Single Window Systems
In the OIC Member States
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applications. This is compromising on the re-usability of communications and networking
services. The interoperability logic is separated out into an isolated IT infrastructure and serves
the needs of bi-directional communication between the national SWs and their respective
stakeholders.
The centralised RSW IT architecture model implies the establishment of a common centralised
service - middleware software architecture (example enterprise service bus - ESB). This
provides a communication system between service consumers and service providers on the
interoperability and the interconnectivity level, such as message transformation, protocol
conversion and routing services. This model supports the heterogeneity of national IT
architectures, and incorporates requirements for service-oriented architecture and
interoperability.
The RSW centralised IT architecture must offer a range of services to fulfil the RSW integration
requirements with the other national SW (internal and external portal services / applications
and interacting stakeholder’s subsystems within the NSW domains. These architecture
components are: service / application server, portal server, database server (for the reference
data) and the ESB and supportive infrastructure components - demilitarized zone (DMZ),
security services and users directory. Another important element of the RSW centralised IT
architecture is the reference data repository that must be used by the RSW participating
countries.
Examples from the World
One of the operational peer-to-peer IT Architecture model for exchange of customs data is EU
SEED project78, that exchanges data between six Western Balkan Customs Administrations on a
pre-arrival basis. The EU SEED IT architecture is fully based on the peer-to-peer model with
common middleware platform that is replicated in participating countries. The EU SEED system
has an integrated computerised data matching that contributes to the minimization of human
interventions.
5.3 Technical Cooperation Needs
Many governments rely on technical and financial assistance to implement Single Window
projects. In some cases, the development of the SW IT solution was entirely financed by a
development partner or a development bank—i.e. the EU in the case of Tajikistan, ADB in the
case of Kyrgyz Republic, and World Bank in the case of Cameroon and Burkina Faso. Technical
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