The WCO organized, in partnership with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) a one-week gender equality and diversity (GED) mission from 18 to 22 March 2024 in Ghana. This mission included a two-day stakeholder engagement meeting targeting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and small-scale traders, including many women traders. This engagement forms part of the West Africa Security Project (WASP) component on gender equality, a partnership between WCO and the German Central Customs Authority funded by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.

During the week, the WCO team, including an expert from the Botswana United Revenue Services (BURS), held meetings with different GRA units to discuss the advancement of the GRA GED action plan, developed as a result of previous capacity-building support under the framework of this project. One of the key activities identified in the action plan was to reinforce the collaboration with external stakeholders to advance GED, including collaboration with Other Government Agencies and international development partners, and to disseminate simplified information translated into local languages to stakeholders.

In this regard, a first stakeholder engagement meeting was held, with the Sub-Committee on Gender of the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Ghana also participating. The meeting served to sensitize stakeholders on the linkages between trade facilitation and gender, the opportunities generated by the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), as well as Customs import and export procedures. The meetings gathered more than 60 stakeholders and provided an opportunity for Customs to listen to the stakeholders’ needs and concerns. As an outcome of the discussions, recommendations were identified to reinforce the collaboration between the GRA and these stakeholder groups going forward.

The WCO looks forward to continuing working with the GRA to implement the recommendations from the GED mission.

Under the framework of the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, funded by the European Union (EU), the World Customs Organization (WCO), in collaboration with GIZ and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), conducted a national advanced training workshop on rules of origin in Machakos, Kenya, from 11-15 March 2024. The workshop saw the participation of Customs officials from various units and border stations within the Customs and Border Control Department, alongside representatives from other government agencies and private sector stakeholders. The advanced workshop was proceeded by an intermediate workshop in June 2023 and aims to enhance the knowledge and application of preferential rules of origin among KRA and stakeholders, thereby contributing to the seamless implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and relevant free trade agreements.

During the opening remarks, Ms Brenda Nyambura, representing GIZ, emphasized the steadfast commitment of the Federal Republic of Germany, facilitated through GIZ, in supporting Kenya's governmental endeavors, especially through the AfCFTA Support Programme. Participants were encouraged to use the advanced training to prepare for forthcoming Training of Trainers sessions aimed at enhancing knowledge dissemination among colleagues across various workstations. Ms. Nyambura expressed gratitude to the EU and WCO for their invaluable partnership in supporting competency development on rules of origin.

In her official address, Ms Josephine Makhoha, speaking on behalf of the Commissioner of Customs and Border Control, Kenya Revenue Authority, underscored the critical importance of mastering rules of origin in facilitating intra-Africa trade. Encouraging an open-minded approach towards learning and active participation in discussions, she reiterated her appreciation for the collaborative support extended by the EU, GIZ, and WCO.

The workshop encompassed critical aspects such as proper origin determination, operational and procedural issues, and the establishment of efficient origin implementation of rules of origin. The WCO team presented comprehensive core origin provisions, including Origin Certification and Preferential Origin Verification, aimed at assisting KRA and stakeholders in applying provisions in Free Trade Agreements. Practical exercises and case studies were conducted, allowing participants to apply learned origin concepts using regional agreements, including the AfCFTA.

Participants engaged in fieldwork at a manufacturing company in a hands-on demonstration, gaining insights into manufacturing processes, raw material utilization, and product origin status identification. During the workshop, participants completed sample EU EPAs -EUR 1, AfCFTA, and EAC certificates of origin, thus preparing them to assist the business community during the implementation of trade agreements.

The EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa programme will continue collaborating with GIZ and KRA. The next phase involves preparing for the Train the Trainer (ToT) session, which will build knowledge and equip participants with the necessary training skills to provide ongoing training for relevant stakeholders for the implementation of AfCFTA.