In preparation for its 2025 upgrade of ERS’ ASYCUDA World Risk Management Module, the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) welcomed World Customs Organization (WCO) risk management experts to help strengthen its Risk Management processes for enhanced compliance management and boost hit rates for Customs control activities. As part of a blended capacity-building approach, an in-country workshop took place from 22 to 27 September 2024 at the ERS headquarters in Mbabane, Eswatini. The support is part of the multi-year strategic partnership under the WCO’s Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, financially supported by the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), for the effective implementation of the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement.

The workshop was a follow-up activity building on a 2022 benchmarking visit of ERS to the Uganda Revenue Authority. The discussions focused on addressing existing gaps in risk management practices and providing participants with a better understanding of the WCO’s Risk Management Intelligence programme, including using data analytics for risk assessment, profiling, and targeting. The workshop brought together a cross-section of participants, including Customs officers from the Post Clearance Audit Unit, Frontline Operations, Intelligence, Enforcement, and the Internal Revenue Department, to explore further enhancing risk management practices and tools in ERS.

At the opening ceremony, the Commissioner General of ERS, Mr. Brightwell Nkambule, underscored the importance of Risk Management in enhancing optimal revenue assurance, protecting society, and facilitating seamless trade for the clearance of legitimate goods. He expressed his gratitude to the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme and reaffirmed ERS’ commitment to embracing advanced risk management methodologies in line with international best practices.

During the week, facilitated by WCO Risk Management experts from the South African Revenue Service and the Nigeria Customs Service, the ERS Risk Management team presented their current risk management framework, processes, and challenges. This resulted in open dialogues on the challenges of information exchange with the Risk Management Unit and other ERS units. The WCO team also highlighted the importance of modern data analytics techniques, and the participants engaged in practical demonstrations of data analysis and explored the use of interactive dashboards for WCO Customs Enforcement Network (CEN) trend and pattern analysis for compliance management and Customs targeting. The mission's outcomes include pragmatic recommendations for improvement, while further outcomes will also flow from follow-up virtual sessions to enhance ERS’ Risk Management tools.

The WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme looks forward to continuing its partnership with ERS for sustainable Customs and border reforms.

See here for more information on the ‘Accelerate Trade Facilitation’ Programme.

For more information on WCO capacity building, please contact  Capacity.Building@wcoomd.org.