Uganda Officials Trained to Combat Illicit Trade and Enhance Border Security

The World Customs Organization (WCO), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has trained personnel from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and Uganda Police to enhance their capabilities in combating illicit trade.

The week-long training, held at the Malaba One Stop Border Post, focused on refining the officials' skills in efficient container selection and control methods to prevent drug trafficking and other illegal cross-border activities.

The training covered a range of topics, including types and sources of narcotic drugs, container types, maritime commercial documents, drug and explosive precursors, illegal timber trade, seal manipulation, handling hazardous cargo, and container concealments. These skills will be vital in their daily operations.

Additionally, the programme included training on the Container Control Programme (CCP), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and related documents, risk assessment and management, and risk indicators.

Edmund Landy Tei, the UNODC-CCP Regional Trainer for East and Southern Africa, advised the URA to obtain manifest data from local shipping line representatives for containers destined for Uganda. He explained that this information would aid in risk profiling and management.

Landy highlighted the programme's benefits, noting that it is uniquely positioned to assist Uganda in establishing sustainable enforcement structures at Malaba, thereby reducing the risk of shipping containers being used for illicit drug trafficking, transnational organised crime, and other illegal activities.

Kenneth Woniala, the Acting Manager for the Eastern Region, echoed Landy's sentiments. He remarked, "As the host organisation of the programme, we have benefited greatly from the technical assistance and capacity building provided, which has positively impacted fair trade facilitation in Uganda and the region."

In addition to capacity building, such initiatives promote collaboration among agencies by establishing inter-agency Port Control Units (PCUs). These units comprise risk analysts and physical inspection teams from various law enforcement agencies, including Customs, Police, and UWA.