Cooperation between WCO and the Kimberley Process continues
Brussels, 14 February 2012
Report
WCO Deputy Secretary General Sergio Mujica met the new Chairperson of the Kimberley Process, Ambassador Gillian A. Milovanovic of the United States, on 14 February 2012 to discuss the role of Customs in the context of the Kimberley Process.
The Kimberley Process was officially launched in 2003 as a monitoring system for the trade in rough diamonds.
In 2011, the Kimberley Process and the WCO agreed to cooperate, where appropriate, in areas covering the training of Customs officials on the smuggling of “conflict” diamonds and to discuss technical issues on origin and the Harmonized System.
Ambassador Milovanovic reiterated the commitment of the Kimberley Process to continue cooperating with the WCO and its Member Customs administrations.
Having recently been appointed in January, Ambassador Milovanovic is the first woman to lead the Kimberley Process, and it is the first time that the US has held the KP chair.