WCO Customs modernisation 2020-2024, phase III - World Customs Organisation (WCO), 2020-2022 phase III:part 1 WCO Customs modernisation 2020-2024, phase III En ny insats "Trade Facilitation and Customs Modernisation for Sustainable Development" avser att arbeta djupare jämfört med tidigare faser på såväl regional som bilateral nivå med ett antal länder i östra och södra Afrika baserat på lärdomar från tidigare stöd. WCO har valt ut 12 länder baserat på utvecklingskategori, bidrag till regional integration, Sidas prioriteringar, efterfrågan och behov samt kapacitet och komplimentaritet med andra program i EAC och SADC och länderna Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mocambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

Det nya programmet bygger vidare på och kompletterar tidigare Sida-WCO samarbetsprojekt. Fokus ligger på att bidra till utökad regional handel och insatsen implementeras på nationell nivå genom kapacitetsuppbyggnadsstöd från WCO till respektive länders tulladministrationer. Insatsen fokuserar på implementering av WTO:s handelsproceduravtal (WTO-TFA) och förväntas även bidra till det nya kontinentala afrikanska frihandelsavtalet (AfCFTA). Med denna fas avser Sida bidra till mer direkt fattigdomskoppling genom stärkt jämställdhets- och SME-perspektiv. Anti-korruption är en integrerad del av programmet. Programmet kommer även att ha miljö/klimat-komponent för att stärka tullens roll vg handelsrelaterade paragrafer i centrala multilaterala miljöavtal (MEAs). The new Sida-WCO program with the title "Trade Facilitation and Customs Modernisation for Sustainable Development" will work at a deeper level in fewer countries and regions based on lessons learned from previous phases of cooperation. WCO has selected 12 countries based on development categorisation, contribution to regional integration, Sida priority countries, capacity building needs, absorption capacity and complementarity with other donor support in EAC and SADC: Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

The new program will build on and complement previous work in the WCO-Sida program. The focus will be to contribute to enhanced regional trade and the intervention will be implemented at the national level through capacity building support of customs administrations. The new contribution focuses on the implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and is also expected to contribute to the recent African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The new contribution focus on more direct link to poverty reduction through a strengthened gender- and SME-perspective compared to previous phases. Anti-corruption is an integral part of the program. Moreover, the program will have environment/climate components in terms of strengthening customs role related to enforcement of trade/customs-related provisions of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The overall goal of the program is to contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa by strengthening the strategic and operational capacity of customs administrations to enable improvement of business environment for cross border trade.
This objective is based on a major obstacle to trade in the regions, i.e. cumbersome border procedures that increase the cost of cross border trade due to inadequate IT-systems, inefficient and uncoordinated processes, corruption, lack of client services and lack of cooperation between border agencies. WCO will work to support modern and efficient customs procedures as well as customs modernisation through organisational development. 
The program consists of two overall programme purposes/objectives. 1) To support modern and efficient customs procedures through components A-C. A) ensure beneficiary countries alignment with international standards for trade facilitation outlined in the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation, the Revised Kyoto Convention and the SAFE Framework of Standards, B) IT-connectivity to automate, simplify, streamline and harmonise border procedures and C) regional harmonisation to maximise opportunities to harmonise and standardise border procedures within regional and continental free trade agreements. 
The second objective is 2) to support customs modernisation through organisational development trough components D-F. D) support relevant customs reform of management, strategic planning, human resources, project management teams ability to respond to present and future challenges. E) Gender equality and Integrity component to increase customs administrations responsiveness to divergent needs of women and men cross-border traders as well as employees at customs and reduce the risk of corruption. F) support customs ability to implement Multilateral Environmental Agreements to enforce actions against trade-related environmental crime at the border. 
Main results from the intervention are: 
- Improved services and relations with public and private stakeholders (compliance, transparency, predictability, harmonisation) (Component A Trade Facilitaiton)
- Data analysis infrastructure and IT connectivity will lead to information exchange, better risk management and faster customs clearance (Component B IT Connectivity)
- Sustainable and harmonised regional approaches leveraging opportunities by RECs and AfCFTA (Component C Regional Harmonisation)
- Stronger leadership in customs administrations that can lead change and more strategic planning on TFA and wider organisational reform (Component D Organisational Development)
- Greater opportunities for women to engage in cross border trade as well as for women within customs administrations to promote change (Component E Gender Equality and Integrity)
- Strengthened controles, process rationalisations and positive incentives implemented with the principles of the WCO Arusha Declaration on anti-corruption (Component E Gender Equality and Integrity)
- Increased awareness on MEAs and strengthened cooperation with other relevant agencies for environment and enforcement capacity of Basel Convention and Montreal Protocol. (Component F Environment) .