In today’s global economy, trade is no longer defined by single-country production. A product may be designed in one country, assembled in another, and sourced from multiple jurisdictions across continents. At the same time, free trade areas are expanding rapidly at regional, continental, and global levels, with many countries now participating in multiple overlapping trade agreements. This makes the rules governing trade preferences increasingly complex but also more important than ever.
As global and regional value chains become more interconnected, Rules of Origin (RoO) have emerged as a critical instrument in determining how goods qualify for preferential treatment under these agreements, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In many cases, RoO now determines whether a shipment benefits from reduced tariffs or loses competitiveness at the border.
It is against this backdrop that the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), with support from the European Union and the World Customs Organization (EU-WCO RoO Africa Programme), is rolling out a structured capacity development initiative targeting customs agents and freight forwarders across the East African Community (EAC) region.
The EU-WCO RoO Africa Programme is a 48-month initiative funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the World Customs Organization (WCO). The programme is designed to strengthen Africa’s capacity to understand and apply Rules of Origin, and to support the harmonized implementation of RoO under Annex 2 of the AfCFTA, as well as other regional and international trade commitments. Its broader objective is to facilitate and increase intra-African trade, trade between Africa and Europe, and trade between Africa and the rest of the world.
For freight forwarders, this is not just a technical matter. It directly influences clearance efficiency, landed costs, market access, and the ability of traders to benefit from preferential trade regimes. Within the EAC, COMESA, SADC, and the AfCFTA framework, incorrect application or limited understanding of RoO can easily translate into delays, penalties, or loss of trade opportunities.
It is in response to this practical reality that FEAFFA has partnered with the EU-WCO RoO Africa Programme to strengthen technical capacity across the region’s freight forwarding community.
FEAFFA is particularly well-positioned to implement such a programme. With years of experience coordinating capacity building for freight forwarders across East Africa, it has built a strong foundation in professional training and industry development. As the regional umbrella body for clearing and forwarding associations in EAC Partner States, FEAFFA plays a central coordination role between national associations and revenue authorities, ensuring alignment between industry practice and customs administration. In addition, its long-standing collaboration with development partners has made it a trusted platform for delivering structured, region-wide capacity-building programmes for customs agents and freight forwarders.
The training cycle is being delivered through a hybrid model, combining the WCO e-learning platform with in-person sessions, and targets clearing and forwarding agents from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. The programme was officially kicked off in March and is structured into three progressive levels: basic, intermediate, and advanced.
The basic and intermediate courses are being delivered virtually to ensure wide accessibility across the region, while the advanced level will be conducted as a three-day in-person national training to deepen technical understanding and practical application.
Training is being delivered in both English and French, with special attention to Burundi to ensure inclusivity across all EAC Partner States.
A key feature of the programme is its structured progression approach, where advancement to the next level depends on full participation and completion of the previous stage. This is intended to ensure that participants build not only theoretical knowledge but also practical competence in applying the Rules of Origin in real trade scenarios.
At the end of the training cycle, a regional Training of Trainers (TOT) programme will be conducted. This will help build a pool of qualified trainers within the EAC who can support continuous capacity building for clearing and forwarding agents. The long-term objective is to institutionalise knowledge and ensure sustained understanding of Rules of Origin within the freight and logistics sector.
Commenting on the importance of the initiative, FEAFFA President Charles Mwebembezi noted:
“Rules of Origin are no longer a technical subject confined to customs manuals. In a world where production is spread across multiple countries, they have become a practical trade tool that determines whether our members can truly access preferential markets. Strengthening this capacity is essential if we are to fully unlock the benefits of the AfCFTA and other trade agreements.”
This initiative reflects FEAFFA’s continued commitment to working with development partners to build practical, industry-relevant skills within the freight forwarding sector, ensuring that EAC operators are better positioned to navigate an increasingly complex and opportunity-driven trade environment.
The writer, Andrew Onionga, is the Communications and Advocacy Officer at the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA) secretariat and can be reached at oniongaam@gmail.com.
