Strengthening African Customs Capacities: Regional Workshop on Authorized Economic Operators
For the first time since Tunisia joined the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Pan-African organization's secretariat organized a regional workshop in Tunis to enhance the capacities of African customs on the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) program.
This meeting, held in collaboration with the Tunisian Ministry of Commerce and Export Development, the General Directorate of Customs, and the World Customs Organization, brought together representatives from over 12 countries in North and West Africa, including Algeria, Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire.
Over three days, participants exchanged on the eligibility criteria for AEO status, the resulting customs benefits, and the mechanisms for certification, control, and mutual recognition between states. Field visits illustrated the concrete benefits of the system, including the example of a Tunisian company benefiting from priority treatment at border posts.
A field visit allowed delegations to discover the functioning of the AEO office in Tunisia and a Tunisian company that exports 80% of its products to the African continent, benefiting from AEO status.
During the closing ceremony on April 16, Rim Amdouni Hawat, General Controller of Public Directions at the Tunisian Customs, praised the participants' involvement, emphasizing that these efforts "pave the way for interoperability and mutual recognition of customs systems" at the continental level. She expressed hope that this initiative "will soon bear fruit for African economies," quoting Jacques Chirac: "Each step must be a goal."
The organizers thanked the World Customs Organization for its technical and logistical support, the interpreters, the technical team, and online speakers. Finally, they highlighted the importance of continuity in customs training to ensure the harmonious implementation of AfCFTA objectives.
