On 12 August 2024, the World Customs Organization (WCO) informed that under the framework of the European Union (EU) – WCO ROO Africa Programme, in partnership with the Regional Training Centre (RTC) Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), held a national training workshop on ROO for Zimbabwe Customs. The workshop was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 05 to 09 August 2024, with the objective of assisting Zimbabwe to enhance its knowledge and application of preferential ROO. The training is part of a work plan established with the RTC for competency development with a vision to equip the centre and the administration with dedicated experts to support the region, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and the continent.
In his opening remarks, the ZIMRA Commissioner-General expressed his appreciation to the EU and the WCO for their continued support and stressed that correct understanding and application of ROO would help protect African trade while enhancing the exports of Zimbabwean and African products. Enhanced knowledge would assist Customs in relation to facilitation, regulation and control.
During the workshop, participants worked on key concepts for proper origin determination, related operational and procedural issues, including origin certification and origin irregularities, as well as the establishment of efficient origin management. In addition, participants discussed specific areas of concern, including the low level of knowledge and use of the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and challenges linked to verification of origin, including through administrative cooperation. They also discussed recommendations for better management and implementation of ROO nationally and internationally.
Participants engaged actively and greatly appreciated the opportunity given by the workshop to exchange knowledge and experiences. They stressed that this training would contribute to trade facilitation as well as fair and efficient revenue collection.
The EU-WCO ROO Africa Programme will continue its work with the RTC and ZIMRA to equip Customs officials and relevant stakeholders with extended knowledge for efficient implementation and application of ROO. The next steps will cover advanced training followed by a Training of Trainers on ROO.
