Imagine cross-border trade no longer synonymous with cumbersome procedures, but flowing as smoothly as traffic on a highway. Eswatini is steadily progressing toward this vision, injecting new vitality into trade facilitation through Collaborative Border Management (CBM) and data standardization.
Supported by the World Customs Organization's (WCO) Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program funded by UK's HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), Eswatini is significantly strengthening its CBM and data standardization efforts. The initiative brings together 10 border agencies under the leadership of Eswatini's National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) to optimize border procedures, improve information sharing, and gradually realize the country's vision of a "seamless border." This marks a crucial step in developing a fully coordinated border management system.
Building on Previous Successes
The WCO previously supported a Time Release Study (TRS) at the Ngwenya-Oshoek border crossing, leading to a joint CBM action plan with South Africa aiming to reduce border crossing times by 20% by 2026. Building on this foundation, the current WCO-supported CBM project focuses on Eswatini's current and future ("to-be") border processes to identify bottlenecks and enhance efficiency.
WCO experts supported the CBM working group through six weeks of virtual meetings followed by in-person guidance, culminating in the development of an inter-agency Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) framework. This framework serves as a key milestone for CBM implementation and, upon approval by the NTFC, establishes principles and protocols for collaboration among border agencies.
Data Standardization Progress
The working group further utilized the WCO Data Model application to harmonize and standardize documentation and data requirements across Eswatini's border agencies. This resulted in a national data catalog aligned with the WCO Data Model—a critical step toward digitalization and inter-agency interoperability.
These developments directly support "Objective 3" of Eswatini's National Trade Facilitation Plan Roadmap (2024-2026), which aims to implement CBM practices and achieve system interconnectivity among all trade regulatory agencies by 2026.
Cross-Border Collaboration
NTFC members expressed appreciation for the WCO team, including officials from Namibia, Zambia, and Nigeria who shared their experiences under the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program partnership framework, fostering peer-to-peer learning.
The CEO of the Eswatini Business Association and NTFC co-chair highlighted the value of continued collaboration between the Eswatini government, WCO, and HMRC, noting that joint efforts across multiple WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) areas—including CBM, risk management, AEO, and post-clearance audit—have yielded tangible results.
High-level engagement from key government officials and private sector partners underscored the importance of this national effort and ensured broad support for the project's success. Senior stakeholders including the Director of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, the ERS Commissioner General (NTFC co-chair), Chief Immigration Officer, Customs Commissioner, and CEO of the Eswatini Clearing Agents Association reviewed and validated project outcomes, approved the CBM implementation action plan, and reaffirmed their commitment to complete implementation by end-2026.
The WCO looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Eswatini under the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program to promote sustainable development, trade facilitation, and economic growth.