The World Customs Organization (WCO) held a national awareness-raising workshop of the Rules of Origin of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for the Cameroon Customs Administration and the private sector from 21-23 January 2025 at the National Customs Training Center in Yaoundé. This workshop, a result of the collaborative efforts of the WCO/JICA Joint Project and Cameroon Customs, is part of a series of national workshops planned to support African Customs Administrations to enhance the competencies of Customs officers on the preferential Rules of Origin of the AfCFTA, as well as improve the private sector’s understanding of the AfCFTA Rules of Origin and the use of its preferential system.
The AfCFTA is the first-ever continent-wide Free Trade Agreement, with the main objective of boosting intra-African trade. It aims to create a single market for goods and services across Africa. Rules of origin are crucial in determining which products qualify for preferential tariff treatment under the AfCFTA. The correct application of Rules of Origin ensures that only eligible products benefit from preferential scheme, thereby preventing trade diversion and revenue loss.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. Patrick Yves Tchami, Head of the Legislation and Litigation Division of Cameroon Customs and representative of the Directeur General of Cameroon Customs, and Mr. Tadashi Kageyama, Resident Representative of the JICA Cameroon Office, highlighted the importance of the sensitization event to effectively support the implementation of the AfCFTA.
Forty-nine Customs officials and members of the private sector participated in this three-day workshop, which was facilitated by the WCO Secretariat and five Master Trainers on Rules of Origin from Cameroon, Senegal, Benin, and Togo. During the workshop, several fundamental aspects of the AfCFTA Rules of Origin were intensively discussed, including product-specific rules, advance rulings, cumulation, and certification. Additionally, practical case studies and hands-on exercises were conducted to enhance the participants’ understanding and correct application of the AfCFTA Rules of Origin. Thanks to the workshop’s rich content and the participants’ active engagement, they were well-informed about the AfCFTA Rules of Origin by the end of the workshop, feeling confident in their understanding and application of the rules.
The event was a tangible step towards realizing the benefits of the AfCFTA. It was also crucial for the implementation of the WCO's capacity building strategy, leveraging its pool of experts from the beneficiary region.
For more information, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.