Improving the Border Agency Cooperation
Among the OIC Member States for Facilitating Trade
69
are building together connectivity with their customs systems to enable automated exchange of
digital information.114 The digitalisation and better connectivity supports collection of duties and
taxes at the borders, a key priority for the governments of these countries. The digital customs
information also creates further capabilities for monitoring transit traffic, while reducing
opportunities for customs fraud. The four countries have also agreed to provide one another with
administrative assistance. The outcomes of the enhanced customs cooperation benefit particularly
operations at juxtaposed border posts, such as the Cincassé border crossing between Togo and
Burkina Faso. The Togolese customs has also recently deployed the new national Single Window
(Asycuda World) that will further facilitate trader-customs interaction along the Togolese
border.115 The Togolese customs personnel are also providing technical assistance for their
colleagues in Burkina Faso, who are also considering adopting the most recent World version of the
Asycuda customs declaration software.116
West Africa Joint Border Post Program
Many West African countries have recently established Joint Border Posts, arrangements that
enable authorities at both sides of the border to control cross-border traffic simultaneously.
Located along the land borders, the new Joint Border Posts are expected to reduce costs of cross-
border logistics by 20% or more, stimulate intra-regional trade, boost collection of duties and taxes,
fight corruption, support intelligence sharing and to reduce delays and operating costs at the
border crossings.
Specific accomplishments of the Joint Border Post include deployment of new scanning equipment,
weighbridges, customs warehouses and other border control infrastructure. Besides a harmonised
legal framework, the recent collaboration has also produced a common guidebook and a
compendium of practices for managing cross-border traffic in the region. Besides, the collaboration
has built trust and connectivity between border control agencies and provided means and funds for
cross-agency training of customs officers. Main challenges the Joint Border Post initiative face
include insufficient funds, inadequate expertise and knowledge on BAC and long procurement
process for purchasing border control equipment.117
114 Vers une interconnexion des systemes informatiques douaniers du Burkina-Faso, du Mali, du Niger et du Togo.
accessed 7 April 2016)
115 Togo: Ministerial launch of the Trade Single Window at Cinkassé border post and Lomé airport.
(accessed 10 April)
116 Sydonia world: le Burkina Faso s’impregne de l’experience du Togo.
accessed 28 May 2016)
117 OECD/WTO,2014b