certificates of origin for African Chambers) due to be released in late October 2020.
About essDOCS
essDOCS enables paperless trade. Its solutions digitize and automate paper-heavy processes, including: online creation/approval/management of all export documents (CargoDocs DocHub), data extraction and structure from paper documents and back-office automated checks (CargoDocs Auto-Document Processing), end-to-end eDocs management for original electronic trade documents such as Bills of Lading and Warehouse Warrants (CargoDocs DocEx), application/issuance of electronic Certificates of Origin (essCert) and fully digital documentary trade finance or supply chain finance under URBPO (Cmatch).
Over 53,000 companies, ranging from 31% of the Fortune Global 100 to innovative SMEs, use essDOCS solutions across 203 countries.
To find out more, visit www.essdocs.com
About AfricaPLC
AfricaPLC is an innovative, B2B and B2G multi-sector, industrial eCommerce Marketplace and FinTech platform, focused on improving intra-African trade flows, cross border payments, supply chain transparency, logistics and access to trade intelligence and global markets.
AfricaPLC provides, secure and easy to use transaction platforms and is continuously innovating blockchain and RegTech trade enabling solutions, to assist facilitate our clients and partners digitally originate, transact, track and settle B2B and B2G transactions across the African continent and worldwide.
AfricaPLC is committed to connecting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with global markets, by simplifying cross-border trade and procurement transactions for SMEs, large businesses, financial institutions and African governments.
To find out more, visit www.africaplc.com
Media contacts:
essDOCS
Nicholas Demetriou
nicholas.demetriou@essdocs.com
+30 210 724 5960
AfricaPLC
Wendy Edwards
wedwards@africainvestor.com
+27 11 7832431
