The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) blueprint is gradually becoming reality, but eliminating trade barriers and achieving regional economic integration requires crucial contributions from customs authorities. On November 23, 2024, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), participated virtually in the 3rd ESA Regional Research Conference at the invitation of the East and Southern Africa Regional Office for Capacity Building (ESA ROCB).
The conference, jointly organized by ESA ROCB and the Mauritius Regional Training Center (RTC), focused on emerging issues affecting customs and trade. Dr. Mikuriya's participation injected new momentum into the future development of African customs administrations.
WCO's Strategic Vision for African Customs Development
In his opening remarks, Secretary General Mikuriya emphasized WCO's expectations for customs to play a more significant role in trade and taxation. This vision stems from WCO's environmental scanning conducted earlier this year, which revealed customs administrations' aspiration to become trusted government advisors on trade and taxation through evidence-based information collected by customs.
Dr. Mikuriya highlighted that post-pandemic recovery is closely tied to advancing customs digitalization to strengthen supply chains. Digital transformation encompasses not only increased automation and interoperability but also data analytics, including data collection, security, and utilization.
The Secretary General urged customs administrations to explore data's potential in customs research and invest in human resource capacity development to extract value from collected data. He stressed that customs should treat data as strategic assets, using effective analytics to better understand trade flows, identify risks, and optimize processes.
Dr. Mikuriya also advocated for stronger collaboration between WCO, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and other regional economic communities to advance Africa's single market. Such cooperation would facilitate information sharing, policy coordination, and procedural harmonization to reduce trade costs and enhance efficiency.
Key Conference Themes and Discussions
The conference focused on several critical topics:
- Digital Transformation and Customs Modernization: Participants explored how emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and IoT could enhance customs efficiency, border security, and trade facilitation, while addressing implementation challenges.
- Data-Driven Customs Management: Discussions emphasized data's role in decision-making, risk identification, resource optimization, and compliance, alongside considerations for data privacy and security.
- Regional Cooperation and Trade Facilitation: Attendees examined methods to strengthen regional collaboration in harmonizing customs policies and procedures, with emphasis on WCO's coordinating role.
- Emerging Challenges for Customs: The conference analyzed impacts of climate change, e-commerce, and cross-border crime on customs operations, highlighting the need for adaptive, innovative responses.
WCO PICARD Conference Invitation
Dr. Mikuriya introduced the upcoming WCO PICARD Research Conference scheduled for December 9-10, 2021, inviting customs administrations, academia, and private sector representatives to participate in shaping customs' future direction. The PICARD conference serves as a premier international platform for knowledge exchange and professional networking in the customs field.
Participants and Outcomes
The conference featured addresses by Mauritius' Foreign Minister and brought together customs heads from Eswatini, Madagascar, Mauritius, Uganda, and Zambia, alongside private sector representatives. Their diverse perspectives enriched discussions and fostered collaborative opportunities.
Since its launch in 2013, ESA ROCB's Regional Research Program has significantly contributed to institutional capacity building across African customs administrations, accumulating substantial research knowledge while providing valuable training and advisory services.
Expert Analysis and Recommendations
The conference underscored WCO's commitment to African customs development through digital transformation and regional cooperation. Key recommendations include:
- Prioritizing investments in digital infrastructure, technologies, and data management capabilities
- Enhancing regional coordination through active participation in WCO and AfCFTA initiatives
- Developing professionalized customs workforces through targeted training and talent acquisition
- Fostering public-private partnerships to improve service delivery and modernization efforts
- Proactively addressing emerging challenges like climate change and digital trade through adaptive strategies
These measures would enable African customs administrations to better navigate evolving challenges while contributing to continental economic development. WCO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting African customs through technical assistance and capacity building initiatives.