OPCW Sub-Regional Training for Customs Officials from Central and West Africa
A sub-regional training course for customs authorities in Central and West African States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) on technical aspects of the CWC transfers’ regime took place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 14 to 17 December 2009.
The training was the first of its kind to offer comprehensive information on these issues specifically for the two sub-regions, and was conducted as part of the OPCW’s Programme to Strengthen Cooperation with Africa. Forty-one participants from 15 States Parties* attended.
The course offered an overview of the Convention and the OPCW, the rights and obligations of States Parties, the role of National Authorities, and the need for effective stakeholder engagement. The agenda covered the identification of chemicals relevant to the Convention - including current recommendations of the World Customs Organization on identifying Scheduled chemicals in the Harmonised System - as well as potential changes to that system and those recommendations.
The course also familiarized participants with relevant information sources for customs officials and laboratories, including the Handbook on Chemicals, OPCW Central Analytical Database and other useful databases. Participants discussed discrepancies in the reporting of transfers of Scheduled chemicals and practical customs-related matters like control of Scheduled chemicals in free ports and free zones, risk assessment, trans-shipments, and software for customs services.
The training offered participants information on practical ways to implement the Convention’s provisions and to eliminate discrepancies between quantities of Scheduled chemicals declared by importing and exporting States Parties in respect of the same transfers. Practical exercises and group discussions enhanced participants’ capacity for effectively tracking the import and export of Scheduled chemicals. The course also provided an opportunity for participating customs authorities to share information about their efforts in implementing the provisions of the transfers’ regime and to learn from each other’s best practices.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Norway provided co-funding for the course with voluntary contributions.
* Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, and Senegal.
OPCW NEWS 61/2009
Categories: Africa, International Cooperation
For further information, please contact Michael Luhan, Head, OPCW Media & Public Affairs. Tel: + 31 (0) 70 416 3710 or +31 (0)6 5356 8512 or media@opcw.org | ORGANISATION FOR THE PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS, Johan de Wittlaan 32, 2517 JR The Hague, The Netherlands
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