Under the auspices of the WCO-EAC CREATe project, funded by Sweden, a capacity building workshop on “Successful Stakeholder Consultations” was conducted  from 10 to 13 July 2017 in Bujumbura, Burundi.

The WCO partnered with  the World Bank Group to co-facilitate this workshop in an effort to foster  cooperation of the WTO Annex D agencies in order to ensure  coordinated support to Burundi’s efforts to implement the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (WTO TFA).

The workshop benefitted thirty-four senior and middle managers of the Burundi Revenue Authority (Office Burundais des Recettes - OBR). The participants were introduced to modern stakeholder engagement techniques relating, in particular, to preparing and carrying out successful stakeholder consultations using key tools such as a stakeholder matrix and a stakeholder engagement plan. This workshop enabled OBR to prepare for the launch of their national AEO working group as well as initiate the efforts to establish a consultative committee at the Port of Bujumbura, hence supporting Burundi in its endeavour to implement Articles 2.2 (consultations) and 7.7 (including Authorized operators programme) of the  WTO TFA.

During the workshop the Commissioner-Customs, speaking in the presence of the press, highlighted the importance of the WCO support for the development of his Administration, in particular through the WCO-EAC CREATe project, and urged participants to ensure the success of OBR’s AEO programme and wider consultative efforts.

For more information about this activity and about the WCO-EAC CREATe project in general, please contact WCO-Sweden Programme Director Richard Chopra (richard.chopra@wcoomd.org).