The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has been impacting life on all levels of business and society as a whole. After an initial delayed reaction, this is also true for Africa and the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region. For many businesses, the last couple of months have recalibrated their understanding of normalcy at every possible juncture. To this end, several important border lessons have been subsequently learned. Nonetheless, many of the challenges that countries in the ESA region faced before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to alter how cross-border business takes place in the region. This WCO ESA RPSG webinar — the 7th of its kind — deliberated on linking the ESA region with SMART Borders and Trade Single Windows as a positive step into the future concerning trade in the region.

The webinar was chaired by Dr. Juanita Maree, (WCO ESA-RPSG and SAAFF Director). She was joined by six leading customs panellists:

• Larry Liza– Director – Regional Office for Capacity Building, World Customs Organization East & Southern Africa Region
• Patrick Gyan– Technical Attaché – World Customs Organization – Regional Development Manager, East & Southern Africa Region
• Valentina Mintah– International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Executive Board
• Willie Shumba– Senior Customs Expert, African Union Commission
• Trudi Hartzenberg– Executive Director, t r a l a c – Trade Law Centre
• Jason Blackman– Senior Director – Customs, Trade Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, DHL Express – Sub Saharan Africa

As evidenced above, the panellists included a much-admired combination of important private and public sector role-players throughout the region. The WCO ESA RPSG is particularly pleased to have Valentina Mintah from Ghana — newly appointed member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Executive Board — address our members.

Welcome & Rules of Engagement: Juanita Maree

• Panellist discussions:
  • Juanita Maree
  • Patrick Gyan
  • Valentina Mintah
  • Willie Shumba
  • Trudi Hartzenberg
  • Jason Blackman
• Q & A from WCO ESA RPSG Members
• Closure: Juanita Maree