The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) hosted the official launch of the Customs Committee of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) on Friday, October 3, at Mer Rouge, Port-Louis that brought together under one roof Directors General of Customs and representatives from the Union of Comoros, France/Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles, as well as the Secretary General of the IOC and technical and financial partners.
The setting up of the Customs Committee was incepted following a decision of the 37th Council of Ministers of the IOC, which encouraged closer collaboration between Member States in the field of customs. The Customs Committee is a permanent platform for cooperation and exchange, enabling Member States to strengthen risk profiling, intelligence sharing, and enforcement, while also promoting trade facilitation and harmonization of customs best practices across the region. It aims at reinforcing regional security architecture, ensuring fairer trade, and contributing to the long-term prosperity of the Indian Ocean community.
In his address, the Director General of the MRA Rohit Ramnawaz has emphasised that threats such as drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism financing, and smuggling are transnational challenges calling for collective action. He underlined that these crimes destabilise economies, erode public trust, and undermine social development, and stressed that no nation can succeed in isolation. Highlighting MRA’s proactive efforts in risk profiling, intelligence-sharing, and border security, he welcomed the establishment of the Customs Committee as a strategic platform to enhance regional cooperation, strengthen operational synergy, and facilitate information exchange. Ramnawaz has reaffirmed Mauritius’ full commitment to the Committee, noting that, through shared vision, mutual trust and coordinated action, member states can build a safer, more resilient and prosperous Indian Ocean region.
The Secretary General of the IOC, Mr. Edgard Razafindravahy, recalled that the Committee provides a genuine regional space for customs cooperation while underlying the central role of customs administrations in combating illicit trafficking and protecting maritime territories, underscoring that no country could act alone. He also stressed on the importance of single window systems and information-sharing as pillars of economic integration.
Representatives of Comoros, Reunion, Madagascar and Seychelles in their address spoke on the importance of establishing a permanent platform under the Committee to pursue its objectives, particularly in the fight against illicit trafficking. They stressed the need to engage the private sector as a partner in the process, highlighted the central role of information exchange in risk prevention, and called for stronger cooperation mechanisms to secure trade and facilitate legitimate commerce across the region. The official launch of the Customs Committee of the Indian Ocean Commission marked a significant milestone in regional customs cooperation and sets the stage for stronger collective action in addressing common challenges.
