FREETOWN – President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has praised the work of customs officers across West and Central Africa, saying that behind every intercepted shipment is a life protected.
Addressing the 32nd Conference of Directors General of Customs of the World Customs Organization in Freetown on Thursday, Bio described customs services as the frontline of national protection and economic governance.
“Most people think about the medicine in pharmacies, the food in markets, and the equipment in hospitals, but they do not often consider the line that stands between legitimate goods and what must never cross our borders,” the President said. “You are that line.”
Bio warned that West and Central Africa face growing threats from illicit trade, narcotics trafficking, terrorism financing, counterfeit medicines, environmental crimes, and arms smuggling.
He called for digital transformation within customs administrations, describing automation and electronic single-window systems as no longer optional but urgent.
As Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bio urged stronger regional coordination and real-time intelligence sharing among member states.
“We cannot confront 21st-century threats with outdated systems or outdated thinking,” he cautioned.
The conference continues in Freetown with Directors General of Customs and regional policymakers discussing strategies to strengthen border security and trade facilitation across the region.
