One of the leading cargo handling firms in Kenya has received an
award from the World Customs Organisation for its role in boosting
trade and its services to the customs community.
Transglobal
Cargo Centre was handed the award by World Customs Organisation
secretary general Kunio Mikuriya at events to mark International Customs
Day, with the citation by Mr Mikuriya lauding it for “rendering
exceptional service to the international customs community”.
The
firm, associated with billionaire businessman Peter Muthoka has shaken
up the ground handling business at the Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport after it entered a partnership with World Flight Services (WFS),
the leading ground handling company in the world.
The new partnership, Africa Flight Services (AFS), has dramatically changed the ground handling market dynamics at JKIA.
AFS
recently won the contract to handle the latest airline entrant to the
Kenyan market — China Southern Airlines — challenging the previous
duopoly enjoyed by Kenya Airways and Swissport.
It also clinched a lucrative deal to handle Lufthansa’s ground handling needs at JKIA.
Before
the entrance of AFS, Kenya Airways and Swissport maintained a
stranglehold of business at the airport but AFS has in recent months
broken their dominance at the key hub.
In
remarks to commemorate International Customs Day, the WCO secretary
general said digitising activities at key custom entry points was a
necessary step in securing cross-border trade from crime, including
international terrorism.
“Under the
slogan, ‘Digital Customs Progressive Engagement’, we, as a customs
community, are signalling our aspiration to further develop digital
solutions and services, making life easier for the trading community,
other border agencies and customs officers.” The World Customs
Organisation is an association of 180 countries which seeks to
facilitate trade by developing international conventions on issues such
as commodity classification, valuation, rules of origin, collection of
customs revenue, supply chain security and customs enforcement
activities.
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