The 7th Annual Meeting of the International Organizations' Partnership for Effective International Rulemaking was held virtually on September 3, 2020, bringing together leaders from eighteen international organizations to address pressing global trade challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Urgent Call for International Cooperation
The high-level webinar, themed "International Organizations and Their Members Facing Global Crises Together," featured opening remarks by Nigel Adams, UK Minister of State for Asia, and Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD. Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary-General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), joined leaders from IMO, ISO, OIE, and UNCTAD for a roundtable discussion on pandemic impacts and building future resilience.
"This unprecedented gathering represents our collective determination to transform challenges into opportunities for stronger global cooperation," emphasized Dr. Mikuriya during the session.
WCO's Practical Measures for Supply Chain Stability
The WCO detailed concrete actions taken by its 183 member customs administrations to maintain uninterrupted cargo flows. Key initiatives included:
• Collaboration with WHO to publish harmonized classification codes for essential medical supplies, significantly accelerating clearance processes for critical pandemic response equipment.
• Joint operations with border agencies and transport sectors to prevent supply chain bottlenecks through coordinated declarations and operational guidelines.
"The crisis has created unique opportunities to strengthen inter-organizational collaboration," noted Dr. Mikuriya, highlighting successful public-private partnerships that maintained trade flows during border restrictions.
Future-Focused Priority Areas
Participants identified five critical domains for enhanced international cooperation:
Digitalization: Accelerating paperless trade through technological solutions to improve efficiency and transparency.
E-commerce: Adapting customs procedures for the surge in parcel shipments, which replaced many traditional container shipments during lockdowns.
Crisis Management: Developing continuity guidelines for supply chain resilience and recovery mechanisms.
Communication: Expanding virtual platforms for decision-making and capacity building while improving public information access.
Data Standardization: Enhancing data quality as the foundation for effective border risk management.
Commitment to Collaborative Action
The meeting concluded with adoption of a joint statement affirming participants' commitment to improving international rulemaking effectiveness. Leaders participated in a virtual group photograph symbolizing their unified approach to global challenges.
"We must transform crisis-induced challenges into opportunities for strengthened multilateral cooperation," Dr. Mikuriya stated in his closing remarks, underscoring the need for sustained partnership between public and private international organizations.