ITA, TAFFA to enhance customs, freight forwarding training
DAR ES SALAAM: THE Institute of Tax Administration (ITA) and the Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA) have signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly manage the East African Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate course.
The partnership aims to equip TAFFA members with the necessary skills to enhance their professionalism and efficiency in customs brokerage.
The MoU was signed yesterday by ITA Rector Professor Isaya Jairo and TAFFA President Mr Eric Urio at ITA in Dar es Salaam, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.
Speaking at the event, Prof Jairo expressed optimism that the MoU would significantly benefit TAFFA members by modernising their skills and improving operational efficiency, ultimately leading to increased revenue collection from customs.
“Today marks an important milestone for the Institute of Tax Administration, a key institution under the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
The signing of this MoU reaffirms ITA’s reputation as a trusted provider of customs, taxation, and freight forwarding training for industry stakeholders and the general public,” Prof Jairo said.
“We believe this partnership will empower TAFFA members with advanced expertise and enhance operational efficiency, which in turn will boost customs revenue and improve service delivery in the freight forwarding sector,” he added.
Prof Jairo said that the MoU presents a valuable opportunity for freight forwarding agents in Tanzania to expand their professional qualifications. This will enable them to work not only within Tanzania but also across East Africa and globally.
“TAFFA should encourage its members to enroll in this customs brokerage training. With an East African Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate from ITA, they will be qualified to work as customs brokers throughout the East African Community and beyond,” he said.
He also noted the importance of having highly skilled freight forwarders within the East African Community to address industry challenges and improve the efficiency of customs processes.
Prof Jairo reaffirmed ITA’s commitment to delivering high-quality training that meets national education standards set by regulatory bodies such as the Ministry of Education, the National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NACTVET) and the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU).
“This MoU is essential to maintaining ITA’s credibility and upholding the professional standards of TRA and the customs industry,” he said.
He also suggested that the collaboration should extend beyond the EACFFPC course to include other customsrelated programmes, such as industry research, to foster innovation and improve overall efficiency in customs operations.
“This MoU should expand to include other training programmes in customs and freight forwarding for TAFFA members,” he said.
On his part, Mr Urio underscored the critical role of ITA in building the capacity of tax and customs professionals to enhance efficiency and compliance in the industry.
He noted that the MoU would significantly contribute to strengthening TAFFA members’ expertise, enabling them to operate at higher professional standards and improve service delivery in the freight forwarding sector.
