The WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya met with the Chargé d’affaires of Canada to Belgium and the European Union, His Excellency Ambassador Christopher Cooter at the WCO Headquarters on 31 January 2020 in the framework of a grant agreement signed by the Global Affairs Canada (GAC) for the funding of activities under the WCO Strategic Trade Control Enforcement (STCE) Programme.

The STCE Programme, as part of the WCO Security Programme, promotes the building of safe and secure societies by providing WCO Member Customs Administrations with guidance and training to enable them to establish and foster effective strategic trade controls in order to fight against transnational organized crime and terrorism associated with the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

Acknowledging WCO’s key role in the capacity building delivery to Customs Administrations in the security field, the GAC is providing a 3-year financial support for the STCE Programme. This will allow further assistance to Customs Administrations in order for them to meet their commitments under the United Nations Security Resolution 1540 on the prevention of non-State actors acquiring WMDs, their delivery systems, and component parts.

Secretary General Mikuriya expressed his gratitude to Canada and welcomed GAC’s initiative to reinforce WCO capacity building activities under the WCO Security Programme. 

During the meeting, Dr. Mikuriya and H.E. Cooter also exchanged views on topics of common interest as well as on the WCO Theme of the year – Customs fostering sustainability for People, Prosperity and the Planet -, border security, sustainability and gender equality.

For more information about the STCE Programme and the possibilities of hosting of a training workshop, please contact the WCO secretariat at WCOSecurityProgramme@wcoomd.org.