Government says stronger cooperation among customs administrations in the Eastern and Southern Africa region is key to promoting trade, protecting consumers and supporting economic growth.
The sentiments were made during the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Region meeting on trade, which Malawi is hosting in Salima.
Speaking at the meeting, Patrick Kabambe, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, said bringing customs officials from different countries together provides an opportunity to share experiences and identify practical ways of improving service delivery and facilitating trade.
Kabambe said regional cooperation is important in addressing challenges affecting cross-border trade and ensuring that customs procedures are efficient and harmonised.
Concurring with Kabambe, Felix Tambulasi, Commissioner General Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA)
said customs authorities have an important role in identifying and controlling harmful and prohibited products, including dangerous goods and counterfeit products, while ensuring that legitimate goods move across borders without unnecessary delays.
Tambulasi said customs administrations must also embrace modern technology and strengthen cooperation to respond to changing trade demands and improve the movement of goods across the region.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the WCO Eastern and Southern Africa Region meeting on trade, Cofete Lebepe, has called on member countries to strengthen regional cooperation and develop practical solutions to challenges affecting trade facilitation.
Lebepe said the implementation of key trade facilitation initiatives, including the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, e-commerce risk management and Single Window systems, remains uneven across the region.
He said limited capacity, inadequate infrastructure, funding challenges and poor coordination continue to affect progress, stressing the need for stronger partnerships, sharing of expertise and exchange of good practices among member countries.
