The third WCO Top Management Dialogue was held from 4 to 6 June 2013 in Lusaka, Zambia. The Dialogue aims to bring together the senior executives from Customs administrations to consider and discuss the key strategic issues that impact on their operating environment and ways to respond to these issues.

The Dialogue brought together the top Customs executives from Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique and Rwanda. The event was facilitated by Mr. Erich Kieck (Capacity Building Director) and Mr. Daniel Perrier (LMD Programme Manager, WCO). The keynote address titled "The future of Africa: The Role of Public Institutions" was given by Dr. Bwalya Ngandu (Deputy Governor, Bank of Zambia) and Mr Berlin Msiska, Commissioner General of the Zambia Revenue Authority welcomed participants to the Dialogue.

Discussions focused on Strategic leadership; Securing political will for reforms, including the use of the WCO Orientation Package; Change management in Customs; Leadership and management development; and Compliance management. Provision was also made for an interactive sharing of national experiences on these topics, including the sharing of experiences on women leadership by Mrs. Agnes Katsonga Phiri (Commissioner of Customs and Excise of Malawi) and Mr. Dingani Banda (Customs Commissioner Zambia) on the integrity programme of his administration.

Top Management Dialogues are just one component of a comprehensive capacity building programme designed by the WCO and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, called "Trade Capacity through Customs Modernization in the East and Southern Africa Region".