The Covid-19 pandemic has fast-tracked IT developments in every sphere of economic activity, and customs is no different.
Delivering a keynote address on World Customs Day at Namibia Customs & Excise, customs specialist Marcel Ratsiu said that during the pandemic Namibia had managed to advance an IT connectivity project and was ready to connect data exchange with South Africa. “This is one example of resilient customs administration,” he said, pointing to several measures put in place by regional customs offices that had significantly facilitated trade.
“They created platforms to share notes and align processes and procedures required to facilitate trade - including bilateral exchange of information. The platform was also useful in the timely dissemination and sharing of critical information on changes that would affect operating hours at the border posts.”
With some traders still attempting to circumvent customs and trade requirements through importation of substandard products, including fake medication, he said there was a need to strengthen the risk-based approach and efforts to mitigate such opportunistic behaviour.
“In this regard, the ongoing work in Sacu to establish an Authorised Economic Operator Programme (AEO) and IT connectivity under the customs modernisation programme is timely and a step in the right direction. The AEO will aim to secure the supply chains and ensure compliance with the laws and regulations.”
He said the Sacu Council of Ministers had identified trade facilitation and logistics as one of its priorities. “This therefore provides an opportunity for Sacu member states to develop an all-encompassing and integrated programme to address key impediments to cross-border trade and logistics as well the challenges facing businesses engaged in cross-border movement of goods.”
