On 7th December 2022, the WCO Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme hosted a panel discussion and workshop at the International Anti-Corruption Conference in Washington, DC. Speakers included senior officials from US Customs and Border Protection, Jamaica Customs Agency, Malawi Revenue Authority and Canada Border Services Agency.
The panel specifically highlighted the benefits to their respective organizations of an “institution-specific approach” to integrity, such as the WCO A-CIP Programme that is tailored to the specific corruption risks inherent in the Customs administrative and operational environment. The representatives also shared some of the most effective controls that their respective organizations put in place for combatting and preventing corruption. For example, implementation of new/revised processes, organizational structure changes, and modified roles and responsibilities.
Opening the discussion, representatives of the WCO A-CIP Programme’s funding partners, Norway and Canada, explained why they chose to support Customs institutions specifically in their fight against corruption through the Programme. They pointed to important links between Customs’ ability to restrict corrupt behaviour and its ability to tackle cross-border crime and enhance the trade environment.
For more information on the WCO A-CIP Programme and how Customs is leading the way on institution-specific responses to corruption, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.