The Comoros customs agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Banking Sector, held an aptitude evaluation for contractual agents on September 19, 2026. The evaluation took place simultaneously in Moroni, Mutsamudu, and Fomboni. This initiative aims to assess the professional competencies of agents and support their growth within the customs administration. According to Abdillah Maoulana, head of human resources, this evaluation is crucial for contractual agents seeking permanent integration into the customs agency.
The evaluation is not just a simple exam, but rather a means to gauge the agents' level of expertise, identify their training needs, and enhance their professional capacities. Since taking office, Djaffar Salim, head of the customs agency, has prioritized this issue. The new governance vision emphasizes that the evolution of international trade and exchanges requires constant adaptation of skills within the customs administration. Maoulana highlighted that the customs agency of today cannot be the same as tomorrow's, given the increasing integration of Comoros into regional and international exchanges.
Comoros' accession to commercial frameworks such as COMESA and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) underscores the need for well-trained agents to respond to new job realities. The era of a customs agency limited to opening boxes is over, Maoulana said, stressing the importance of having skills adapted to the current missions of the customs administration. Agents' backgrounds vary, with some receiving training abroad and others obtaining diplomas in Comoros. The evaluation aims to identify available skills and specific needs for each category of agents.
The evaluation will help identify the skills and needs of agents who have been working under contract, with a view to gradually regularizing their administrative situation. This issue is particularly important for young agents already exercising responsibilities on the ground, participating directly in collecting public revenue. These responsibilities require them to have the necessary skills and knowledge, which is the primary objective of this evaluation.
Following the evaluation, training programs will be implemented to strengthen agents' capacities and better prepare them for the demands of a modern customs administration. The customs agency expressed gratitude to the organization committee members and supervisors for their professionalism and congratulated candidates for their discipline and seriousness throughout the day.
Special recognition was given to the correctors who worked tirelessly to process the answer sheets starting September 20, 2026. The agency hopes to announce the results shortly. This evaluation is part of a broader policy to modernize human resources and gradually integrate contractual agents into the public service. The customs agency views this evaluation as an innovative mechanism to identify agents' skills and merit.
This approach comes amid significant retirements within the Comorian customs agency in recent years, making the renewal and strengthening of staff crucial to ensuring continuity and effectiveness in customs missions. The evaluation results will enable the agency to create targeted training programs, ultimately enhancing the performance of Comoros' customs administration.
Key points
- The Comoros customs agency organized an aptitude evaluation for contractual agents to assess their professional competencies.
- The evaluation aims to support agents' growth within the customs administration and inform targeted training programs.
- The initiative is part of a broader policy to modernize human resources and integrate contractual agents into the public service.
