Implementation of the EAC region’s premier training program for customs agents, the Certificate in Customs and Freight Logistics (CCFL) programme formerly known as the East Africa Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate (EACFFPC), continued to make major strides, with 1,160 clearing and freight forwarding agents in Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, and Uganda completing the one-year training program. The CCFL training aims to enhance the capacity of agents to handle clearance and freight forwarding operations, equipping trainees with the requisite knowledge, skills, and competencies to conduct business professionally and in compliance with regulations.
The newly graduated cohort joins over 9,000 certified customs and freight forwarding professionals in East Africa, who have positively impacted the regional logistics sector since the training programme was launched in 2006. Similar certifications are conducted annually among East African Community (EAC) partner states.
Mr. Philippe Ndikumana, President of the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), appreciated the commitment and support from the East African Community (EAC) Directorate of Customs, revenue authorities, and other stakeholders in enhancing the professional conduct of customs agents and freight forwarders in the EAC region.
“We always strive to put our house in order so that we do not become a weak link in the logistics chain in the region,” Mr. Ndikumana emphasized. He stated that South Sudan had recently joined FEAFFA and was being engaged to start the training program. On the other hand, DR. Congo is being courted to join the Federation.
CCFL is the EAC-recognized training program for customs agents and freight forwarders. It was adopted by the 39th meeting of the Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance, and Investment (SCTIFI) as the regional training program in East Africa. It is also a key requirement for the licensing of customs agents by customs administrations in East Africa.
Cargo owners and customs authorities expect clearing and forwarding agents to assess and remit customs related taxes accurately. The CCFL training empowers customs agents to meet these expectations. The course equips freight logistics industry professionals with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to facilitate timely and error free clearance of cargo, thereby reducing the time and cost of transport and logistics along key trade corridors, which constitute a significant portion of trade costs in the region.
To address the learning progression needs of the industry, a regional diploma program (Diploma in Customs and Freight Logistics) has been developed. The diploma program intends to broaden the knowledge and skills of industry players on key industry tenets, such as (mention some key modules). It also exposes trainees to managerial aspects of the freight forwarding business. The two-year program is expected to start in September 2024, when the first cohort will be admitted. The program is targeting holders of the CCFL and equivalent qualifications.
Along the same lines, the FIATA diploma is now available in Uganda. The first class will start in October 2024. The program is open to all freight forwarders in East Africa. The FIATA diploma exposes freight forwarders to global-level logistics practices and is critical for current and prospective industry leaders and captains.
Owing to the highly dynamic operating transport and logistics environment, there is a need for continuing learning and capacity building for industry players to remain relevant, updated, and up to the task. To this end, the Federation has started a continuing professional development program (CPD). Through this program, industry professionals have been offered a series of training opportunities through workshops, webinars, conferences, and many others to address their knowledge, skills, leadership, and networking needs. The program addresses training needs generated by cargo owners, customs administrations, and other trade facilitation agencies, which are used to develop short courses for customs agents and freight forwarders. The idea is to make the CPD program a requirement for membership in the associations and licensing by the customs administration. This will ease the pressure on customs agents when it comes to the renewal of their licenses. FEAFFA is engaging all stakeholders on this. Since its introduction about two years ago, the CPD program has benefited more than 1,000 agents across the region. Every year, professionals are expected to attain a minimum of 40 CPD points to be in good professional standing. A CPD management system was developed to track the individual progress of practitioners across the region. The CPD program is currently available in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. It is seen by many as a vital step towards transforming the industry into a full profession, and the laws recognizing freight forwarding as a professional practice are eventually enacted.
At the moment, consultations with stakeholders are at very advanced stages in most of the EAC countries. A regional policy framework for accreditation and self-regulation, establishing standards, guidelines, principles, and institutional arrangements for self-regulation and accreditation of the customs clearing and freight forwarding industry practitioners, was developed. EAC partner states are domesticating the regional Model Bill by enacting acts of parliament in their respective countries. The acts of parliament are meant to bridge a key gap in the sector, the lack of a legal framework to address limitations with the existing regulations under EACCMA, which falls short in addressing emerging issues caused by the highly dynamic freight logistics sector.
These interventions are championed by the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA) in collaboration with the East African Revenue Authorities, the EAC Directorate of Customs, and national associations of the freight forwarding industry. They have been supported by development partners such as TradeMark Africa, JICA, the Business Advocacy Fund, and USAID.
This article was published by the editorial team at FEAFFA. For any enquiries, contact us via Email: editorial@feaffa.com/ freightlogistics@feaffa.com / onionga@feaffa.com Tel: +254733780240
