Good Practices and Innovations in Public Governance 2003-2011

Good Practices and InnovATIONS in Public Governance
Recognizing that trade is an important economic driver, Saudi Arabia embarked on
initiatives to facilitate trade, which have been greatly enhanced by e-government
developments.
The Solution
SaudiEDI is an electronic gateway linking importers and exporters to customs departments,
port authorities and other government agencies. Traders are now able to
file manifests and declarations and to obtain approvals electronically at any time,
from anywhere, via Web interface, Web upload and host-to-host connectivity solutions.
Information management is another important aspect of this initiative. In addition
to improving the monitoring and control of information, great strides have been
made in streamlining documentation and filing clearance processes through automation
and through incorporation of international standards and best practices.
In 2007, the World Bank ranked Saudi Arabia thirty-third (out of 175 countries) in
terms of ease of trading across borders. In 2008, however, Saudi Arabia’s ranking
jumped to sixteenth. This was a tremendous achievement within a one-year period
and can be attributed partly to the increased adoption of SaudiEDI services.
The SaudiEDI initiative was proposed by the World Bank to help Saudi Arabia meet
one of the conditions for its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The
implementation of SaudiEDI in 2007 was a great milestone of achievement for the
Kingdom and has elevated its status as a global force in international trade.
The Ministry of Finance, as one of the strategic stakeholders, took the lead in this
initiative. The Ministry’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which serves as an incubator
for projects that require capital investments, invited consultants from the World Bank
and elsewhere to sketch solutions for a Kingdom-wide automated trade clearance
facilitation system. The consultants’ ideas were then customized to fit local needs.
The Public Investment Fund had the foresight and vision to realize that Saudi Arabia’s
import-export trade with the region and the world at large would grow significantly
over the years, and that it was necessary to tie in with the WTO guidelines. PIF
desired a paperless, automated, robust and scalable system that links the whole trading
community and government agencies.
Key strategies to ensure the successful implementation of SaudiEDI included:
• Garnering the support and cooperation of all the key stakeholders at various
levels.
• Changing management in terms of changing mindsets, work processes and
tools.
• Providing end-user training in IT literacy and SaudiEDI applications.
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