WCO expands its pool of AEO experts in the MENA Region

The World Customs Organization's (WCO) Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme is a Customs-business partnership initiative implemented by Customs administrations around the world to secure and facilitate global trade.

From 6 to 10 July 2025, the WCO and the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) of Saudi Arabia successfully organized a Pre-Accreditation Workshop for Technical and Operational Advisors (TOAs) on AEO programmes for the Middle East and North Africa region at the Zakat, Tax and Customs Academy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The workshop aimed to identify highly competent experts capable of organizing and delivering capacity building activities on behalf of the WCO and strengthening implementation of AEO Programmes across WCO Membership. A total of 10 experts from seven countries in the region - Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - engaged in intensive exercises and demonstrated their skills and expertise in implementing AEO Programmes.

The workshop featured interactive and practical exercises designed to assess participants' ability to deliver capacity building activities, including delivering presentations, developing recommendations for Customs modernization, facilitating discussions, providing practical guidance on AEO validation, and drafting a mission report and web article.

Throughout the five-day workshop, participants shared their national AEO practices and exchanged views on critical topics, including the involvement of Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises in AEO programmes, effective Mutual Recognition Arrangement/Agreement implementation, and challenges for AEO Programmes amid the global expansion of e-commerce.

At the end of the workshop, candidates who successfully completed this phase were designated as WCO pre-accredited experts. As part of the second phase of the accreditation process, these experts will be invited to serve as co-facilitators on an in-country mission to demonstrate their technical, behavioural, and leadership skills. After completing full accreditation, the experts will serve as a valuable resource in promoting secure and efficient trade environments worldwide, reinforcing the WCO's commitment to fostering capacity building and enhancing global supply chain security.