Following an invitation from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), the WCO successfully supported updating the administration’s training and talent management strategies from 26 – 30 September 2016. The core objective of the support was to incorporate modern, competency based training and talent management strategies, taking into account the provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA), and incorporating best practices from the WCO’s Framework of Practices and Principles on Customs Professionalism. This was the third delivery under Zimbabwe’s Mercator Implementation Plan, which defines Zimbabwe’s-specific programme collaboration between the WCO and ZIMRA under the auspices of the tailor-made track of the WCO Mercator Programme. The mission was made possible with the generous financial support of the Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of the United Kingdom as part of the HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD TFA Capacity Building Programme.

The outcomes of this mission will be used to refresh ZIMRA’s training strategy, including stronger linkages between staff development and ZIMRA’s corporate plan, along with a competency-based approach to training and professional development. The new talent management strategy will better leverage ZIMRA’s technical and managerial capacities in support of TFA implementation. The WCO looks forward to continuing its collaboration with ZIMRA with further engagements along the tailor-made track of the Mercator Programme.