Thirteen compliant companies across East Africa were awarded Regional Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certificates jointly by Partner States Commissioners of Customs and Director Customs, EAC at a ceremony held at Serena Kampala, Uganda on 24th July 2015.
The Commissioner Customs, URA Mr. Dickson Kateshumbwa who represented the URA Commissioner General was the chief guest during the award ceremony. The Chief Guest observed that with the award of Regional AEO certificate, the project had now come of age and indeed puts EAC on the global map of being the first region to implement a regional AEO programme. The Director Customs, Mr. Kenneth Bagamuhunda congratulated the thirteen companies and remarked that the AEO programme will go a long way in supporting the SCT implementation and eventually spur the growth of intra and extra trade. The SCT Coordinators recited each company profile before all the commissioners and Director Customs awarded the Regional AEO certificate to each of the awardees.
The companies were selected after meeting the set admissibility as set out in the AEO selection criteria. The awarded companies participated in the project pilot phase of the project but have continued to demonstrate and maintain high compliance to the set standards. The companies, from different sectors have continued to move consignments under the AEO scheme and in return have been offered benefits that are now currently under review to ensure they are not only tangible but are attractive enough to draw interest from other traders.
The awarded companies stated that indeed the programme had substantially improved their individual company efficiency, relationship with customs and profitability performance as they have noted improved clearance time and reduced cost of doing business. The appreciated the gesture by EAC to recognize and award them the Regional AEO certificated and requested that the benefits be enhanced to allow them not only to achieve more but also contribute towards more employment, more revenue contribution and ultimately contribute towards improvement of East African citizen living standards.