The countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and Togo aim to harmonise their customs practices and facilitate trade.
Experts from the four nations are meeting in Ouagadougou from October 12 to 14 to prepare a preferential tariff regime for the confederation.
The proceedings were opened by Yves Kafando, Director General of Customs for Burkina Faso. The meeting aims to finalise the draft decision establishing this regime by defining rules of origin for
goods and procedures for certifying their confederal origin.
This preparatory meeting precedes the fifth meeting of AES Customs Directors General, scheduled for October 15 and 16 in the Burkinabe capital.
Experts will also review the implementation of recommendations from their previous meeting, held in Bamako on October 2 and 3, 2025.
The interconnection of customs IT systems and the adoption of community regulations are also on the agenda.
Capacity building for customs administrations, with support from Burkina Faso’s Institute of Public Finance, will also be addressed.
At the opening of the proceedings, Mr. Kafando advocated for enhanced cooperation between the customs administrations of the AES and Togo.
The goal is to harmonise procedures, streamline trade, and secure public revenue.
Recommendations will be submitted to the Customs Directors General of the countries involved and to the Commissioner General of the Togolese Revenue Authority (OTR) at the conclusion of the meeting.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger established the Confederation of Sahel States in July 2024, following their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Togo, which is not a member of the AES, is participating in these customs consultations as part of efforts to strengthen regional cooperation.
HO/te/fss/as/APA