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Ethiopia: Official Says Expertise Needed to Inspect Harmful Consignments
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The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa)
17 April 2008
Posted to the web 17 April 2008
Binyam Tamene
Addis Ababa
An official system that ensures customs staff a high level of expertise must be adopted to protect Ethiopia and neighbouring Djibouti from being a passage for harmful physical, chemical and biological weapons, a top environmental scientist said on Wednesday.
Opening a regional workshop that kicked off here on Wednesday, Dr Teweldeberhan G/Egziabher, Director-general of Federal Environment Protection Authority said a system of transmitting the absent experts' knowledge to the custom offices whenever in need must be developed.
"There must be an official system of taping the knowledge base of expert to enable custom officials to clear or impound and send back uncertain physical, chemical or biological consignments," he said.
Dr Teweldeberhan said that while the trade relationship between the two countries is booming, both countries must help each other by making sure the respective customs offices recognize anything dangerous and refuse it entry.
The Director-General said more recent but equally disruptive terrorist and counter terrorist initiatives "more likely" can target both Djibouti and Ethiopia.
"Do not allow any armaments, nuclear or any other radiation emitting material forbidden chemical or forbidden or dangerous plant, animal or microorganism in through the customs unless it is explicitly authorized by the appropriate office in either country," he told participants from the two neighboring countries.
Admitting the limited knowledge of the customs officials in both countries, the Director-general said even the experts of the respective countries could make mistake "Even the experts may make mistakes," he continued. "But they, the experts, should at least tell the customs officials what they know and thus help minimize harm," he said.
The Green Customs Initiative Workshop, organized by Environmental Protection Authority in collaboration with United Nations Environmental Program, for Ethiopia and Djibouti, will continue until Saturday.
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During a three-day long workshop, serious issues of concerns, between the two countries, including illegal international trade in environmentally sensitive commodities, such as O-zone depleting substances, toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes and endangered species will be a topic of discussion.
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