A. General Information
1. Title
Tanzania and Congo-customs interconnectivity
3. Implementation period of the project/service:
5. Geographical coverage
Bilateral: Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania
6. Participating agencies/entities of the project/service:
a. Development stage
Lead agencies/entities
Customs authorities ,The Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF)
Other participating agencies/entities
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b. Operational stage
Lead agencies/entities (op)
Customs authorities ,The Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF)
Other participating agencies/entities (op)
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7. Main stakeholders/beneficiaries of the project
Traders (big enterprises)
Traders (SMEs)
Customs brokers
Customs
8. Business process category of the project
Regulatory/official control
B. Lessons Learned
9. Summary description of the project/service
a. Objective(s)
The Tanzanian Revenue Authority and the Directorate General of Customs of the Democratic Republic of Congo have agreed;
To exchange information relating to the transit of goods exported to the Democratic Republic of Congo
To combat fraud
To secure goods in logistic chain between Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam and the various borders of Congo
To establish customs office of Congo in the port of Dar es Salaam with the task of facilitating the clearance of cargo.
b. Business need for the project (background)
To securing goods imported by Congo’s economic operators when in transit at theTanzanian port of Dar es Salaam and combating fraud within the international logistics chainbetween Tanzania and the DRC.
c. Business process covered*
Congo Customs office is connected to Tanzanian Revenue Authority’s IT system.
d. Overall architecture and functionalities*
Tanzanian Revenue Authority connected Congo’s customs office in Tanzania to its IT system called TANCIS (Tanzania Customs Integrated System).
The connection enabled Congo’s customs office in Tanzania to collect all data relating transit of goods declared to be in transit in Congo.
Congo’s customs office forwards transit information to all relevant Customs posts.
To reassure Tanzanian Customs that the consignments declared to be in transit through itsoffices have actually arrived in the DRC, the Congolese Customs in theport of Dar es Salaam sends the Tanzanian Customs authority information,regarding the goods that have actuallybeen taken over by Customs offices in Congo.
The Congo’s Customs office, by using the software tool made available by its Tanzaniancounterparts, can monitor all movements of goods at Customs offices of exit in Tanzania withouthandling the physical declarations covering transit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
e. Relevant document/figure
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10. Documents and data exchanged via the project
Data relating to transit of goods
11. Data models/databases, proprietary solutions, hybrid approaches
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12. Main challenges faced during the project
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13. Lessons learned from the project
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14. Main benefit(s) of the project
Enhanced regulatory compliance*
Transaction Cost savings*
Transaction Time savings
Simplified process
14A. Elaborations/detailed description on benefits gained
Simplification of the transit procedure
Minimizing fraud and corruption
Efficient exchange of information
15. Technical/financial/capacity building/other assistance
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16. Future plan for expansion of the project
The use of electronic seals
Mutual recognition of Customs clearing agents
information on goods thathave arrived in the port of Dar es Salaam has been directly transmitted electronically to theCongolese Customs system and has enabled Customs agencies to assign declarations to theregimes of their choice (pilot).
17. Other information or relevant references on the project
18. Relevant document regarding the project
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C. Relevant Standards
19. Name(s) of any international, national legal instrument underpinning the project
Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance (2012) based on Johannesburg International Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in CustomsMatters,
Memorandum of Understanding (2014)
20. Electronic message standard
20A. Electronic message standard supporting the project
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20B. Type of standard for electronic message applied for the project
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21. Technical communication standard
21A. Technical communication standard supporting the project
21B. Type of technical communication standard applied for the project
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22. Security-related standards*
22A. Security-related standard supporting the project
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22B. Type of security-related standard applied for the project
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23. Other Technical Information
23A. Interface developed for data exchange with an internal system
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23B. Other technical implementation information
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