Burkina Faso Customs mobilized to strengthen their internal control function

29 October 2021

One of the ten key factors of the Revised Arusha Declaration, "Audit and Investigation", is one of the priorities for an effective national Customs integrity programme. With this in mind, the WCO Anti-Corruption & Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme is supporting the Customs of Burkina Faso in their efforts to fight corruption.

From 18 to 28 October, over fifty Customs officials from Burkina Faso attended a workshop led in cooperation with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to strengthen their internal control function.

The activity allowed participants to identify and get familiar with the needed tools to efficiently exploit the results of the controls included in their annual work plan. CBSA expert facilitator particularly provided guidance towards strategic and tactical decision making with respect to integrity risks, to better get familiar with good practices based on concrete administrative and criminal cases.

The results of the Customs Integrity Perception Survey (CIPS) conducted in Burkina Faso early 2021 were also discussed. It was decided that their detailed analysis and recommendations would soon be integrated into the action plan dedicated to internal control.

In his opening remarks the Director General of Burkina Faso Customs emphasized the strategic importance of a sustained and professional commitment of the internal control teams within the organization in order to promote integrity. He also encouraged participants to foster collective action on internal affairs and to develop and consolidate investigative skills through the A-CIP Programme.

The WCO A-CIP Programme currently supports more than 20 countries in the five WCO regions, with funding from Norad and Canada. For more information, please, contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.