Building on several support activities towards the implementation of the 2022 version of the Harmonized System for Djibouti Customs, the World Customs Organization (WCO) under the auspices of the EU-WCO Programme for Harmonized System in Africa (HS-Africa Programme), funded by the European Union, held a follow up workshop from 25 to 28 November 2024 in Djibouti, Djibouti.
The workshop was led by WCO experts in concerted efforts and focus on completing the transposition process for the 2022 Djibouti national tariff. It was attended by Tariff experts from Djibouti Customs who had participated in the first assistance mission in May 2024 and were involved in the revision and implementation process.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Simon MBIRATHU, Secretary General of the Djibouti Ministry of Budget, expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to the WCO and the European Union for the support provided to his administration in validating the transposition of the national tariff from the 2017 to 2022 version. He emphasized the importance of the HS in international trade and the need to update to latest versions for correct commodity classification. He further stated that the implementation of HS 2022 marked a new stage in optimizing commodity classification by the Djibouti Customs administration in the context of the tax reforms undertaken by the Djibouti authorities, the modernization of the management system and the simplification of procedures.
To start the sessions, the Djibouti Customs presented the methodology adopted in the transposition phase making available a word file of the Djibouti HS 2017 national tariff, based on the French version of the COMESA 2017 Common Nomenclature. During the workshop, participants were divided into two groups, each led by the WCO expert to examine the document and ensure that it was accurately updated with the WCO HS 2022 amendments. Some discrepancies were identified and tackled to ensure an accurate and correct structure. In addition to the hands-on work done during the workshop, the WCO experts requested and emphasized the need for Djibouti Customs to further examine the national subdivisions in detail to avoid any inconsistencies.
As Djibouti moves forward with the completion of the implementation process following the validation work, the Customs administration plans to establish a series of follow-up activities with final implementation and adoption envisaged in February or March 2025, at the latest.
At the end of the workshop, advisor Mr. Abdourahman Aouad IZZI expressed appreciation on the support of the WCO and the European Union for the work so far conducted in Djibouti to assist with the implementation of HS 2022 assuring that internal working meetings would be set up to complete the process.
For further information, please contact wcoHSAfrica@wcoomd.org