The World Customs Organization (WCO), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has trained staff from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and Uganda Police on effective ways of combating illicit trade.

The week-long capacity building held at the Malaba One Stop Border Post allowed the officials to hone their skills in efficient container selection and controls to stop drug trafficking and other illegal cross-border operations.

They were trained on, among other things, narcotic drug types and sources, container types, maritime commercial documents, drug and explosive precursors, illicit timber trade, seal manipulation, handling dangerous cargo, and container concealments, which will help them in their day-to-day operations at work.

The training also covered the Container Control Programme (CCP), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and CITES documents, risk assessment and management, and risk indicators.

Edmund Landy Tei, the UNODC-CCP Regional Trainer for East and Southern Africa, advised URA to derive manifest data from shipping line representatives in the country on the containers destined to them, explaining that this will facilitate the organizations’ efforts in risk profiling and risk management.

He underscored the benefits of the program, stating it is uniquely placed to assist Uganda in creating sustainable enforcement structures at Malaba to minimize the risk of shipping containers being exploited for illicit drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, and other forms of illegal activities.

Landy’s remarks were not different from those of Kenneth Woniala, the Ag. manager for the Eastern Region, who noted that capacity buildings through the Container Control Programme have helped enhance trade processes in the region.

“As a host organization of the program, we have enjoyed plenty of technical assistance and capacity building and greatly appreciate the support so far from the program; this has had a direct impact on fair trade facilitation in Uganda and the region,” Woniala remarked.

Apart from building capacity, such engagements foster collaboration among agencies by creating inter-agency Port Control Units (PCUs) composed of risk analysts and physical inspection teams from various law enforcement agencies (Customs, Police, and UWA).

Correspondence by Jacinta Obore Mirembe