During the VII OAS-GT Congress, held in June in Guatemala, the panel “OAS Secure Guatemala, the panel ”AEO Secure Logistics Chain" made it clear that being an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) is a real competitive advantage that transforms (AEO) is a real competitive advantage that transforms logistics chains and strengthens logistics chains and strengthens international confidence.
Moderated by Patty Aguilar, Director of the Logistics Guild of the Chamber of
of the Guatemalan Chamber of Industry, the panel brought together three leaders in the
Ambev Guatemala, ZOLIC and Distelsa, who shared their testimonies as entities
their testimonies as entities qualified under the AEO program.
From the industrial sector, Susana Rosales, Director of Supply Chain at Cervecería Ambev Guatemala, told how
Supply Chain Manager of Cervecería Ambev Guatemala, told how she went from three days to just a few hours at the
to just a few hours at the border crossing between Mexico and the ZDEEP Zona Libre Puerta del Istmo has
Puerta del Istmo has been a radical change. “Doing things differently, efficiently and
efficiency and taking advantage of the SAT's openness to improve processes as a country, is the real challenge.
country, is the real challenge. To be an AEO is to bring very significant results
in profitability,” he said.
From ZOLIC's perspective, Erick Tobar, Eng,
director of the Board of Directors said: “Being an AEO has made us a more efficient Free Zone, providing certainty and
more efficient Free Zone, which provides certainty and customs agility to our users”.
users”. He emphasized that the ZDEEP Zona Libre Puerta del Istmo Free Zone, located very close to the Mexican
the border with Mexico, is the first one to be qualified as AEO-TG, and the rest of the ZDEEPs are
hope that the rest of the ZDEEPs under the ZOLIC regime will follow this path".”
Ronald Fuentes, Operations Manager of
operations manager, emphasized how the streamlining of customs procedures has positively impacted the company's internal goals.
positively impacted the company's internal goals.
It has been a very satisfactory experience, something we recommend to achieve greater competitiveness,“ he said.
competitiveness,” he said.
This panel showcased success stories and reinforced one of the core messages of the Congress: OAS
messages of the Congress: AEO accreditation is a commitment to traceability, security and efficiency, key pillars
traceability, security and efficiency, key pillars for Guatemala to consolidate itself as a reliable regional logistics hub.
as a reliable regional logistics hub.
Guatemala's regional leadership
The VII OAS-GT Congress brought together more than 300 key players of the commercial ecosystem
public institutions such as SAT, MINECO and MAGA, as well as business associations and chambers such as AMCHAM, CAMEX, CIG and AGEXPORT;
business associations and chambers such as AMCHAM, CAMEX, CIG and AGEXPORT; as well as representatives of the industrial, logistics and commercial
representatives of the industrial, logistics and commercial sectors of Guatemala and the region.
and the region.
Guatemala's regional leadership was evident, with more than 110 OAS-certified companies, a figure that represents 59% of the total.
more than 110 AEO-certified companies, a figure that represents 59% of the total. % of the total in Central America. The results are concrete: a 30 percent reduction %
in dispatch times and a 20 % in logistics costs.
In addition to boosting efficiency,
the OAS program has opened the door to international mutual recognition,
consolidating Guatemala as an active part of an integrated Central American trade bloc.
integrated Central American trade bloc.
In this space, public-private cooperation was reaffirmed as a key strategy to modernize
reaffirmed as a key strategy to modernize customs and strengthen national competitiveness.
national competitiveness.
The Congress reaffirmed that the OAS figure is not a final objective, but rather a joint
but a model of joint work that allows the country to move towards a safer, more agile and reliable
more secure, agile and reliable logistics, aligned with the demands of global trade.
global trade.