The WCO-Japan Career Development Programme (CDP) for 2022-2023 ended with a ceremony at which WCO Secretary General Dr. Kunio Mikuriya awarded the 10 Professional Associates (PAs) certificates on their successful completion of the Programme.
Earlier, the PAs reported the results of their ten-month research to the WCO's senior management. They had undertaken research into different Customs-related issues: some of them studied topics of global importance that were being examined in various WCO committees, while others focused on subjects that would add practical value to their home administrations as well as to other administrations facing similar situations.
The CDP was launched in 2009 by the WCO, in cooperation with Japan Customs. It provides an opportunity for selected candidates to undertake work at the WCO Secretariat and aims at enabling the nominated specialists to obtain knowledge, skills and international work experience; developing and enhancing networks among WCO Members and the Secretariat; enhancing the research activities of the WCO in order to support and assist the Secretariat in its mission and tasks; and developing a pool of highly competent officials with expertise in WCO Member administrations.
Within the framework of the 2022-2023 Programme which commenced in September 2022, 10 Customs officials – from Algeria, Bangladesh, Dominican Republic, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, India, Mongolia, Saint Lucia, Uganda and Uzbekistan - worked at the WCO Secretariat on a number of projects and activities. Their involvement has enabled WCO Members to enhance the communication with the Secretariat and also served to add to the diversity of the Secretariat’s staff.
At the conclusion of the certificate ceremony, WCO Secretary General Dr. Kunio Mikuriya expressed his satisfaction at the quality of the work presented by the PAs, in particular the remarkable results that they had achieved during their research, which he felt would add value to the Organization and to the Customs community as a whole. The Secretary General also expressed his gratitude to the experts and tutors that had mentored the PAs.