Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) has officially welcomed 24 Customs experts from across the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region as the country hosts the 42nd Meeting of the World Customs Organization (WCO) ESA Regional Steering Group (RSG) for the first time.
The three-day meeting, held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane from 5 to 7 November 2025, brings together senior Customs officials and regional leaders to discuss strategies that strengthen trade facilitation, enforcement, capacity building, and Customs modernisation.
Opening the meeting, Acting ERS Commissioner General Pearl Muir-Dlamini said hosting the gathering for the first time since ERS became a semi-autonomous agency in 2011 was a proud milestone for both the organisation and the country. She noted that the occasion reflects Eswatini’s commitment to advancing regional cooperation and supporting the collective goals of the WCO ESA region.
Muir-Dlamini highlighted that Eswatini has consistently participated in regional programmes under the Regional Office for Capacity Building for Eastern and Southern Africa (ROCB ESA), demonstrating its dedication to contributing meaningfully to regional progress and development.
She explained that previous constraints preventing Eswatini from hosting were purely budget-related, not a reflection of a lack of commitment. With this year’s hosting, Eswatini is turning a new page, reaffirming its readiness to play a more visible role in regional Customs initiatives.
The Acting Commissioner General also extended appreciation to the WCO for its continued technical support to the region and to individual member states, noting that Eswatini has benefited greatly from capacity-building activities that enhance revenue collection, trade facilitation, and organisational development.
The meeting will focus on aligning the 2025–2028 Regional Strategy Workplan with the broader objectives of the WCO, strengthening collaboration in enforcement and programme implementation, while promoting secure and compliant trade across the region.
Delegates are also expected to deliberate on how Customs administrations can leverage technology and data to enhance efficiency and streamline trade processes. Muir-Dlamini emphasised the need for administrations to embrace system connectivity and real-time information exchange as tools to improve compliance and revenue performance.
Regional integration is another key theme, with discussions centring on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the need for harmonised and automated cross-border procedures. The Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, supported by mutual recognition arrangements, has been identified as an important initiative to strengthen secure supply chains while supporting compliant traders.
Muir-Dlamini also underscored the importance of developing human capital as a foundation for Customs modernisation. She noted that success in implementing the regional strategy depends not only on technical expertise but also on strong leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills within Customs administrations.
As the meeting continues over the next three days, participants will review progress on the implementation of past resolutions, define new regional priorities, and adopt a results-based approach that embeds monitoring and evaluation in Customs operations.
The Acting Commissioner General concluded by expressing confidence that the discussions will yield practical recommendations to guide the region’s next steps. She also encouraged delegates to take time to explore Eswatini’s natural beauty and experience the kingdom’s renowned hospitality.
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