On 14 August 2025, the World Customs Organization (WCO) advised that under the framework of the European Union (EU)-WCO Rules of Origin (RoO) Africa Programme, funded by the EU, the WCO, in partnership with Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), had held a training of trainers workshop on RoO for Zimbabwe Customs. The workshop was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 04 to 08 August 2025, with the objective of assisting Zimbabwe Customs in enhancing its knowledge and application of preferential RoO and contributing to the seamless implementation of the AfCFTA and other relevant FTAs.
This workshop forms part of a comprehensive technical assistance and capacity-building partnership with ZIMRA in its capacity as a WCO Regional Training Centre. The support provided under the RoO Africa Programme allows for the deployment of wide-ranging capacity-building activities to enhance the infrastructure and capacity in relation to RoO.
The workshop provided participants with an opportunity to refine their knowledge of RoO, offering them a unique chance to demonstrate their understanding of origin-related topics through group and individual presentations. These presentations incorporated facilitation and communication skills acquired from WCO experts.
At the conclusion of the workshop, the WCO experts offered constructive feedback to participants, highlighting areas for improvement and praising their success in applying newly acquired skills to develop training materials and deliver a training session.
On the margins of the workshop, the experts met with the Commissioner General (CG) of ZIMRA and other management representatives to discuss the impact of the comprehensive technical assistance received, as well as further needs and the way forward. The CG thanked the WCO for the assistance and indicated that some of the expected gains were improvement in revenue mobilisation and enhanced trust in the administration. The new trainers will have opportunities to train at the RTC and deliver training for stakeholders, enhancing private sector compliance.
The EU-WCO RoO Africa Programme will continue its work with ZIMRA to equip Customs officials and relevant stakeholders with extended knowledge for efficient implementation and application of RoO.