ROCB A/P welcomed new staff from Korea and Hong Kong Customs

27 July 2011

ROCB A/P welcomed new staff from Korea and Hong Kong Customs

From left to right: Ms. Ketkanok (Thailand), Mr. Kim (Korea), Mr. Kosaka (Japan), Mr. Wong (new colleague, Hong Kong, China), Mr. Lee (new colleague, Korea), Mr. Katsu (Japan), Mr. Zhang (China) and Ms. Pavida (Thailand).

The WCO Asia Pacific Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB A/P) recently welcomed two new staff members, Mr. Lee from Korea and Mr. Wong from Hong Kong, China. With eight dedicated full-time colleagues from five different Customs administrations - namely China, Japan, Hong Kong China, Korea and Thailand - it has thus further enhanced its capability to assist regional Members.

Guided by the WCO regionalization strategy, the ROCB A/P, as the first ROCB under the WCO broad framework, was launched in Bangkok in 2004. Based on consensus of the regional Member administrations, the Royal Thai Customs Department is kindly hosting this office.

“Today, we are committed to serve as a regional focal point of capacity building to achieve the vision of the A/P region, i.e. “World Best Regional Customs effectively realizing “Customs in the 21st Century” together”, Mr. Yoshihiro Kosaka, Head of the ROCB, commented on the recent developments, and continued: “ We do this by conducting a wide range of targeted capacity building activities, by responding to regional Members’ needs and priorities, incorporating the WCO policy, cooperating with the WCO Regional Training Centers (RTCs), donors and other partner organizations. To crystallize the rationale “of the members, by the members and for the members”, our ROCB has gradually moved from “high visibility” to “result-orientation”. All ROCB A/P activities have strengthened the knowledge, abilities, and skills of middle and senior customs officers and also enhanced the organizational capabilities, which is believed to help member administrations to meet their vision and missions in a sustainable way.”

The WCO Secretariat wishes to extend a warm welcome to the new ROCB colleagues in the global Customs Capacity Building Family and to wish good luck and a lot of success for their future work in the ROCB.