The World Customs Organization (WCO) organized a regional workshop for the East and Southern Africa region focused on strengthening the facilitation skills of participants in an effort to create a pool of qualified Leadership and Management Development (LMD) facilitators.

The facilitators workshop was held in Mauritius from 19 to 29 August, and was attended by fourteen experienced trainers from seven Member administrations in the ESA region. The event was the first of its kind and represented the first step in the development process to prepare potential LMD facilitators. The workshop was facilitated by officials from the WCO Secretariat and funded through the Customs Capacity Enhancement in Sub Saharan Africa (CCEA-SSA) Project, financed by the World Bank.

The event was highly appreciated by participants in that it challenged them to learn, experience and demonstrate different methods, instruments and techniques of facilitation skills. Participants were provided feedback by fellow participants and WCO facilitators as a way to improve their own skills. Participants were left with clear insight on the role, attitude and behaviour of an effective LMD facilitator, the process of facilitation and the different techniques a facilitator should master.

As a result of the workshop, participants were encouraged to draft an individual development plan to move forward in strengthening their facilitation skills. Selected participants will be invited to join in the second step of the development process, through which they will become familiar with the contents and methodology of the WCO LMD workshop.

For more information on the LMD Programme, you may inquire at the following address : Capacity.Building@wcoomd.org