South Africas SARS Boosts Female Leadership in Organizational Overhaul

South Africas SARS Boosts Female Leadership in Organizational Overhaul

The World Customs Organization (WCO) held an all-women leadership workshop in South Africa for the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The workshop aimed to enhance the leadership skills of female managers and promote institutional reform. Focusing on the challenges faced by SARS, the workshop covered topics such as strategic management and personnel management. Participants actively engaged and benefited greatly. Funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the event reflects the importance placed on women's leadership development and customs modernization. This initiative contributes to building a more inclusive and effective customs administration.

01/07/2026 Customs Knowledge
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Gambia Revenue Authority Leads HR Modernization in West Africa

Gambia Revenue Authority Leads HR Modernization in West Africa

The World Customs Organization (WCO), through the West Africa Customs Administration Modernization (WACAM) project, is supporting the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) in implementing a competency-based human resource management model. A WCO expert team reviewed GRA's HR management tools and provided recommendations for improvement and an implementation plan. GRA is expected to become a benchmark in human resource management in the West and Central African region, offering valuable lessons for other countries. This initiative aims to enhance efficiency and effectiveness within the GRA through strategic human resource development.

01/07/2026 Customs Knowledge
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Cocoa Giants Pledge to End Deforestation in West Africa

Cocoa Giants Pledge to End Deforestation in West Africa

Twelve global cocoa giants are collaborating with the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) to eliminate deforestation in the cocoa supply chain. Initially focusing on Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, the project aims to build a sustainable cocoa production ecosystem by improving farmer livelihoods, addressing climate change, eliminating child labor, and preventing diseases. Working with the African Development Bank and governments, the initiative promotes crop diversification to achieve unified environmental, economic, and social benefits. This collaborative effort seeks to ensure a more responsible and resilient future for the cocoa industry and the forests it impacts.

01/19/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Ivory Coast Launches Transparent Customs System to Boost Trade

Ivory Coast Launches Transparent Customs System to Boost Trade

With support from the EU-WCO and the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation, Côte d'Ivoire is actively developing a national Advance Ruling System. This initiative aims to enhance trade transparency and predictability, reduce trade disputes, attract foreign investment, and improve customs efficiency. The system is expected to revitalize Côte d'Ivoire's trade development and serve as a model for other African nations. It will provide traders with binding rulings on tariff classification, origin, and other customs-related matters before import or export, fostering a more predictable and reliable trading environment.

01/22/2026 Customs Knowledge
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West Africa Enhances Customs Risk Management During Pandemic

West Africa Enhances Customs Risk Management During Pandemic

Supported by the WCO/JICA joint project, West African Customs administrations continued to enhance their risk management and intelligence analysis capabilities during the pandemic through online training. The MTP project, involving six countries including Benin, aims to cultivate a team of experts proficient in these skills and has made significant progress. By adopting innovative training methods, the project overcame the challenges posed by the pandemic and injected new momentum into customs capacity building in West Africa. The online format allowed for continued learning and development despite travel restrictions and social distancing measures.

01/22/2026 Customs Knowledge
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Lesotho South Africa Enhance Trade to Advance Afcfta

Lesotho South Africa Enhance Trade to Advance Afcfta

Lesotho and South Africa, with the support of the World Customs Organization, jointly released a Time Release Study report to optimize border management and enhance cross-border trade efficiency. Focusing on the Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg Bridge border posts, the study aims to reduce non-tariff trade barriers through coordinated border management and the implementation of one-stop service. This initiative supports the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area and promotes regional economic prosperity by streamlining processes and improving the flow of goods between the two countries.

01/26/2026 Customs Knowledge
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Lesotho South Africa Study Customs Efficiency to Boost Trade

Lesotho South Africa Study Customs Efficiency to Boost Trade

Lesotho and South Africa jointly released an end-to-end clearance time study report, aiming to optimize border management and improve cross-border trade efficiency. The study focuses on the Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg Bridge border posts, highlighting the importance of trade facilitation in unlocking the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Both countries are committed to implementing the report's recommendations, strengthening economic ties, and promoting regional economic development. The study underscores the critical role of efficient border procedures in fostering trade and growth within the region.

01/30/2026 Customs Knowledge
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New Guide Simplifies Freight Logistics and Customs Clearance

New Guide Simplifies Freight Logistics and Customs Clearance

This article provides a practical guide for freight forwarding newcomers, covering learning methods, customs clearance practices, special situation handling, bill of lading interpretation, and volumetric weight conversion. It helps newcomers quickly get started with freight forwarding by learning during lunch breaks, differentiating between tax refunds and buying out, understanding Iran business considerations, interpreting HBL and OBL, and mastering volumetric weight conversion for air and sea freight. This guide offers essential tips and knowledge to accelerate the learning curve and improve efficiency in daily freight forwarding tasks.

08/22/2025 Logistics Encyclopedia
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Amazon FBA Sellers Gain Edge With Streamlined Shipping Customs Tips

Amazon FBA Sellers Gain Edge With Streamlined Shipping Customs Tips

This article provides a detailed analysis of the complete Amazon FBA shipping and customs clearance process. It offers a practical guide covering stages from booking, warehousing, and shipping to customs documentation preparation, declaration, tax payment, inspection, and release. The aim is to help sellers clarify their approach, choose suitable freight forwarders, and ensure efficient and safe delivery of goods to Amazon FBA warehouses, ultimately gaining a competitive edge in the market. It emphasizes understanding the intricacies involved for a smoother and more profitable cross-border trading experience.

11/03/2025 Logistics Encyclopedia
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Crossborder Ecommerce Streamlines Logistics to Boost Satisfaction

Crossborder Ecommerce Streamlines Logistics to Boost Satisfaction

Frequent complaints arise in cross-border e-commerce logistics, with customs clearance delays and last-mile delivery being primary culprits. Optimizing the entire cross-border logistics chain is crucial. This includes domestic 'three inspections' standards, intelligent sorting, international air and sea freight options, RCEP customs clearance channels, destination country pre-clearance, EIN tax number requirements, variations in last-mile delivery efficiency, overseas warehouse models, and a full-link visualization system. Addressing these factors can significantly improve the overall customer experience and efficiency in cross-border e-commerce.

11/03/2025 Logistics
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