On 16 May 2024, the World Customs Organization (WCO) advised that its Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, funded by the United Kingdom (UK) His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), in partnership with the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) Secretariat and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) had hosted a Workshop to support SACU Members to increase a harmonised approach towards implementing the SACU AEO Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). The Workshop followed a blended approach, with virtual sessions taking place from 02 to 12 April 2024 and a Workshop hosted by SARS in Johannesburg, from 15 to 19 April 2024.
The SACU Secretariat’s Deputy Director of Trade Facilitation underlined the SACU strategic priorities as approved by the SACU Council of Ministers, underscoring the region’s commitment to enhancing trade facilitation, investment promotion and regional integration through the AEO Programme. In this context, the Workshop focused on joint efforts to increase the uptake of the AEO Programme in the SACU member states as part of the SACU AEO MRA adopted in May 2023. This endeavour seeks to ensure a harmonised approach and clear benefits for traders with AEO status across respective SACU member countries, while expanding the AEO Programme to economic operators beyond importers and exporters.
WCO experts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the East African Community (EAC) and the European Union (EU) shared their experiences in designing and implementing their respective regional AEO Programmes and MRAs, thus contributing to the SACU deliberations on further developing its operational instruments. The Head of the WCO’s Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme highlighted the importance of leveraging the benefits of the Customs-to-Customs partnership to share expertise, experience, and best practices to ensure traders can fully benefit from the potential that the SACU MRA offers.
The Workshop cemented the AEO concept’s importance in boosting economies and regional integration through various tools and instruments.
In addition, the participants were given tools on performance management by the WCO to identify potential Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
The WCO indicated that it was looking forward to continuing its strategic multi-year partnership with its partner countries in the region - South Africa, Namibia, Eswatini and Lesotho under the framework of the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme and appreciated the collaborative efforts, support and participation of the SARS and SACU Secretariat in this regional partnership.