Several African countries are
modernising their customs
legislation in line with the revised
Kyoto Convention (RKC) in order
to modernise and facilitate trade.
According to Reginald Moyo,
general manager of training provider
GLMS, the RKC is, however, not the
only global instrument that is driving
trade facilitation and modernisation
agendas on the continent.
“The Bali Agreement, which
includes provisions for lowering
import tariffs and agricultural
subsidies with the intention of
making it easier for developing
countries to trade with the developed
world in global markets, was adopted
in December 2013 and has also made
an impact,” he said. “A key target
of the agreement was specifically
to reform customs bureaucracies
and formalities in order to facilitate
trade.”
GMLS is delivering comprehensive
knowledge solutions in both its
training and consulting portfolios
to various customs administrations
and private sector organisations in
the southern African, East and West
African regions in line with these
global developments, Moyo told
FTW.
“Customs training plays a
crucial role in Africa. Customs
administrations in the African
space will have to ‘adapt or die’
as the implementation or nonimplementation
of these agreements
will directly impact economic
competitiveness and performance in
the long run,” he said.
At any given time the company is
involved in training more than 900
people across the continent. It most
recently delivered risk management
training to the Ghana Revenue
Authority and has also been working
with corporate giant the South
African Breweries.
“Customs has come under the
spotlight in Africa and we are seeing
an increased need for training.
Internationally this is the trend as
the role of customs authorities has
changed significantly – mainly due
to the growth in world trade and
the security concerns that have
arisen,” he explained. “Customs and
excise administrations, being the
controlling authorities over the first
point of entry and the last point of
exit across borders, have traditionally
been responsible for enforcing control
over imported and exported goods,
often on behalf of other government
departments. But the different
approaches by different countries
have seen organisations such as
the World Trade Organisation and
the World Customs Organisation
working towards developing global
standards.”
Moyo said with the advent of
trade facilitation – the industry’s
newest buzzword – there was a
renewed drive towards the efficient
implementation of trade rules and
regulations harmoniously across
regions.
“A lot has been said about how
Africa in general lags ‘behind’ in
comparison to the rest of the world in
many aspects such as political, social
and economic development and
transformation. Likewise a multitude
of divergent and often impassioned
opinions have been expressed as
to what the root causes of Africa’s
challenges are,” he said. “Regardless
of whatever views one holds, the fact
is that Africa is changing for the
better, Africa is growing faster and
stronger than any other economic
region outside of China.”
CAPTION
Mark Goodger at UTi … at any given time GMLS is involved
in training more than 900 people across the continent.
