East Africa Boosts Trade with Regional Audit Collaboration

Published: 01/26/2026
Post Clearance Audit Trade Facilitation East African Community
With the support of the WCO/JICA joint project, the tax authorities of the five East African countries launched a senior trainer program for Post Clearance Audit (PCA) to enhance regional PCA capabilities and promote trade facilitation. By establishing a network of experts, improving training capabilities, and developing cooperation plans, customs administrations in East Africa will strengthen cooperation, address challenges, and contribute to regional economic development. The initiative aims to build a sustainable framework for PCA expertise and collaboration within the East African Community.
East Africa Boosts Trade with Regional Audit Collaboration

Five East African countries are collaborating to enhance their customs inspection capabilities while maintaining trade efficiency, as demonstrated by a recent regional workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The event, organized under a joint initiative by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), brought together 20 customs officials from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda to advance Post-Clearance Audit (PCA) implementation across the region.

Building Sustainable Customs Capacity

The workshop formed part of the Master Trainer Programme (MTP) within the WCO/JICA Trade Facilitation and Border Control Project. The initiative focuses on developing two key elements for sustainable customs administration:

  • Establishing a cadre of experienced PCA trainers
  • Creating regionally adapted training materials and programs

Participants shared national challenges in implementing PCA systems while maintaining trade facilitation measures. Experts from WCO, East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, and Japan Customs provided global perspectives on balancing regulatory compliance with commercial efficiency.

Post-Clearance Audit (PCA) represents a critical tool in modern customs administration, allowing verification of trade compliance after goods release while minimizing border delays.

Regional Challenges in PCA Implementation

Despite PCA's advantages, East African nations face several implementation barriers:

  • Uneven development of PCA capabilities across countries
  • Insufficient technical resources and trained personnel
  • Limited inter-agency information sharing mechanisms
  • Low business awareness and compliance cooperation

International Support Framework

The WCO/JICA project provides comprehensive assistance through:

  • Technical expertise deployment for PCA system development
  • Promotion of regional information sharing platforms
  • Public awareness campaigns to improve business compliance

Workshop Outcomes and Future Directions

The Dar es Salaam workshop achieved three primary results:

  • Creation of a regional PCA expert network
  • Enhanced training capacity through certified PCA instructors
  • Development of a coordinated regional action plan

Going forward, East African customs administrations will prioritize:

  • Strengthening PCA legal frameworks
  • Adopting advanced audit technologies
  • Expanding international cooperation
  • Improving business engagement

The WCO and JICA commended participants' commitment and reaffirmed support for ongoing capacity development efforts, signaling continued collaboration to enhance regional trade governance.

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