Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Limited, representing the Government of Kenya, conducted a National Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Regional Customs Transit Guarantee (RCTG) at the Kenya Re Training Academy on April 16th, 2024. The event was attended by representatives from the COMESA Secretary General's office and the RCTG Pool Manager (ZEP-RE).
This workshop was organized in accordance with the decision made at the 17th Meeting of the Council of the RCTG, held from November 14th to 15th, 2023, in Chisamba, Zambia, and following consultations with the Primary Sureties in the Kenyan Insurance Industry in September 2023. The workshop commenced with an opening address by the Group Managing Director of Kenya Re, Dr. Hillary Wachinga. Dr. Wachinga emphasized the purpose of the workshop, which aimed to raise awareness among Primary Sureties (insurance companies) regarding the scheme's operations and Kenya Re's role as the National Surety. He reiterated the Corporation’s commitment to coordinating RCTG through the COMESA Secretariat, highlighting the importance of the workshop in ensuring the scheme's success.
Kenya Re's role as the National Surety involves managing and overseeing RCTG operations in the country in collaboration with the COMESA Secretariat, as well as coordinating the activities of Primary Sureties.
The COMESA Regional Customs Transit Guarantee (RCTG-CARNET) Scheme is a key component of the COMESA Protocol on Transit Trade and Transit Facilitation. It serves as an Insurance Bond or Bank Guarantee issued by Sureties on behalf of Principals to Customs Administrations, covering potential revenue losses during goods transit in the COMESA Region. The RCTG ensures a standardized approach to transit movements across the region, utilizing a single Guarantee for goods transit across all Member States.
Facilitators for the workshop included representatives from the COMESA Secretary General's office: Berhane Giday, Chris Hakiza, and Ethel Mwale, as well as the RCTG Pool Manager (ZEP-RE), Jerry Sogoli, and Mr. Hassan Omuroka from Kenya Re’s Local Business department.
