In the framework of the WCO-SACU Connect Project financed by Sweden, 17 regional experts (including 8 women) from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland convened from 13 to 15 November 2017 in Swaziland to develop a regional stakeholder engagement strategy for the SACU regional preferred trader programme (PTP) with the support of the WCO Secretariat.

Throughout this working session, the regional experts were able to identify key issues impacting the implementation of the regional PTP as well as define focused objectives for the stakeholder engagement strategy. The strategy has prioritized the needs to engage other governmental agencies on the application of PTP benefits, to sensitize officers working at the borders on the PTP and to enhance marketing efforts of the regional PTP at national and regional levels. The developed strategy has been aligned with the SACU Agreement Vision, Mission and Objectives and also includes a monitoring and evaluation plan.

The strategy is expected to be implemented from January 2018 to December 2020 and it is hoped that its operationalization will facilitate the roll-out and growth of the regional PTP during that period.

For more information about this activity in particular and the WCO-SACU Connect project in general, please contact the WCO-SACU Connect Project Regional Project Manager, Mr. Dalton Nxumalo (dalton.nxumalo@wcoomd.org).