▁by ▁establish ing ▁a ▁one - stop ▁window ▁for ▁setting ▁up ▁a ▁business , ▁lower ing ▁time ▁needed ▁from ▁ten ▁to ▁three ▁days ; ▁and ▁has ▁boost ed ▁trad ing ▁by ▁creating ▁a ▁one - stop ▁window ▁for ▁custom s ▁clear ance ▁at ▁the ▁Port ▁of ▁Cot on ou ▁now ▁taking ▁only ▁three ▁days , ▁instead ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 - 3 0 ▁needed ▁previously . ▁The ▁Port ▁of ▁Cot on ou ▁has ▁received ▁two ▁international ▁awards ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁for ▁information ▁technology ▁and ▁public - private ▁partners hip , ▁due ▁in ▁large ▁part ▁to ▁the ▁improvements ▁in ▁port ▁operations ▁resulting ▁from ▁re forms ▁stim ulated ▁by ▁the ▁Mill en ni um ▁Challenge ▁Corporation ▁compact ▁and ▁U . S . ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁assistance ▁to ▁meet ▁international ▁standards ▁on ▁security ▁comp liance . ▁It ▁is ▁becoming ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁ports ▁in ▁West ▁Africa . ▁ ▁Trade ▁law ▁Ben in ▁is ▁sign atory ▁to ▁all ▁international ▁trade ▁convent ions ▁under ▁the ▁a eg is ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Trade ▁Organ ization ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Conference ▁on ▁Trade ▁and ▁Development . ▁Ben in ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Cot on ou ▁Ag re ement ▁among ▁the ▁European ▁Union , ▁Africa , ▁and ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁Pacific ▁countries , ▁and ▁the ▁regional ▁and ▁sub - reg ional ▁economic ▁un ions ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Econom ic ▁Community ▁of ▁West ▁African ▁States ▁( E CO W AS ) ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁African ▁Econom ic ▁and ▁Mon et ary ▁Union ▁( WA EM