Nigeria hosts Africa Heads of Customs
By Fummi Olasupo
Posted to the Web: Thursday, May 03, 2007



ABUJA— Nigeria is to host all the Heads of Customs of the 53 member countries of the African Union (AU) alongside experts on international trade next week in Abuja.

They are expected to brainstorm on the integration of African economies and to deliberate on the planned merger of AU and the European Union (EU).

Making this revelation yesterday, the Comptroller General (CG) of Custom, Buba Gyang, said the implementation of some integration programme have been killed because Customs were not involved in the process, hence the AU formed a subcommittee called the All African Customs Conference (AACC) to act as an advisory council to AU organs so as to pursue the African Integration process.

“The outcome of our discussions”, he said, “is expected to be forwarded to the AU with the view of contributing to the implementation of AU NEPAD programmes and to create a new cohesion and cooperation among African Customs Administrators”, he said.

He told the press that between the 7th – 9th this month, experts will meet Economic Partnership Agreement, in which the proposal by the EU to admit Africa into its economic sphere will be discussed and recommendations made to the Heads of Customs who will in turn meet over the issue between 10th and 11th to take a final position on it.

He said that the theme of this year’s conference is: Impact of Ecomomic Partnership Agreement on Customs Administration in Africa.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/200 ... 52007.html