Arusha - Green Customs Initiative

Nairobi, Kenya, South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and invited individual
experts.
Objectives and Mechanics of the Workshop
Ms Elisabeth Mrema representing UNEP-DEC highlighted on the objectives and conduct of
the workshop. She pointed out that the emphasis of the workshop is to raise awareness on the
operation procedures and enforcement of the trade related MEAs and pinpointing the role of
Customs Officers and Journalists to enhance their work and general understanding. She
informed that UNEP has developed a Training Guide for Customs Officers and it has been
tested and reviewed in the previous regional training workshops and requested for input from
this workshop with a view of improving the manual.
She further mentioned that the regional workshop serves as a training of trainers since only a
few can participate in such workshops and therefore, the workshop participants were
requested to serves as ambassadors in expanding the knowledge base in national setting by
organizing similar training programmes. She therefore expressed her anticipation for positive
updates from the countries in the near future. She stressed that both Customs Officers and
Journalists cannot work alone in the emerging world of partnerships and neighbourhood ness.
She informed that the GCI began with the Customs Officers but in the process, it was obvious
that they cannot work alone and for that matter journalist have been included. She revealed
that in the future, more enforcement agencies will be involved such as police and judiciary.
She said further that if judiciary is strengthened, it will be able to tackle environmental crime
in a proper way not just like any other crime. In conclusion, she urged delegates to create
networks that can work beyond the workshop.
Introduction to the Green Customs Initiative
In his presentation, Mr. Suresh Raj, representing UNEP-DTIE, Paris Office, revealed that in
the free trade regime, new challenges are evolving as to the roles of Customs Officers such as
national security and environmental protection particularly in combating illegal trade of
environmentally-sensitive products as opposed to the traditional role of revenue collection. He
pointed out that the Customs Officers should be concerned about environmental crime (illegal
trade) because of threat to human health, biodiversity (wildlife, plants), and loss of revenue for
Government. He said further that environmental crime is a lucrative business and have links to
other organized crimes and this tends to destroy the image of the country. He informed that
many environmental problems are trans-boundary and have global impacts and therefore
countries have to address such problems through international cooperation. He said that
several MEAs regulate cross-border movements of items that can affect the environment
including ozone depleting chemicals, pesticides, hazardous wastes, and animal and plant
specimens as well as products that include chemicals or wildlife parts. In this regard, he
acknowledged that the task of Customs Officers is complex particularly in identifying
controlled items and understanding subsequent actions but stressed that it is still important for
a better and sustainable environment for our communities, countries as well as future
generations. He pointed out GCI will make the Customs more environmentally friendly. He
further said the GCI does not replace the specific training and awareness initiatives by MEAs
but rather it complements them.
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