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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

INTEGRITY, corruption-free customs and excise activities as well as embracing climate action towards a green customs sector have been identified as key to regional integration in Africa and the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

This was revealed during the World Customs Organisation East and Southern Africa (WCO ESA) meeting hosted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) in Victoria Falls.

The meeting aims to craft a WCO regional strategy for 2025-2028. The meeting is being coordinated by 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 as the current chair.
The meeting, which ends tomorrow, is being attended by customs leaders Commissioners General, Commissioners and directors of revenue collection utilities from the 24 countries.

Mr Batsirayi Denford Chadzigwa

In an interview on the side-lines of the 40th regional steering group meeting for the WCO, yesterday, WCO ESA director, Mr Larry Liza, said the meeting is a platform that brings immense benefits such as the development of policies and agreements that facilitate trade, share experiences and expertise in terms of enhancing trade and regional integration towards an integrated Africa.

“This particular meeting is a regional strategic group for senior officials from customs authorities and 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 Liza said every African member country in East and Southern Africa is technically a member of WCO.
Zimra is represented by its Commissioner for Customs and Excise, Mr Batsirayi Denford Chadzingwa.

He said the meeting will cement Zimbabwe’s role in the region as the country heads the regional intelligence liaison office.

“As Zimra, we are a member of the WCO ESA region. We made a decision last year to say it’s high time Zimbabwe hosts a meeting of this magnitude and we will be associated with the strategic document that will come out of this,” he said.

“There are a lot of emerging issues that are for discussion like green customs. We want to be linked to climate action issues, and the green economy. 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 an effect of taking away the customs duty which are originating within member states.”

Mr Dinathsingh Mungla

Mr Chadzingwa said as a revenue collection utility, Zimra needs to strengthen its knowledge and management of excise which are a driver of revenue collection.

“We are also going to look at integrity issues like the declaration done in Tanzania where it was recognised that as customs we are exposed to issues of integrity. So, we are grateful that we have a resource person from WCO who is an expert on integrity issues to give ‘dos and don’ts’ because as customs Zimbabwe we are not spared,” he said.

“In this regard, I would then say please don’t bribe our officers. You are better off paying your duties and being safe for audit, as to be corrupt can be very expensive. We will be discussing the WCO draft strategy, excise management as an emerging issue that we should manage as Africa, integrity, and green customs.”

The chair, Mr Dinathsingh Mungla, Mauritius’ section head for the customs department said: “We are grateful to the Government of Zimbabwe for hosting this meeting.

We are working on a new strategy and we are giving much importance to green customs as we are working on the Africa trade observatory and going towards the integrity campaign. We are also putting much emphasis on collection of duties and taxes, which is a major source of revenue.”

Mr Mungla said integrity is one of the major challenges for member states hence the need to ensure proper procedures and basic principles of good governance are followed.