The pace of economic growth across Africa and its ambitions for integration demand that goods flow safely and securely across the continent and around the world.
Growth is driven by trade; the stability of trade is delivered by Customs. In a world of accelerating trade and accelerating risk, the role of Customs has never mattered more.
When Customs administrations are equipped, connected, and prepared, the societies they protect are safer for it.
However, the work of Customs officers is largely unseen and rarely recognized. Standing at the crossroads of global commerce and illicit trade, Customs plays a fundamental role in protecting lives and safeguarding livelihoods.
The impact of Customs is measured not by visibility, but by absence: the dangers averted, the systems protected, and the stability preserved.
In a world where exploitation of trade continues to grow, its role has never been more indispensable. Every interception Customs makes prevents a harm that society never has to face.
Customs’ vigilance has its greatest effect when it’s exercised by many – at the national, regional, and international level.
This month, the World Customs Organization (WCO) and Customs administrations from across Sub-Saharan Africa will gather at two different meetings in Tanzania and Sierra Leone to advance common priorities and reinforce their collective role in protecting society.
Regional cooperation among Customs administrations, with the support of the WCO, is central to this effort.
When Customs work together, they are stronger and more effective – delivering clear societal benefits: intercepting illicit drugs, weapons and ozone-depleting chemicals, removing counterfeit medicines and disrupting illegal financial flows.
Continuous capacity building and innovation With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) established, the WCO supports its implementation by setting international standards and ensuring Customs administrations have the tools to facilitate trade and ensure safe, secure and resilient supply chains.
In sharing best practices and innovations, we can jointly advance greater efficiencies and help realize the economic effects and practical benefits sought through the trade agreement.
The EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme is one example of such efforts, as it has enabled the development of guidelines to support the private sector with practical implementation of the AfCFTA.
