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Customs experts gather in Victoria Falls
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CUSTOMS experts from East and Southern Africa are gathered in Victoria Falls for a strategic meeting that seeks to discuss a variety of issues including coming up with a draft strategy, and excise management guidelines as well as enhancing integrity and green customs in the region.
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is hosting the meeting on behalf of Zimbabwe.
The meeting is being coordinated by the World Customs Organisation East and Southern Africa (WCO ESA), a global body that focuses on expertise in customs, trade facilitation, revenue mobilisation, protection of society and development of human capital for the customs authorities of East and Southern Africa.
The organisation has 24 members from East and Southern Africa including Zimbabwe, with Mauritius the current chair.
The meeting will end Friday and is being attended by customs leaders Commissioners General, Commissioners and directors from the 24 countries.
Zimra is represented by Mr Batsirayi Denford Chadzingwa, Commissioner for Customs and Excise.
He said the meeting is important after a decision was made last year to say it is high time Zimbabwe hosted a meeting of this magnitude and the country be associated with the strategic document that will come out of this gathering and run until 2028.
"We are also going to discuss excise management aspects, which is important for Africa as a region, bearing in mind that we are moving into the ACFTA which has the effect of taking away the customs duty which are originating within member states.
"As Zimra we are a revenue collecting department for the Government we now need to strengthen our knowledge and management of excise because it's a key driver to our revenue collection," he said.
Director of WCO ESA, Mr Larry Liza from Kenya said every African member country in East and Southern Africa is technically a member of WCO.
"This particular meeting is a regional strategic group for senior officials from the customs authority, the WCO for capacity building to discuss topical issues related to customs. Specifically at this time, we are focusing on the decisions of our governing council, the status of the implementation of these decisions focusing on key matters being the African Continental Free Trade Area, position of the region and status of the implementation," he said.
Mr Dinathsingh Mungla who is the Section Head, of the Customs Department in Mauritius is the current chair.
He paid tribute to the Government of Zimbabwe and Zimra for hosting the event.
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is hosting the meeting on behalf of Zimbabwe.
The meeting is being coordinated by the World Customs Organisation East and Southern Africa (WCO ESA), a global body that focuses on expertise in customs, trade facilitation, revenue mobilisation, protection of society and development of human capital for the customs authorities of East and Southern Africa.
The organisation has 24 members from East and Southern Africa including Zimbabwe, with Mauritius the current chair.
The meeting will end Friday and is being attended by customs leaders Commissioners General, Commissioners and directors from the 24 countries.
Zimra is represented by Mr Batsirayi Denford Chadzingwa, Commissioner for Customs and Excise.
He said the meeting is important after a decision was made last year to say it is high time Zimbabwe hosted a meeting of this magnitude and the country be associated with the strategic document that will come out of this gathering and run until 2028.
"We are also going to discuss excise management aspects, which is important for Africa as a region, bearing in mind that we are moving into the ACFTA which has the effect of taking away the customs duty which are originating within member states.
"As Zimra we are a revenue collecting department for the Government we now need to strengthen our knowledge and management of excise because it's a key driver to our revenue collection," he said.
Director of WCO ESA, Mr Larry Liza from Kenya said every African member country in East and Southern Africa is technically a member of WCO.
"This particular meeting is a regional strategic group for senior officials from the customs authority, the WCO for capacity building to discuss topical issues related to customs. Specifically at this time, we are focusing on the decisions of our governing council, the status of the implementation of these decisions focusing on key matters being the African Continental Free Trade Area, position of the region and status of the implementation," he said.
Mr Dinathsingh Mungla who is the Section Head, of the Customs Department in Mauritius is the current chair.
He paid tribute to the Government of Zimbabwe and Zimra for hosting the event.
Source - The Chronicle
