The 32nd Governing Council Meeting of the World Customs Organization – Eastern and Southern Africa (WCO-ESA) was officially opened on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Zanzibar by the Minister of Finance of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Khamis Mussa Omar, who served as the guest of honour.

The high-level regional meeting has brought together delegates from 24 member countries, convening senior customs officials and stakeholders to deliberate on key issues affecting customs administration, trade facilitation, and regional cooperation across the Eastern and Southern Africa region.

In his opening remarks, the Minister highlighted Tanzania’s historic contribution to the development of customs systems in East Africa, noting that the region has long served as a strategic trade hub and was among the earliest areas in the region to establish formal customs structures as far back as 1896.

He further noted that the global trade environment continues to undergo significant transformation driven by rapid technological advancement, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), expansion of e-commerce, and emerging security challenges. These developments, he said, are reshaping the role of customs authorities, making them more critical in safeguarding national economies while ensuring efficient facilitation of legitimate trade.

The Minister emphasized the importance of strengthening regional and international cooperation among member states through the adoption of modern digital systems, enhanced risk management approaches, and the use of non-intrusive inspection technologies. He said such innovations are essential in improving border efficiency, strengthening compliance, and boosting revenue collection performance.

The Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Mr. Yusuph Juma Mwenda, said TRA has continued to implement wide-ranging customs reforms aimed at modernizing operations and improving service delivery.

He noted that these reforms include investments in digital customs systems, strengthening cargo management and tracking mechanisms, and integrating services through a single customs window designed to enhance transparency, efficiency, and ease of doing business.

The WCO-ESA meeting continues with discussions focused on customs cooperation, digital transformation, border security, trade facilitation, and strategies to address emerging global trade challenges, with the overall goal of strengthening economic growth, resilience, and integration across member states in the region.