WCO successfully facilitated a four-day working meeting at the National Academy for Customs Sciences and Technology in Khartoum (Sudan) from 7 to 10 March 2016. The working meeting was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), in the framework of the HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD Capacity Building Programme supporting the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) with the generous financial support of Her Majesty’s Government.

The objective of this WCO-lead event was to develop a competency-based Customs training strategy for the National Academy of Customs Sciences and Technology, which will allow for the effective integration of TFA-related training for Customs officers and other public and private sector stakeholders, including members of Sudan’s National Committee on Trade Facilitation. The training is a part of a long-term collaboration with Sudan Customs that was initiated in December 2015 as part of the HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD Capacity Building Programme.

During the four-day meeting, 18 participants had the opportunity to study best practices in Customs training in United Kingdom and Mauritius, while building a Sudan-specific training strategy by applying elements of the WCO’s Framework of Principles and Practices on Customs Professionalism. The participants also had the opportunity to reflect upon Customs professionalism and the operational, professional and managerial competences of a modern Customs administration, while discussing key components of their future Training Strategy with a special focus on how to integrate the requirements of the TFA.

The training concluded with a draft four-year Training Strategy (2016-2020) for the National Academy of Customs Sciences and Technology in Sudan. An important aspect of this new strategy is the commitment to introduce different training methodologies including the WCO e-learning platform to continuously ensure proficiency and raise awareness on trade facilitation within the organization.

In parallel with the training, and as part of the Programme, the WCO in partnership with UNCTAD organized the first module of its Empowerment Program for National Trade Facilitation Committees in Khartoum. The second module of this Programme, ‘Measuring and Implementing Trade Facilitation’ will take place end of May. For information about WCO implementing the WTO TFA please consult (link), or more information about the Progamme contact Nathan Taylor, Programme Manager, Nathan.Taylor@wcoomd.org.