WCO Capacity Building Programmes join forces with the Tanzania Revenue Authority to advance the effective implementation of the AEO Programme

WCO Anti-Corruption & Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) and Sida WCO Trade Facilitation and Customs Modernization (TFCM) Programmes organized on 18-22 March 2024, a series of workshops in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar & Holili, in the United Republic of Tanzania in cooperation with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). The workshops aimed to raise awareness of the Authorized Economic Operator Programme (AEO) among Other Government Agencies (OGA) to support the TRA in increasing the implementation of the national AEO Programme. The workshops provided detailed information about the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards, the WCO AEO Programme, the TRA national AEO Programme, the benefits that the Programme currently offers, requirements to be part of the initiative, potential new benefits to be included and areas for collective action to combat corruption and promote integrity with the ultimate aim of facilitating trade.

WCO Experts and the TRA AEO Unit engaged with representatives of Customs and OGAs working at the border to discuss possible enhancements to the AEO Programme with the aim to achieve more significant benefits for operators and effectively implement the AEO. Discussions contributed to the TRA-specific priority under the A-CIP Programme: "Implementation of Customs regulatory framework harmonized with international standards". In particular, this outcome relates to the implementation of article 7.7 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and the EAC regional AEO Programme. Under the Sida WCO TFCM Programme, these workshops aimed to advance the technical capacity of TRA officers to implement the AEO Programme.

The workshops complemented previous missions in March 2023, where activities focused on raising awareness among importers and exporters on the benefits of joining the Tanzanian AEO Programme.

The WCO A-CIP Programme currently supports over 20 WCO Member administrations, with funding from Norad and Canada. The Sida-WCO TFCM Programme contributes to trade facilitation and Customs modernization for sustainable development in Sub-Sahara Africa, with funding from Sweden. The Programme supports the implementation of the WTO TFA through technical assistance and capacity building for the beneficiary countries' Customs administrations in East and Southern Africa, including the TRA.

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