Directors General of Customs at expert level discuss Interconnectivity for improved trade facilitation
22 September 2014. Brazzaville, Republic of Congo - The Experts group preparatory meeting of the 6th Ordinary meeting of the African Union Sub-Committee of Directors General of Customs kicked off on 22 September. The meeting is co-organized by the Department of Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission and the Customs and Excise of the Republic of Congo. The experts from African Union Member States and the Customs Departments of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the World Customs Organization (WCO), the United Nations Economic for Africa (UNECA) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will review the reports of the Customs Technical Working Groups in addressing the issues in the Trade Facilitation Cluster of the Action Plan on Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT) as well as the WTO Trade Facilitation. They will also exchange views and reflect on the way forward on the theme of the meeting “Interconnectivity for improved Trade Facilitation”.
Trade Facilitation initiatives, if properly implemented can play a critical role in boosting intra African trade. In her opening remarks, the Director for the Department of Trade and Industry, Mme Treasure Thembisile Maphanga not only recalled the theme and the objectives of the meeting but also highlighted the advantages of Trade Facilitation. Trade Facilitation in Africa she said, would benefit not only importers and consumers who, most times have to contend with higher prices induced by red tape in import administration, but exporters too. It would enable firms to increase their continental share of trade in goods and services as a consequence of lower transactions costs. It would also reduce compliance costs, service charges, business opportunity costs and costs associated with uncertainty and corruption’’, she mentioned. According the Director, Trade Facilitation can also benefit the public sector by bringing more efficient control methods, better resource allocation, higher revenues, improved trade compliance, faster economic development, and a climate conducive to foreign investment. “There is ample empirical evidence that trade facilitation reduces Customs delays and other costs considerably, while also raising revenue”, she added.
Addressing the theme of the meeting, Mrs. Maphanga underscored that there is a growing need for interconnection of computerized customs clearance systems so as to cut on the time for clearance and movement of goods and persons across borders. This, she said, will no doubt allow for closer real-time collaboration between Customs administrations and between Customs and business in facilitating legitimate trade and undertaking Customs controls.
On his part, the Director General of Customs of Congo M. Jean Alfred Onanga, recalled the low level of the Intra-African Trade. He urged the participants to come up with fruitful, rich and sound recommendation on Interconnectivity and Trade facilitation in order to boost the Intra-African Trade.
The 6th Ordinary meeting of the African Union Sub-Committee of Directors General of customs will be held from 25-26 September 2014 in Brazzaville, Congo. The expected outcome will be a set of recommendations that will guide the thinking of the Conference of Ministers of Trade so that the latter may be able to channel decisions to the highest level, i.e. to the African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government through the Executive Council.
For more information, please contact: Mr. Charles Chiza Newton CHIUMYA, Customs Policy Officer - Email: chiumyac@africa-union.org
Media contact: Patient Atcho, Department of Trade and Industry – Email: atchop@africa-union.org
