The meeting of experts for the monitoring and evaluation of the work of the Directors General of Customs of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and the Commissioner General of the Togolese Revenue Office of the Republic of Togo is held from 15 to January 17, 2025, in Ouagadougou.
The member countries of the Confederation of Sahel States are part of a process of strengthening cooperation and the efficiency of their customs administrations with a view to facilitating trade within the sub-regional area. On a strategic level, Togo is an essential partner in granting the member countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) a maritime outlet.
Thus, to improve the interconnection of the computer systems of the customs administrations of the AES and the Togolese Republic, the directors general of customs of the said States held meetings in Niamey (from July 22 to 25, 2024) and in Lomé (from September 24 to 27, 2024). At the end of these meetings, several recommendations were made with a view to further facilitating and securing the implementation of customs procedures and trade.
Experts were also instructed to organize two monitoring-evaluation meetings for these recommendations, respectively in Ouagadougou and Bamako. It is on this subject that Burkina is hosting the first meeting of experts which is being held from January 15 to 17, 2025, in Ouagadougou.
On the occasion, the Director General (DG) of Burkina Customs, Adama Ilboudo indicated that this meeting constitutes a decisive step to assess the progress made in the interconnection between the member states of the AES and the Togolese Republic. For him, it is also an opportunity to revisit the recommendations from previous meetings.
DG Ilboudo further maintained that the project to interconnect customs computer systems is essential for the development of the economies of the States of the confederation and the facilitation of trade in the sub-region.
“The challenges we face in the 21st century require close, innovative and strategic collaboration between our customs administrations. And, the interconnection project is a strategic lever to strengthen the fight against customs fraud and illicit trafficking, and optimize the collection of tax revenue, essential to financing our public policies,” he explained.
According to him, the results of the implementation of the said recommendations are already satisfactory, but some points deserve improvement. This is why he considered that the experts’ discussions must be oriented towards the quest for concrete and lasting solutions.
Building resilient economic integration
In his opinion, this involves in particular the sharing of experiences in order to learn from the successes and challenges encountered in each country, the establishment of protocols to guarantee perfect interoperability of systems, the creation of a collaboration framework capable of adapt their customs systems to the requirements of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement.
While emphasizing that, through this meeting, it is a question of uniting efforts to build strong and resilient regional economic integration, DG Ilboudo expressed the hope that the fruitful exchanges of the session would pave the way for cooperation. closer and more productive to their customs administrations.
As for the deputy director general of Mali customs, Ahmed Ag Boya, he reaffirmed the need to establish a precise inventory and report to the directors general and the commissioner general on the progress made and any obstacles encountered.
He praised and encouraged the experts for the remarkable work accomplished so far and who are working to achieve the orientations of their customs policies.
“I urge you to spare no effort for the effective interconnection of our computer systems and this, as quickly as possible,” he hoped. And to thank the Togolese Revenue Office which since the creation of the AES, has supported them in strategic thinking, through the Commissioner General and his eminent experts.
The Deputy Director General of Niger Customs, Moustapha Bala, also noted that the interconnection of the customs computer systems of the 4 States, namely the AES countries and Togo, remains a fundamental element to improve transit at the level of their states.
With our traditional partners which are the chambers of commerce of the AES States and Togo, we will analyze the statistics of trade exchanges throughout the year 2024. After evaluation of the level of implementation of the recommendations made in Niamey and the Lomé, new recommendations will be made in order to better improve transit and the performance of our administrations, he added.
The commissioner of customs and indirect rights of Togo, Essien Attakakra Kwawo, reassured that the work of this meeting will allow them to make the interconnection of the computer system between the different States operational and fluid. “The obstacles exist, the resistance to change is real. It is up to the actors to ensure that the objectives are achieved. Anything that will allow deputy directors general to easily report to the highest authorities in their countries,” he concluded.
Adam SAWADOGO