The WCO Asia/Pacific Workshop on Data Management and Analysis took place from 6 to 10 March 2023 at the Regional Training Centre in Kashiwa, Japan. This event was sponsored by the Customs Cooperation Fund of Japan (CCF Japan).
The workshop aimed to strengthen cooperation between the region’s Customs administrations in the fight against illicit trade, through better data collection, analysis and exchange. Participants from over 20 countries were updated on the latest developments with the WCO’s Risk Management and Intelligence Programme and CEN Programme. They actively exchanged information on regional trends in illicit trade and shared their experience of data analysis, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
The workshop was attended by representatives from the Asia/Pacific Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO A/P) and Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB A/P), who contributed to the establishment of a robust network of Customs experts in the information and intelligence domains.
At the ceremony to mark the opening of the workshop, Mr. Keiji Shibata, Deputy Director-General, Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance of Japan, warmly welcomed all the participants and urged cooperation among Customs administrations as this was crucial for addressing the many challenges faced. He expressed his Administration’s willingness to support the WCO’s activities in the region, including capacity building in the area of risk management.
The workshop came to a positive conclusion, thanks to the unwavering support of the Customs Training Institute of Japan (CTI). At the closing ceremony, Mr. Yoshihiro Kosaka, Managing Director of the CTI, congratulated all the participants on successfully completing the workshop and encouraged them to play a pivotal role in their own administrations by making progress with data management and analysis.