When goods cross international borders, ensuring their fair and accurate valuation is crucial not only for tax revenue but also for maintaining equitable global trade competition. To address this critical issue, Southern African nations are taking proactive steps to develop specialized expertise in customs valuation.
Under a joint program by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the third working group session (WG3) of the Customs Valuation (CV) Master Trainer Program (MTP) successfully convened in Gaborone, Botswana from October 21-25, 2019. Customs officials from five Southern African countries gathered to enhance customs valuation implementation capabilities and advance toward the MTP's ultimate objectives. The participating nations included Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
Building Sustainable Training Capacity
The Master Trainer Program forms a key component of the WCO-JICA collaboration, aiming to establish sustainable training capacity within customs administrations through two primary approaches: developing experienced trainers and creating region-specific training materials. The Botswana session marked a significant milestone in this initiative.
Building on previous workshops, fifteen customs valuation officers from the five nations began developing training materials and model programs to address specific needs identified during their first working group session (WG1). These requirements directly relate to implementing the World Trade Organization's Customs Valuation Agreement and overcoming regional operational challenges.
Expert Guidance and Knowledge Sharing
WCO and Japanese customs experts provided comprehensive guidance throughout the sessions, sharing valuable knowledge and professional skills to enhance participants' theoretical understanding and practical application. Their instruction covered fundamental valuation principles while offering insights into handling complex valuation scenarios.
Participants demonstrated strong commitment to the program, actively engaging in working sessions and group discussions. Their enthusiastic participation, including thoughtful questions and experience-sharing, created a productive learning environment that contributed significantly to the workshop's success.
Both WCO and JICA representatives commended this engagement and reaffirmed their continued support for Southern African customs administrations to ensure sustained capacity development.
Key Workshop Outcomes
The working session yielded several important achievements:
- Preliminary training materials: Participants developed draft training resources tailored to national contexts, covering various aspects of customs valuation that will serve as future reference materials.
- Model program development: The group constructed a simulation program replicating real-world customs valuation scenarios to strengthen practical skills application.
- Regional knowledge exchange: Officers shared country-specific experiences and practices, fostering mutual learning and collective advancement.
Future Directions
The workshop not only elevated professional standards but also established foundations for sustainable customs valuation capacity in the region. WCO and JICA plan continued collaboration with Southern African customs authorities through several planned initiatives:
- Ongoing technical support for valuation challenges
- Additional training programs to further enhance expertise
- Expanded training material development
- Enhanced regional cooperation mechanisms
These efforts aim to build a robust, professional customs valuation workforce that can contribute to regional economic development while serving as a potential model for other developing nations.
The program also highlighted customs valuation's critical role in combating price misdeclaration and tariff evasion, thereby protecting national economic security. The Botswana workshop represents a significant milestone in Southern Africa's customs capacity building, with continued WCO-JICA support promising further advancements in regional customs valuation practices.