WCO delivers its first ever virtual Mercator Stocktaking mission

31 July 2020

The WCO delivered its first ever virtual Mercator Stocktaking and forward planning mission for the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) on the 13 to 22 of July 2020. The mission aimed to follow up on the latest progress since the August 2018 Mercator Implementation Plan for Zambia, and identify current needs for forward support under the Mercator Programme. Led by two Mercator Programme Advisors (MPA) from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the mission was conducted under the framework of the extended HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD programme funded by the United Kingdom (UK) via HMRC.

The mission included meetings with various units within the ZRA including Operations, Compliance and Human Resources as well as with other governmental agencies, private sector stakeholders and representatives from the National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF). Following extensive consultations and dedicated forward planning sessions with different units, the mission recognized the significant achievements made by ZRA since 2018 as well as gaps and priority areas for development going forward. The outcomes of the mission will be concluded in an updated multiyear Mercator Implementation Plan for Zambia.

The WCO looks forward to continue its collaboration with the ZRA, starting with its first remote activity in the upcoming weeks providing technical assistance for streamlining of Air Cargo based on the WCO’s Immediate Release Guidelines. This is especially timely in the Covid-19 context while also directly contributing to the implementation of Article 7.8 of the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement on ‘Expedited Shipments’.

For more information contact capacitybuilding@wcoomd.org .