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European Commission launches
training for Palestinian customs officers at Rafah
The European Commission today launched its first
training programme for Palestinian customs officers at
the Rafah crossing. The Palestinian customs department
has identified 40 officers for this initial training
programme. Training will be provided to 10 officers at
any one time to ensure the full availability of other
staff for normal work at the crossing. The courses will
run until late June.
Speaking about the programme, Mr. John Kjaer, head of
the European Commission Technical Assistance Office
said: "It is vital for the Palestinian people and the
economy that the Rafah border functions, as provided for
under the Agreement on Movement and Access. Through this
training programme, the European Union is helping to
build the capacity of the customs staff to carry out
their duties at Rafah."
The training is being led by a former senior member of
the British customs service who worked extensively in
Northern Ireland. It is being undertaken in close
collaboration with the EU-BAM mission, which is
providing facilities and staff time for the programme.
The programme will help:
Improve the professionalism and working practices of
Palestinian customs officers
Enforce uniform application of customs procedures for
passengers at the Rafah crossing
Provide a basis from which to move on to advanced
training appropriate for a commercial crossing, as
foreseen in the Agreement on Movement and Access
In the context of Israel's unilateral disengagement from
Gaza in August 2005, the European Union committed itself
to assisting the PA in managing the Rafah crossing. The
European Union Border Assistance Mission (EU-BAM) was
deployed in November 2005 to monitor activities at the
crossing and has continued its work since then, often in
difficult circumstances.
In addition to this vital monitoring role, the
Commission has provided €1.3 million worth of equipment
to improve the working of the crossing, including X-ray
machines, metal detectors, communications equipment,
baggage equipment and vehicles. The Commission will also
be improving the infrastructure of the crossing point to
help it cope with its existing traffic, with work
scheduled to commence on 16 May 2007. The Commission is
continuing its assessment of additional needs at Rafah,
in particular with regard to infrastructure, to enable
the crossing to handle significant exports of goods. The
export of goods at Rafah is already foreseen in the
Agreement and Movement and Access although so far
minimal goods have passed through. An advanced training
module to develop all aspects of customs capacity at
Rafah will, in the meantime, be developed for
continuation beyond this initial training, building up
the capacity for the PA to operate the RCP in full
compliance with the Agreement on Movement and Access. |
