Minister of Finance Honors Outstanding Employees at Cairo Airport Logistics Center

Dr. Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance, honored a number of outstanding employees of the Egyptian Customs Authority who have demonstrated excellence in implementing the One-Stop Shop system at the Cairo International Airport Logistics Center. The employees were presented with certificates of appreciation to encourage them to continue their dedicated efforts, contributing to overcoming challenges, enhancing performance, and achieving the desired objectives by reducing customs clearance time, lowering customs clearance costs, and improving Egypt’s ranking in the World Bank’s “Enabling Trade Across Borders” indicator.

The Minister held a meeting with some of these outstanding employees and addressed them, saying: “We rely on the efficiency of human resources to ensure the success of any advanced system. Egyptians, through their determination and resolve, are capable of overcoming challenges and achieving remarkable results. You have our full support. Egypt, under its wise leadership and with the dedication of its people, is moving toward a better future. We are confident that you and other talented employees will provide an inspiring model that we can build upon during the remaining phases of implementing the One-Stop Shop system, just as the Egyptian national junior handball team managed to win the World Championship despite all the difficulties and challenges.”

The Minister held an open dialogue with the employees and reviewed the performance of the One-Stop Shop system. He called for the adoption of a number of innovative initiatives to ensure continuous development and overcome any challenges, in coordination with all relevant stakeholders. He also emphasized the importance of daily consultation with technical support teams regarding any issues arising within the automated system and ensuring that they are addressed effectively, in line with the latest international practices.

According to the Economic Journal, the Minister of Finance issued a decision to form a committee headed by Dr. Magdy Abdel Aziz, the Minister’s Advisor for Customs Affairs, to study the development of procedures governing the release of imported goods in cooperation with relevant inspection authorities, including agricultural quarantine, veterinary quarantine, food control at the Ministry of Health, radiation inspection, the Stamps and Scales Authority, and others. The committee will examine the possibility of eliminating certain steps or procedures that are no longer necessary, with the aim of facilitating procedures for customs users and accelerating the release of goods. This will gradually contribute to reducing customs clearance time in accordance with international standards.

The Minister stressed the importance of enhancing human resources and improving the capabilities of employees working within the One-Stop Shop system, as well as continuing joint training programs among all relevant stakeholders in line with the latest international standards and benefiting from leading international experiences.

The Minister also highlighted that the successful implementation of the Government Financial Management Information System (GFMIS) and the electronic payment system, despite the challenges encountered at the time, was the result of sustained efforts and a strong commitment to keeping Egypt aligned with global technological developments. He noted that every new and advanced system faces challenges, and that, as one team, they are capable of overcoming these challenges.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Magdy Abdel Aziz, the Minister’s Advisor for Customs Affairs; El-Shahat El-Ghatoury, Head of the Central Administration for the Affairs of the Chairman of the Customs Authority; and Dr. Mona Nasser, Head of the Ministerial Meetings Unit for Following Up on Assignments.

It is worth noting that the outstanding employees honored were: Hoda Mohamed Mahmoud, General Manager of Imports at the Export and Import Customs Department; and, from the Cairo International Airport Logistics Center: Sherif Abdel Hamid Mohamed, Mohamed Hassan Issa, Mohamed Mostafa Ahmed, Mohamed Desouky Mohamed, Mostafa Mohamed Mohamed, Wael Abdel Nabi Mohamed, and Shafik Ahmed Shafik.