WTO Stresses Trade Facilitation to Boost Global Commerce

WTO Stresses Trade Facilitation to Boost Global Commerce

During the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference, the World Customs Organization and the Kenya Revenue Authority co-hosted a side event focusing on trade facilitation. The event highlighted the importance of coordinated border management, Authorized Economic Operator programs, Time Release Studies, and National Trade Facilitation Committees. It aimed to promote the participation of SMEs and women in global value chains. Participants called for collaborative efforts to overcome challenges and continuously advance trade facilitation, ultimately fostering global trade prosperity. This includes simplifying procedures and harmonizing standards to reduce costs and delays for businesses.

02/03/2026 Customs Knowledge
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WCO Backs Ghana Customs Modernization Plan

WCO Backs Ghana Customs Modernization Plan

The World Customs Organization (WCO), through the WACAM project, assessed and optimized the 2015-2017 strategic plan of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). This initiative aimed to enhance customs modernization in Ghana, enabling it to better adapt to the international trade environment and safeguard national economic development. The focus was on strategic plan compliance, modernization reforms, capacity building, and improving the monitoring and evaluation unit, along with internal project management capabilities. The project sought to improve GRA's overall effectiveness and efficiency in customs operations.

02/03/2026 Customs Knowledge
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Botswana Enhances Customs Enforcement for Environmental Agreements

Botswana Enhances Customs Enforcement for Environmental Agreements

The World Customs Organization (WCO), in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme and the Basel Convention Secretariat, held a workshop in Botswana to enhance customs officers' awareness and enforcement capabilities regarding multilateral environmental agreements. The workshop covered key issues such as the Basel Convention and the Montreal Protocol, strengthening cooperation between customs and environmental agencies. The WCO will continue to provide technical support to Botswana and other countries in achieving sustainable development goals. This initiative aims to combat illegal trade in environmentally sensitive goods and promote responsible environmental practices.

02/03/2026 Customs Knowledge
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Asiapacific Nations Strengthen Customs to Curb Illegal Plastic Waste Trade

Asiapacific Nations Strengthen Customs to Curb Illegal Plastic Waste Trade

The World Customs Organization (WCO) launched the Asia-Pacific Border Management Waste Project to strengthen customs control over plastic waste in the Asia-Pacific region, combat illicit trade, and raise awareness of the Basel Convention amendments. Through virtual diagnostic missions to Indonesia and the Philippines, the WCO will develop detailed implementation plans and host regional workshops to promote regional cooperation in addressing plastic waste management challenges and building green border defenses. The project aims to enhance the capacity of customs administrations to effectively regulate and manage the transboundary movement of plastic waste.

02/03/2026 Customs Knowledge
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Global Customs Agencies Protect Vaccine Supply Chains From Counterfeits

Global Customs Agencies Protect Vaccine Supply Chains From Counterfeits

The World Customs Organization launched the “Project to Facilitate and Coordinate Customs Controls on Cross-Border Transport of Critical COVID-19-Related Goods” to combat counterfeit vaccines and other illicit goods, ensuring the efficient flow of legitimate supplies. Funded by Japan Customs, the project strengthens customs supervision through multilateral collaboration and technological empowerment. It aims to build a global pandemic prevention and control barrier, safeguarding human health. This initiative promotes secure and efficient trade in essential goods during the COVID-19 crisis, fostering international cooperation to combat the pandemic.

02/03/2026 Customs Knowledge
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WCO Aids Fiji in Enhancing Disaster Response

WCO Aids Fiji in Enhancing Disaster Response

The World Customs Organization (WCO), through its COVID-19 Project funded by the Government of Japan, conducted a workshop for Fiji Customs to enhance its capacity to respond to emergencies like natural disasters. The workshop focused on reviewing and optimizing customs clearance procedures for relief goods and strengthening inter-agency collaboration. This initiative aims to help Pacific Island Countries build more resilient disaster management systems, ensuring timely delivery of aid and essential supplies during crises. The overall goal is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance.

02/05/2026 Customs Knowledge
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WCO Study Shows Faster Customs Clearance Boosts Global Trade

WCO Study Shows Faster Customs Clearance Boosts Global Trade

The World Customs Organization's (WCO) Time Release Study (TRS) aims to help customs administrations identify bottlenecks, optimize processes, and improve trade facilitation by quantifying the time taken for goods to clear customs. This article uses the TRS workshop in Kyrgyzstan as an example to detail the implementation steps, benefits, and challenges of TRS. It also looks at future developments, emphasizing that TRS is a key tool for improving customs efficiency and promoting global trade. The study provides valuable insights for countries seeking to enhance their customs procedures and facilitate international commerce.

02/05/2026 Customs Knowledge
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WCO Unveils New Strategy for Sustainable Customs Development

WCO Unveils New Strategy for Sustainable Customs Development

The World Customs Organization (WCO)'s new capacity building paradigm aims for sustainable improvement and transformation through shared responsibility and results-orientation. It emphasizes precise needs identification, blended learning and support, and impact assessment. Addressing data challenges is crucial for building a sustainable capacity building ecosystem. This approach contributes to global trade facilitation and prosperity by ensuring that capacity building initiatives are effective, relevant, and lead to lasting positive change within customs administrations and the broader trade environment. The focus is on creating a self-sustaining system that supports continuous development.

02/05/2026 Customs Knowledge
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Jordan Customs Boosts Air Cargo Efficiency with WCO Risk Management

Jordan Customs Boosts Air Cargo Efficiency with WCO Risk Management

The World Customs Organization (WCO) held a follow-up risk management workshop for the Jordan Customs Department (JCD) to enhance its air cargo clearance capabilities and develop a national risk management plan. Through expert guidance and collaboration, Jordan Customs completed a risk management enhancement plan and committed to its practical application, contributing to trade facilitation and security. The workshop aimed to strengthen JCD's ability to identify and mitigate risks, ultimately improving efficiency and security within the supply chain. This initiative underscores the importance of effective risk management in modern customs administration.

02/05/2026 Customs Knowledge
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WCO Backs Ghana Customs Data Modernization Push

WCO Backs Ghana Customs Data Modernization Push

The World Customs Organization (WCO), through the WACAM project, provides strategic planning support to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), focusing on data-driven modernization. The mission includes assessing the GRA's strategic plan compliance, addressing customs reform and modernization issues, and enhancing monitoring, evaluation, and project management capabilities. Emphasizing the crucial role of data in customs modernization, recommendations include establishing a data warehouse, developing data analysis tools, and formulating data-driven performance indicators. The project aims to transform GRA into a more efficient and effective organization through strategic planning and data utilization.

02/05/2026 Customs Knowledge
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