CCES Africa Signs MOU with WCO Regional Office
Nairobi, 5 September 2007
CCES Africa has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the World Customs Organization East & Southern Africa Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB).
The MOU was signed by the Manager of CCES Africa, Mr. Creck Buyonge and the acting Director of the ROCB, Mr. John K. Bisonga, at a ceremony held at the ROCB offices at Forodha House in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area.
“Both CCES and the WCO are committed to the development of a framework for enhancing the knowledge, skills and behaviour of customs officials to face the challenges of the 21st century,” Mr. Buyonge said, “We have to work together at the regional level if the noble aspirations of our organizations are to be realized in Africa.”
Mr John Bisonga (left) hands over a present to Mr Buyonge at CCES Africa office
CCES coordinates the work of the International Network of Customs Universities (INCU), an association that provides the WCO and other organizations with a single point of contact with universities and research institutes that are active in the field of customs research, education and training. Through the Partnerships in Customs Academic Research & Development (PICARD) program, the WCO and INCU members are raising the profile of customs as a profession, and opening up spaces for academic investigation into an area that was for many years limited to customs practitioners.
Mr. Bisonga said he looked forward to a fruitful partnership between the two institutions, specifically in advancing the African customs agenda. He said, “The establishment of a CCES regional office in Africa will help put our region in the world map in terms of contributions to the emerging vision of the role of customs in the 21st century.”
The MOU establishes a long-term strategic alliance between the CCES and ROCB for cooperation to minimize duplication of effort and maximize the level of articulation between the WCO regional capacity building programs and the postgraduate programs and short courses offered by CCES.
In March 2006, the Chief Executive Officer of the CCES, Prof. David Widdowson, signed an MOU with the Secretary General of the WCO, Mr. Michel Danet.
Mr John Bisonga (ROCB), Ms Ruth Nyabwa, Mr Creck Buyonge and Ms Kananu Muriuki (ROCB) outside CCES Africa offices
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