Combating Corruption and Advancing Integrity in Ethiopia - A Productive Collective Action Event with the Ethiopian Customs Commission and Key Partners

21 January 2025

On 15 and 16 January 2025, the Ethiopian Customs Commission (ECC) came together with relevant key partners, over 35 delegates, for a Collective Action Event facilitated by the WCO Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme. This platform aimed at having conversations on how the partners can strengthen their joint actions to fight corruption and promote integrity in Ethiopia and built on WCO Members’ recognition of the importance of collective action.

The ECC Deputy Commissioner of Compliance emphasized that: “the Ethiopian Customs Commission has made integrity promotion a cornerstone of its operations by implementing a number of initiatives, and each step forward has provided invaluable lessons: the importance of inclusive policies, the role of technology in promoting transparency, and the need for sustained collaboration among all stakeholders.”

The Senior Collective Action Specialist from the Basel Institute on Governance, as the keynote speaker and resource person throughout the two days, concluded with the following: “It has been encouraging to see the openness and active engagement of both the private and public sectors in the discussions over the past two days, laying the groundwork for the development of effective Collective Action initiatives in the Customs sector in Ethiopia.”

The Board Chair of Transparency International Ethiopia and speakers of the Federal Ethiopian Anti-Corruption Commission (FEACC) also gave an overview of their work in the country and identified areas for improvement. Working with various agencies, they noted the need for increased cooperation and stronger anti-corruption laws. Lastly, they acknowledged the benefits of such an event and encouraged the partners to sustain their work and cooperation in promoting integrity.

Collective Action offers great potential to improve integrity for Customs and all actors striving for a healthy business environment and economic growth.

This event, facilitated by WCO experts from the Iceland Revenue and Customs Authority, Eswatini Revenue Service and the WCO A-CIP Programme, served as a conduit for strengthened and ongoing collaboration in anti-corruption and promoting integrity in Ethiopia.

The WCO A-CIP Programme, funded by Norway, is a comprehensive initiative that provides technical assistance and capacity-building support to WCO Member administrations implementing integrity-related initiatives in line with the WCO Revised Arusha Declaration. The Programme aims to enhance the integrity and transparency of Customs operations and promote anti-corruption efforts. For more information, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org