Saudi Arabia will triple its value-added tax rate in an attempt to “shore up finances” as global demand drops for its oil exports, according to a May 11 Reuters report. The country’s VAT will increase from 5% to 15%, Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said, citing the “unprecedented coronavirus crisis.” Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has been significantly impacted by an oversupply of oil coupled with low oil prices, the report said.

Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority temporarily reduced toll rates for container ships traveling to Asia, according to a May 8 report. The reduced fees, which will be in place through June 30, are aimed at bolstering “slumping traffic,” the Hong Kong Trade Development Council said, and feature rebates as high as 75% on toll fees. Egypt hopes the reduced fees will attract ships “amid a growing trend of vessels rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa,” due to lower sea freight demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the report said.

Kenya recently reintroduced “verification charges” on traders importing container cargoes, according to a May 5 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The measure, which took effect April 21, will establish fees ranging from $80 to $120 for verifications of 20-foot to 40-foot containers, respectively. The fees have met “stiff opposition” from industry, the report said, who say it will increase logistics costs during a time when companies are already struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nigeria announced tax and tariff exemptions for certain medical imports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a May 4 KPMG post. The measures, which took effect May 1, exempt medical supply imports from value-added taxes and customs duties for six months, the post said.

Ghana recently waived detention and demurrage fees on all cargo at the country’s seaports while government-imposed restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic remain in place, according to an April 28 notice from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The measure applies to all charges on cargo that has been held at ports since March 30, the report said.

The African Continental Free Trade Area will not be implemented as scheduled on July 1, AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene said, according to a report in the Nigerian newspaper This Day. Rather than focus on meeting the original July 1 deadline, “all governments should be allowed to concentrate their efforts on fighting the [COVID-19] pandemic and saving lives at home,” Mene said. The report cites “strong speculations that the new commencement date might be January 2021.”

Turkey recently announced several changes to its certificate of origin submissions to customs, according to an April 27 post from KPMG. The country introduced a “cash guarantee application” in its certificate of origin rules, which can be submitted to the country’s customs authority after importation, the post said. The country also announced a process for refunds if the certificate of origin is submitted to the customs authority within six months “from the date of registration of the declaration,” the post said. Turkey may also request a trader’s certificate of origin if the goods are “subject to more than one trade policy measure, additional customs duties ... or when different rates are determined.” If the certificate cannot be submitted, the goods will incur a higher customs duty.

Dubai Customs will allow a 1% customs duty refund on goods that meet certain conditions, according to an April 27 post from KPMG. The goods must already be subject to a 5% customs duty, must be imported into the United Arab Emirates through Dubai Customs and must have no outstanding customs duty payments, KPMG said. The goods must also be imported for resale domestically and their import declarations must be processed March 15 through June 30. KPMG said Dubai will only disburse refunds of 100 dirham value or more.

Bahrain recently introduced an online customs clearance and payments service, eliminating the need for traders to present customs declaration forms and pay duties in person at ports of entry, according to an April 27 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The service will allow “any entity in Bahrain” to process online payments for any outstanding fee, the report said. But the country’s customs stressed that traders must still keep original customs statements and other documents, which may be subject to inspection at a later date.

South Africa announced value-added tax relief as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an April 23 KPMG post. The VAT relief includes “fast-tracking” of VAT refunds, a measure that will allow some companies to file monthly VAT returns instead of bimonthly returns, and a case-by-case “waiver of penalties” for “larger businesses,” the post said.