The WCO recently provided technical assistance to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to support the implementation of their national AEO programme. The mission was conducted under the multi-year TFA implementation support to Tanzania by the Trade Facilitation and Customs Modernization Programme for Sustainable Development in sub-Saharan Africa (Sida-WCO TFCM Programme), with funding from the Government of Sweden.

One of TRA's top priorities, in line with its commitments under the TFA, is the implementation of the Authorized Economic Operator Programme (AEO). Currently, the TRA AEO programme boasts of 29 accredited traders at the national level, spanning Clearing and Forwarding Agents, Importers, Bonded Warehouses, and Transporters. To enhance the effectiveness of this programme, TRA sought support from the WCO in several key areas.

The WCO's engagement with TRA unfolded in two phases. Initially, all participants completed two online training courses focused on the SAFE Framework of Standards (FoS) and AEO Programme using CLiKC! platform. Subsequently, a physical workshop on AEO implementation and validation took place in Dar es Salaam from the 16th to the 20th of October 2023.

Over the course of the five-day in-person training, a collaborative exchange of knowledge and best practices occurred among experts and TRA key officers from various domains, including AEO, Risk Management, Post-clearance Audit, Customs Control and Enforcement, Policy and Licensing, and Customs Service Center. Topics included AEO implementation, compliance, and risk management in the AEO context, as well as practical steps such as AEO application, desk review, onsite validation, and monitoring. The workshop yielded valuable lessons learned.

The WCO remains committed to providing the multi-year programme support for the implementation of the AEO programme by the TRA.

For more information on the Sida-WCO TFCM Programme, kindly contact: capacity.building@wcoomd.org