Customs Regulations in Africa Education and Training

How to get the training you need in African customs regulations

Educational literature in trading with African nations is available both on the web and in print, and is a good place to start your Africa customs regulations training. Workshops and seminars are also organized to focus on the broad topic of trade and economic development on the African continent.

Because each country in African has its own customs regulations, learning about the customs regulations in South Africa or Kenya customs regulations requires that you locate that country's embassy or trade regulation body for specific information. Most countries have their own customs websites where you can access trade regulation information.

To begin your customs regulations in Africa education and training, consider the following resources:

1. Access government websites for trade and customs guides.
2. Get fact sheets and manuals with Africa customs regulations.
3. Attend conferences and workshops for learning more about African trade.
   

 

Learn about African customs regulations online from government sites

The best way to begin your training in customs regulations in Africa is to consult the major US guides and legislation for trade with Africa. Most African countries will not have a set of regulations as stringent as those provided in the United States because their trade policies are designed to stimulate trade and investment. Often US guidelines more than adequately cover the African import and export regulations.
Try: The African Growth and Opportunity Act is the most current piece of legislation governing African trade and provides information on African customs regulations. The Office of the United States Trade Representative offers a guide to reading and understanding AGOA. African countries and organizations also publish their own regulations, such as the Nairobi International Trade Fair for Kenyan customs and the South Africa customs regulations.

Get fact sheets and manuals for customs regulations in Africa references

You can get quick references or comprehensive manuals in African customs regulations by consulting online fact sheets or printed books covering African trade. If you are trading in a specific product or industry, fact sheets are the best way to find out what major regulations apply to your business.
Try: The US Customs and Border Patrol offers trade publications and fact sheets online, so that you can gather African customs regulations information by country or by industry when educating yourself about international trade. The World Trade Press also publishes the Importers Manual USA, with up-to-date and comprehensive trade information for Africa and other regions.

Extend your customs regulations in Africa education and training with conferences and workshops

Conferences and workshops take place internationally to broaden the understanding of African customs regulations held by businesspeople and policy makers. Seminars are held for country-specific trade information as well as broader, continental policies and initiatives governing trade with Africa.
Try: Consumer Unity & Trust Society International holds seminars in South African customs regulations and other African trade agreements, while the Alan L. Freed Associates public policy seminars focus on the US side of trade initiatives with Africa. The Egypt-U.S. Trade Finance Conference offered by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt trains business professionals in customs regulations in Egypt.

 

• Customs regulations in Somalia and other African countries where the United States does not have official representation may be difficult to locate online and require a personal visit or written letter. Training yourself in customs regulations in Congo and other countries where the UN held official sanctions, on the other hand, requires that you become well versed in past international treaties.

Copyright © 2011 Business.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

---