Tunisia and Algeria strengthen customs cooperation

Tunisia and Algeria have agreed to enhance border control and cooperation to combat smuggling and contraband, but also to improve merchandise flow and facilitate business at the border.

According to the Tunisian newspaper La Presse on July 17th, these new discussions come as a way of facilitating the movement of goods and travellers and accelerating the digitalisation of border controls. 

A meeting took place between July 16th and 17th, at the headquarters of the Directorate General of Customs in Tunis, aimed at enhancing collaboration between the Tunisian and Algerian Joint Customs Commissions. 

As he opened the meeting, Tunisia’s Director General of Customs stressed the need for closer coordination between the two administrations to enhance economic cooperation as well as address joint security concerns.

Both parties commended the efforts made by their respective customs services to facilitate trade by reducing customs clearance times and resolving bottlenecks, in accordance with the Mutual Administrative Assistance Agreement. 

They also emphasised the need to strengthen the fight against cross-border smuggling and to accelerate the digitalisation of customs procedures to optimise data exchange between the two institutions. 

His Algerian counterpart highlighted the role of customs and border control in supporting economic activity as well as bilateral cooperation in various domains.

Simultaneously with the meeting, a twinning agreement was signed by Tunisia’s National Customs School and the Higher Customs School of Oran to strengthen administrative cooperation and expertise sharing. The two schools could consider joint training programs. 

Economic cooperation is at the heart of this project, as Tunisia and Algeria have held meetings throughout the year to enhance economic ties, particularly in the energy sector.

On June 9th, it was reported that Algeria and Tunisia announced plans to develop a new subsea cable that would link both North African nations directly to Italy.

Earlier this year, an agreement between the two countries and Libya was signed to tighten border security coordination as organised crime, terrorism and irregular migration continue to pressure their shared frontier zones.

La Presse, Maghrebi.org