By Luke Anami

Clearing and forwarding agencies say new training will help eliminate corruption at border posts and ports of entry in the East African region.

Clearing and forwarding agents must now get a professional training certificate to be allowed to work within East Africa.

The East African Community’s clearing and forwarding apex body, the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), in partnership with TradeMark East Africa (TMEA, a donor funding group), have introduced a training programme that all agents must undergo.

At the end of the training, clearing and forwarding agents will attain an East Africa Customs Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate (EACFFPC).

The programme is intended to equip agents with relevant skills and knowledge to enable them to meet the demands of increased trade in the region.

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The training is part of efforts by EAC countries implement customs laws and regulations that will reduce the lead time it takes to clear goods at border posts and ports of entry within the region.

Collect revenue

Professional clearing agents and forwarders are expected to make it easier and faster for both traders and revenue authorities to clear goods and collect revenue.

“It will also help eliminate quack agents and unfavourable trading practices like corruption at our border points,” said FEAFFA Executive Director John Mathenge.

The training programme is being implemented under the stewardship of the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC), a joint committee of the FEAFFA/national freight forwarders associations and revenue authorities. TMEA has provided more than Sh126.3 in financial assistance.

To date, close to 2,000 clearing and forwarding agents have been trained.

By the end of 2013, qualification under the programme is expected to become a precondition for licensing of customs agents.

“Companies that will not have trained their agents under the programme will not be allowed to operate at the borders,” Mathenge said.

He added that plans are underway to incorporate the training in local universities and colleges’ curricula within the region.

“The training is to provide a common standard for professional practice and accreditation within the cargo clearing and forwarding industry across East Africa,” TMEA Deputy CEO Allen Scott said.

With TMEA’s financial support, FEAFFA and revenue authorities have expanded the capacity of training facilities within the five EAC member states to hasten the attainment of 4,500 trained agents in East Africa.