Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, 11 April 2025- The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat successfully convened the 9th Meeting of Directors General and Heads of Customs Authorities on 11 April 2025 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

The meeting focused on reviewing the outcomes of the 9th Sub-Committee on Trade Facilitation, Customs Cooperation and Transit (SC-TFCCT), advancing implementation of the AfCFTA e-Certificate of Origin, finalising the Transit Regulatory Framework and its appendices, and endorsing the roadmap for the Single Bond Guarantee Scheme. Directors General also considered updates on the SMART AfCFTA Portal, enforcement of Rules of Origin, and the development of a Simplified Trade Regime to support small-scale cross-border traders.

The Secretariat reaffirmed its commitment to supporting efficient, interconnected, and digitally enabled customs systems across the continent and expressed appreciation to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo for hosting the meeting.