The Border Agency Cooperation Workshop took place in Capetown, South Africa from the 14th to the 16th of November 2018.

77 participants from the ministries of Trade, Agriculture, Health, Transport and more took part in the event. The purpose of the workshop was to improve border agency cooperation at the national and regional levels as provided in articles 8, 10 and 11 of the TFA. Specifically, the workshop sought to raise awareness of the linkages between the TFA and SPS Agreement, and explore ways in which coordinating border clearance processes could facilitate trade, while ensuring/reinforcing human, animal or plant life and health. Attention was also given to improving cooperation among border agencies in transit countries. Upon completion of the sessions, 95% of participant feedback stated that they would recommend this workshop to colleagues.

Workshop Presentations 

Session 1

Christiane Wolff, Counsellor & Secretary to the SPS Committee, WTO 

Anja Wegner, Technical Attaché, WCO 

Shane Sela, Senior Trade Facilitation Specialist, WBG

Southern Africa Revenue Service (SARS)

Session 2

(a) TFA for SPS authorities

Sheri Rosenow, Counsellor, TFAF, WTO 

Mark Henderson, Economic Affairs Officer, TFAF, WTO

Anja Wegner, Technical Attaché, WCO 

Bill Gain, Global Program Manager Trade Facilitation & Border Management, WBG

(b) SPS Agreement for Customs authorities

Christiane Wolff- An Introduction to the SPS Agreement- Agriculture and Commodities Division WTO

Hilda Kruse, Senior Food Standards Officer, Codex 

Brent Larson, IPPC Secretariat

Moetapele Letshwenyo, OIE Sub-Regional Representative, Southern Africa

Melvin Spreij, Head, STDF

Session 3

Melvin Sprejj- Facilitating Safe Trade Experiences and lessons from STDF’s work

Hilda Kruse- Risk-based food controls and CCFICS- Senior Food Standards Officer, Codex

Brent Larson- How the IPPC helps facilitate safe trade in plants, plant products and regulated articles: Implementation & Facilitation Unit Leader, IPPC Secretariat

Moetapele Letshwenyo- Export/import controls from the animal health perspective: OIE Sub-Regional Representative for Southern Africa

Anja Wegner- Cross-border Transactions on the Fast Track

Session 4

Brent Larson- Phytosanitary considerations for consignments in Transit: IPPC

Moetapele Letshwenyo- OIE standards Relevant to Movement, with Emphasis on Transit- OIE 

Nnana Mmanyabela Tshekega- Links between the Vienna Programme of Action and TFA: UN-OHRLLS

Erich Kieck- Standards and Trade Facilitation- Capacity Building, ISO

Anja Wegner WCO Transit Guidelines

Session 5

Border agency cooperation at the national level -  good practices and way forward

Session 6 

Border agency cooperation at the regional level – good practices and way forward 

Session 7

Sheri Rosenow- WTO State of Play

Session 8

Mark Henderson- TFA Grant Program

Melvin Sprejj-STDF

Bill Gain- World Bank Group

Photos of the event are available in our gallery