Videos of the conference;
Day 1
Day 2
The 3rd ESA Regional Research Conferenceย took place on 23rd and 24th March via Zoom starting 09:00hrs – 12:00hrs CAT (Both Days). The conference focused on opportunities presented by emerging issues in Customs and Trade. The papers presented at the conference were published in a book below.
Research Book (3rd Research Conference) – [Download]
Theme: ‘The effect of emerging issues on the role of Customs and Tradeโ.
Background
The World Customs Organization, East and Southern Africa, Regional Office for Capacity Building (WCO ESA ROCB) launched the ESA Regional Research Programme in 2013, aiming to build institutional capacity and the body of knowledge in Customs through research. The programme aims to enhance the regionโs capacity to showcase its research globally. The 1st WCO ESA Regional Research Conference was hosted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in 2014 in Harare, Zimbabwe, themed โCustoms and Trade Facilitation: Building Institutional Capacity and the body of knowledge in Customs through researchโ. The 2nd conference took place in 2017, hosted by the Regional Training Centre (RTC), Kenya. The theme of the conference was โImpacts and Implication of the Trade Facilitation Agreement and the WCO Mercator Programme to the ESA regionโ. It was attended by more than 200 participants from 20 nations.
Click on this link for more information and history on the Regional Research Conference
To register for the conference
PROGRAMME
DAY 1 : Tuesday, 23rd November 2021
| Time. | Activity | RP |
| 9:00-9:20am | Opening Remarks 1. WCO ESA ROCB Director โ Mr. Larry Liza 2. WCO ESA Vice Chair โ Mr. Adrian P. Swarres 3. World Customs Organization Secretary General โ Dr. Kunio Mikuriya 4. Guest of Honour โ Director General, Mauritius Revenue Authority โ Mr. Sudhamo Lal |
Master of Ceremony (Mauritius) |
| Group Photo | ROCB | |
| 9:20-9:30am | Keynote Address Topic: The effect of emerging and ongoing issues on the role of Customs and TradeMinister of Land Transport and Light Rail & Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Tradeโ The Honourable Alan Ganoo |
Mauritius |
| 9:30-10:30am | Panel Discussion 1 Topic: Return to Normalcy & Impact of Virtual Engagements following the COVID-19 pandemic Prelude: Presentation by Larry Liza, ROCB Director Panelists: 1. Taeil KANG – Director, WCO Capacity Building Directorate, Belgium 2. Lainkana Zafivanona โ Director General, Madagascar 3. Gugu Mahlinza โ Commissioner of Customs, Eswatini |
Moderator: |
| Health break |
||
| Potential effects of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on trade and Customs in East and Southern Africa. | ||
| 10:35-10:45am | Potential effects of the of the implementation of the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on trade and Customs in East and Southern Africa. | Ntuli Ferdinand &Dube Fungayi -Zimbabwe |
| 10:45-10:55am | Birdโs eye view from the Private Sector – an overview of digitization and its effect on AfCFTA, Gender and cross- border Trade as well as Trade Facilitation in General. |
Louise Wiggett, GTS |
| 10:55-11:10am | Discussions | Dr. Dennis Ndonga, Australia |
| Security and development: Challenges and opportunities presented by technologies and emergence of new trade practices and their potential effects on security. | ||
| 11:10-11:20am | Regional electronic cargo tracking system: implications on trade facilitation and smuggling by youth in Uganda along the Northern Corridor |
Geofrey Okoboi & Michael Kyanzi – Uganda |
| 11:20-11:30am | Discussions | Dr. Dennis Ndonga, Australia |
| Gender Equity, Equality and Diversity: Highlighting opportunities presented in the integration of gender practices and promotion of diversity in Customs and Trade in East and Southern Africa. | ||
| 11:30-11:40am | A Meta-analysis of the opportunities likely to be presented in the integration of gender practices and promotion of diversity in customs and trade in ESA. |
Sendra Chihaka โ Zimbabwe |
| 11:40-11:50am | Discussion | Dennis Ndonga, Australia |
| End of Day |
DAY 2 : Wednesday, 24th November 2021
| Time. | Activity | RP |
| 9:00-9:10am | Welcome | Master of Ceremony (Mauritius) |
| 9:00-9:20am | Keynote Address Topic โ Enhancing the Movement of Medicines and Medical Equipment in East and Southern African Region Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: Ms. Virginie Bohl, Coordinator – IMPACCT |
Ms. Virginie Bohl, Switzerland |
| 9:20-10:20am | Panel Discussion 2. Topic โ The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Revenue Collection Panelists: 1. Sydney Chibbabbuka โ Commissioner of Customs, Zambia 2. Abel Kagumire โ Commissioner of Customs, Uganda 3. Juanita Maree โ CEO SAAFF (RPSCG Representative) |
Moderator: Mr Batsirai Chadzingwa -Zimbabwe. |
| Enhancing trade facilitation and impact of cross border e-commerce on Customs and International trade in East and Southern Africa | ||
| 10:20-10:30am | Enhancing trade facilitation and impact of cross border ecommerce on Customs and International trade in East and Southern Africa | Yolanda Mampanaโ South Africa |
| 10:30-10:40am | Enhancing Trade Facilitation & Border Management under COVID-19 in Africa โ The African Union Commission | Dhunraj Kassee โ Ethiopia and Mark Goodger- GMLS |
| 10:50-11:00am | Discussion | Nellie Mpanduki, Zimbabwe |
| Health Break | ||
| 10:55-11:05am | Summary Outcomes of Conference | Dr. Dennis Ndonga, Australia |
| 11:05-11:25am | Closing Remarks | Director: Larry Liza Kenya. |
| End of Day |