The CADENA Project

Revolutionizing Customs Processes for Greater Efficiency and Transparency

How does it achieve this? By leveraging decentralized technology, it facilitates trade and strengthens trust in global supply chains. It’s an innovative response to the challenges of international trade!

Extrimian’s Role in the CADENA Project

Extrimian works closely with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and together, they have made significant recent advancements:

  • Creation and management of Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs).
  • Development of an intuitive user interface for managing the records of Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs).
  • Implementation of different roles and permissions, ensuring appropriate access and configuration.
  • Automatic generation of cryptographic keys and secure synchronization between customs offices.
  • Efficient management of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs).
  • Simplified processes for agile deployment, despite the complex technological infrastructure.

Pilot Test

The culmination of this project saw a pilot test involving the Customs Authorities of Colombia and Costa Rica, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (Mincit) of Colombia / VUCE, and four leading Colombian companies active in international trade: UPS, Carboquímica, Spataro Napoli, and Vitalis.

  • Customs authorities used the CADENA application to issue AEO credentials to companies.
  • Companies had a corporate web wallet and one or more mobile wallets installed on their employees’ devices, both Android and iOS. The corporate web wallet used a DID to identify the company, while each mobile wallet had a unique DID to identify each employee of the corporation. These wallets enabled corporations and their designated individuals to receive, store, and present their credentials. Additionally, the mobile wallets were used in specific use cases, such as for transporters.
  • We also developed a verification system capable of receiving, verifying, and recording presentations from web and mobile wallets. This system stores all the received information, which can be used by the verifier to advance related processes, such as permit processing.

Benefits and impact

The implementation of CADENA can be a game-changer in international trade. It facilitates the inclusion of more customs authorities into the network, promoting fairer, safer, and more transparent trade.

Glossary

  • CADENA Project: An initiative promoted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Extrimian, designed to transform customs administrations in Latin America and the Caribbean through decentralized technologies.
  • Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): An international financial organization that supports projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on economic, social, and institutional development.
  • Extrimian: A technology company collaborating with the IDB on the CADENA Project, specializing in cryptography and digital identity solutions.
  • Decentralized Technology: Technology that operates on a distributed network, rather than being centralized in a single location or server. This can include blockchain and other forms of distributed technology.
  • Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs): Digital identification systems that allow for secure and decentralized online identity verification.
  • Verifiable Credentials (VCs): Digital documents that can be used to securely and reliably verify the authenticity of an identity or related information.
  • Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs): Commercial entities certified by national or international authorities as secure and reliable in the supply chain.
  • Cryptographic Keys: Tools used in cryptography to secure communication and information, allowing for data encryption and decryption.
  • Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs): Agreements between countries or regions that facilitate trade by recognizing each other’s security and compliance assessments.