Cameroon, Chad customs officials synergise efforts to facilitate cross-border trade.

Delegations from the two countries met to chat the way through during a two-day working session in Kousseri, in the Far North Region of Cameroon and in N’Djamena, Chad, on October 24 and 25.

The Cameroonian delegation was led by Chief of Far North Customs Sector, Eba'a Efandene Alain Parfait, while the Head of the Provincial Customs Division for Chari Logone and Hadjar Lamis, Adoum Nouri, led the Chadian delegation.

The sessions were organised against the backdrop of an increase in non-conventional truck traffic on the corridor, given the closure of borders with neighboring countries such as Niger and Sudan for security reasons, with Chad now relying on access routes from Cameroon or Nigeria for supplies. 

According to the Chief of Far North Customs Sector, it was very important to set up mechanisms that will not only ensure the security of trucks transporting goods, but also the fluidity and rapidity of their passages. 

In order to familiarise themselves with the realities on the ground, the two delegations paid a visit to Maltam in Makary Subdivision, Logone and Chari Division, where the main transshipment site for goods in transit is located.

They also carried out some technical work which resulted in a number of recommendations to be submitted to their respective hierarchies. 

Working session between Chad, Cameroon delegations

Amongst the recommendations were the discontinuation of the preliminary EcoR, (recognition and counting of packages) instituted by decision N°009758/MINFI/DGD by the Minister of Finance on August 21, 2023, on the handling of goods in non-conventional transit and the monitoring of cargo lightening and transshipment operations. 

They also recommended the outright elimination of transshipment operations at Maltam and for the introduction of occasional physical visits to address security concerns and compliance with summary declarations submitted by users on the other. 

It was also mentioned that economic operators should transmit delivery notes to the Fotokol customs office via WhatsApp platform from both countries, in order to anticipate the generation of the transit permit and reduce waiting times for means of transport. 

In addition, it was suggested that main trucks and cargos should move together to avoid any suspicion of fraud while strictly complying with payload limits for trucks in non-conventional transit, in accordance with regulations governing road transport on Cameroonian territory. 

The members of the Cameroonian delegation included the Commander of the Active Customs Group, Commander Sinata Mamoudou Dieu Ne Dort; Sirwe Emmanuel, Hassan Ibrahim, Amanchang Garba Françis, Bekolo Bekolo Jean Bart, Tayoh Julius, and Mosoh Cornelius Tenong, all heads of collection and surveillance units in the Logone and Chari division. 

On the other hand, the Chadian delegation consisted of Abdoulaye Charada, Head of Customs Inspection; Idriss Diallo, Head of Liaison at Kousseri office; Abdoulaye Oumate, Dingamnadji Roland, and Noêl Rimte, all Chadian customs officials.