BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6aa917ad28242 DTSTART:20260908T080000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20260908T160000Z LOCATION:Cotonou\, Benin SUMMARY:Technical workshop to advance a single customs transit guarantee - GGSP COTONI CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will hold a technical worksho p in Cotonou\, Benin\, on 8 September 2026 to advance work on the establis hment of a Single Customs Transit Guarantee (Garantie Unique de Transit Do uanier – GUTD) for regional transit operations.The workshop is organized under the Global Gateway Support Programme – Cotonou–Niamey (GGSP-COT ONI)\, funded by the European Union and implemented by ENABEL\, TradeMark Africa and UNCTAD.The event builds on technical assistance provided by UNC TAD since 2022 to Benin\, Burkina Faso\, Niger and Togo and on the Quadril ateral Declaration of Niamey of 25 May 2023\, which set out a roadmap for closer cooperation on transit and road transport among the four countries. Why it mattersEfficient transit is essential for regional trade\, particul arly for landlocked countries and for economies that depend heavily on reg ional transport corridors.While progress has been made in the interconnect ion of customs systems\, transit operators may still be required to comple te guarantee-related formalities when crossing borders. This can increase administrative procedures\, costs and delays.A single customs transit guar antee seeks to allow a guarantee issued at the point of departure to remai n valid throughout the transit operation\, subject to an agreed legal\, in stitutional and operational framework among the countries concerned.The ob jective is to contribute to a more efficient and predictable transit syste m while safeguarding the interests of customs administrations and ensuring that national guarantors have the information and mechanisms required to manage their respective responsibilities.Focus of the workshopThe workshop will bring together relevant public and private stakeholders to review th e work undertaken to date and examine options for the effective implementa tion of the GUTD.Discussions will focus on:the historical development of t he single transit guarantee initiative and the roadmap stemming from the N iamey Declaration\;the existing legal and institutional framework for cust oms transit and guarantees\;the principles and operational requirements of a single guarantee mechanism\;the respective roles and responsibilities o f customs administrations and national guarantors\;the arrangements requir ed for cooperation between guarantors in participating countries\;the digi talization of the guarantee mechanism and its interaction with customs tra nsit systems\; andthe next steps towards developing the legal\, practical and digital arrangements needed for implementation.Particular attention wi ll be given to the relationship between the guarantee mechanism and the di gital management of transit operations. For a regional guarantee chain to function effectively\, guarantors need adequate visibility over the operat ions they cover\, while appropriate mechanisms are required for the collec tion\, allocation and management of guarantee payments.From regional commi tments to operational solutionsThe workshop forms part of UNCTAD'\;s s upport for implementing the Niamey roadmap and strengthening the condition s for an effective Single Customs Transit Guarantee in Benin and\, progres sively\, within the broader quadrilateral framework.The approach emphasize s national ownership\, regional cooperation and interoperability of system s. The objective is not only to develop an appropriate legal framework\, b ut also to ensure that the proposed mechanism can function effectively in practice and respond to the needs of customs administrations\, guarantors\ , transport operators and other stakeholders.The workshop will bring toget her representatives of the Beninese customs administration\, the Chamber o f Commerce and Industry of Benin\, institutions involved in transit\, tran sport and trade facilitation\, national guarantee and private-sector actor s\, digital and single-window operators\, as well as representatives of UN CTAD\, ENABEL and TradeMark Africa.<\;p class="\;text-align-justify\ n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/technical-worksh op-advance-single-customs-transit-guarantee-ggsp-cotoni DTSTAMP:20260915T100221Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR