The Commissioner of Customs at the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) Mr. Alhagie K. Mbye has revealed that the Gambia through the GRA is now part of the Permanent Technical Committee (PTC) of the World Customs Organization (WCO).
“This is one of the 3rd highest body committees of the WCO of which the GRA now is represented”, thanks to the outstanding recognition despite our size as a country. Mr. Mbye told this reporter.
He stated further that “it is the 3rd highest body of the World Customs Organization where all technical issues of the WCO are tabled for discussion, thanks to the leadership of GRA Mr. Yankuba Darboe.”
According to Commissioner Mbye, Gambia is a member of the World Customs Organization and also a contracting party to the Revise Kyoto Convention after acceding to the convention in June 2023.
He stressed that the RKC is the customs blueprint that deals with the Simplification, standardization, and harmonization of customs procedures and processes.
“This accession has now qualified the Gambia to be part of the Permanent Technical Committee of the World Customs Organization that sits twice every year to discuss important customs matters and issues relating to international trade and supply chain.
The success story is that the convergence has allowed member countries to get updates, discuss, and make decisions on matters relating to international trade and supply chains.
The PTC meeting entails discussion about the past, present, and future of customs and the kind of networking that is needed in a multilateral dimension to achieve the overall goal of making the world develop and safe.
According to Mbye who attended the PTC of WCO, the meeting covered several emerging topics, including cross-border regulatory interconnectivity framework and green customs,
During this meeting delegates discussed and agreed in principle matters relating to customs- port cooperation, digital transit, E-Commerce, and the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation agreement amongst others