World Customs Organization endorses the Publican System for Digital Shipment Vetting by Ultra as a unique, transformative, and valuable technology, and chooses Ultra to support the Regional Office for Capacity Building in East and Southern Africa

Herzliya, Israel and Nairobi, Kenya: The World Customs Organization and Ultra Information Solutions announced today a strategic partnership for unprecedented cooperation in the East and South African Region.

In line with the WCO theme for 2022: Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem, Ultra has been chosen to support the WCO’s Regional Strategic Plan, together with the Regional Office for Capacity Building led by Mr. Larry Liza, WCO ESA Director.

In a Memorandum of Understanding signed today, Ultra and the WCO ESA ROCB have affirmed the unique value of Publican, and agreed to a series of joint initiatives, over the course of 3 years, to accelerate Customs Modernization and Digitalization in the ESA region.

The economic impact of the Publican system on the ESA region is forecasted to exceed $2BN in annual additional income to governments from customs revenue. Importers and traders are also slated to benefit greatly, through reduced clearance time and cost of clearance, alongside minimal trade disruption.

“Publican by Ultra is changing the paradigm of Customs enforcement with 100% digital inspection.” says Ram Ben Tzion, CEO & Founder of Ultra.  “It is with great excitement that we are joining hands with the WCO through the ROCB ESA to leverage our technology and resources in support of the Regional Strategic Plan. This partnership is a significant milestone, for us, in recognition of Ultra by WCO as a long-term strategic partner for real and sustainable Customs Digital Transformation.”

 “Our region is undergoing a transformation, and the ROCB is at the forefront of supporting Customs Modernization and Digitalization for our member states.” says Larry Liza, WCO ESA ROCB Director “Our Regional Strategy is designed to allow different approaches, including forging partnerships with leading private sector organizations. We welcome Ultra as a strategic long-term partner in our efforts to expand regional activities and impact”

 About WCO Eastern & Southern Africa Regional Office for Capacity Building:

About Ultra Global:

Ultra is a global leader in digital vetting solutions, pursuing a vision of trust and transparency in an interconnected world. The Publican System for Digital Shipment Vetting powered by Ultra, allows Customs Administrations globally to achieve 100% digital inspection on all consignments, while increasing revenue and speeding up trade. For more information visit www.ultra.global

About WCO:

The World Customs Organization (WCO), established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations. 

Today, the WCO represents 184 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade. As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only international organization with competence in Customs matters and can rightly call itself the voice of the international Customs community. For more information visit www.wcomd.org

About WCO Eastern & Southern Africa Regional Office for Capacity Building:

The World Customs Organization East and Southern Africa Region is one of the six regions of the World Customs Organization and comprises 24 Member countries.  

The ESA Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB) is based in Nairobi, Kenya, hosted by the Kenya Revenue Authority and is responsible for running the various capacity building initiatives in the Region. The ROCB provides customized services to Members through delivery mechanisms that sustain improvement in their operations and adaptability to the changing environment in a timely, sustainable, and cost-effective manner. These services are founded on the principles of leadership, relevance, responsiveness, effectiveness, and resilience. The recently operationalized Regional Strategy (2022-2025) focuses on Trade Facilitation and Integration; Revenue Mobilization and Modernization; Security, Compliance and Enforcement; as well as Professionalism and Partnerships. It’s successful implementation is anchored in digitalization and data management, supported by various stakeholders, including the members, WCO and its regional entities, the Africa Union, Regional Economic Communities and the Private Sector. For more information visit www.wcoesarocb.org