The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance the capacity of customs administrations in Africa.

The two parties agreed to work together to help advance the economic development of African countries by assisting customs administrations in their reform and modernisation efforts.

The AfDB and WCO would collaborate in identifying, developing and implementing customs capacity building projects by observing internationally agreed best practices and supporting customs cooperation and regional integration in Africa.

It would also promote a knowledge partnership, including research and knowledge sharing in areas of common interest, as well as close institutional dialogue to ensure a coherent approach and to identify comparative advantages, as well as complementarities between the WCO and AfDB, said AfDB president Donald Kaberuka.

Further, coordinated efforts by both parties to improve border management would help many companies in Africa undertake cross-border trade.

“The WCO is committed to working with the African Development Bank Group and our other international and regional partners to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, capacity and connectivity of customs administrations in Africa,” said WCO secretary general Kunio Mikuriya in a statement on Tuesday.

The MoU was signed on Monday in Addis Ababa during the eighteenth African Union Summit, held from January 23 to 30 in Ethiopia.

The summit focused on boosting intra-African trade, which would see customs administrations play an important role in strengthening national and regional economies in Africa.

Source: http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/afdb-wco-sign-customs-agreement-2012-01-31