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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with GIZ, has wrapped up a three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop designed to strengthen the capacity of Customs Officers at Sierra Leone’s National Revenue Authority (NRA) on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Rules of Origin.
The initiative, which ended with the awarding of certificates to participants, is aimed at equipping customs officials with the technical skills to properly enforce AfCFTA protocols, enhance transparency, and support the smooth implementation of Africa’s largest free trade agreement.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Commissioner General II of the NRA, Gerald H.P. Ganda, underscored the central role of Rules of Origin in global commerce, noting that they determine the economic nationality of products and underpin fair trade practices such as tariff exemptions and reductions. He commended ECOWAS and GIZ for their continued investment in Sierra Leone’s customs capacity.
ECOWAS Resident Representative, Ambassador John Azumah, congratulated President Julius Maada Bio on his appointment as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. He expressed optimism in President Bio’s leadership to advance regional cooperation, highlighting that free movement of persons and goods, stronger intra-community trade, and deeper integration remain vital for West Africa’s economic growth.
GIZ Country Director, Raphael Frerking, described AfCFTA as a milestone toward building an internal African common market, rooted in the Abuja Treaty and reinforced by the Kigali summit. He praised Sierra Leone’s commitment to capacity building, stressing that the training will not only improve customs efficiency and reduce fraud but also empower officers to replicate the knowledge nationwide.
The workshop brought together customs personnel who are now expected to serve as trainers within the NRA, promoting transparency and facilitating cross-border trade in line with AfCFTA objectives.
