| Approval Date | 15 Apr 2020 |
| Signature Date | 23 Oct 2020 |
| Planned Completion Date | 31 Mar 2024 |
| Last Disbursement Planned Date | 31 Mar 2024 |
| Sovereign / Non-Sovereign | Sovereign |
| Sector | Multi-Sector |
| DAC Sector Code | 15124 |
| Environmental Category | 3 |
| Commitment | U.A 2,000,000 |
| Status | Implementation |
The proposed operation is a technical assistance and institutional capacity support project to be financed by a grant of UA 2.00 million under the Transition Support Facility (TSF), Pillar III. The project is justified on the grounds that the technical assistance and capacity building targeted at Customs Administrations of Liberia, Mali Niger, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia will lead to significant skills upgrading while also supporting digitisation and automation of customs services through electronic activities thus streamlining targeted customs services. It generally involves acquisition of technical skills, extensive training of Customs Administrations staff and modernization of the automated systems for customs data. The project focuses on four key areas: (i) technical assistance; (ii) upgrading and modernization of customs information technology infrastructure; (iii) migration to modern customs conventions; (iv) transit management and adherence to established trade liberalization protocols. The proposed reforms will spur regional trade through the implementation of the ETLS by the respective countries. Ultimately, improved customs revenues will greatly enhance resource mobilization efforts by the respective governments and potenitally enhance revenues available for allocation to public expenditures thus reducing poverty and socio-economic and political fragility. The implementation timeframe covers January 2020 to December 2021.
The main objective of the project is to provide technical assistance and capacity building to the Customs Administrations in 5 ECOWAS countries, namely Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia. The support will enable the streamlining of tax, revenue management, management of transit cargo, digitisation and automation of services including electronic management of customs data. The expected outputs for the 5 target countries are: (i) simplified, harmonized and coordinated customs documentation and processes; (ii) strengthened capacity for the customs taxes administration; (iii) improved electronic management of transit cargo in Mali, Niger and the Gambia , (iv) improved customs capacity for the regional trade initiatives i.e. the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme; and (iv) upgraded information technology and automated systems for customs data Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The direct beneficiaries are the governments and customs administrations of Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia. The public and economic operators from the mentioned countries and the entire ECOWAS region (15 countries) will benefit indirectly.
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Funding
Transition Support Facility
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Implementing
Economic Commission of West African States - ECOWAS
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| IATI identifier | 46002-P-Z1-KF0-065 |
| Last Update | 24 Mar 2023 |
| Name | Abou FALL |
| a.fall@afdb.org |
| Country | Multinational |
| Coordinates | Location Name |
|---|---|
| 12.65 -8 | Bamako |
| 13.5137 2.1098 | Niamey |
| 6.30054 -10.7969 | Monrovia |
| 8.45774 -13.23714 | Freetown |
| 13.4527 -16.578 | Banjul |