In the continuation of the support the WCO has been providing to the East African Community (EAC) Region through the WCO EAC CREATe Project, financed by the government of Sweden, the WCO successfully conducted a one week workshop at Dar es Salaam Tanzania from 24th - 28th October 2016, to review the key EAC Regional AEO program documents. The review was conducted by the National Project Managers, Single Customs territory experts and regional legal experts from the 5 EAC Partner States as well as the EAC Secretariat, and with the support of a WCO AEO expert.
The review was carried out to realign the regional AEO program Manual and Standard Operating Procedures, including benefits and criteria, with the SAFE Framework of Standards (FoS), EAC legal provisions and the Single Customs Territory Procedures. The objective of this mission is to ensure that the EAC regional AEO program meets the standards of best practice standards and that there are no contradictions with the EAC regional and national laws. This enhances the Region’s capacity to negotiate and enter Mutual Recognition Arrangements with other trading partners/blocs in the future. The review also helped to enrich the EAC program with the introduction of explanatory notes to the Self-Assessment Form.
As part of the project’s sensitization efforts, participants to the workshop were advised to go back to their respective administrations and ensure that the Customs staff and other relevant stakeholders are made aware of the revised areas of the program in order to guarantee effective implementation.
For more information about this activity or the project, please contact the WCO-Sweden Program Director, Mr. Richard Chopra (Richard.chopra[@]wcoomd.org)