The Secretariat of the World Customs Organization (WCO) took the opportunity of the International Anti-Corruption Day celebrations to organize a round table with key WCO officials, followed by a gathering with WCO staff and Customs Attachés at its Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The aim of the event was to remind everyone of the critical importance of integrity in Customs operations, and of the need for a collective commitment to combating corruption.
The event began with opening remarks by the WCO Deputy Secretary General, Ricardo Treviño Chapa, who underscored the importance of integrity as a core value for combating corruption and enhancing Customs' efficiency in trade facilitation, enforcement and revenue collection.
After a brief overview of the activities implemented under the WCO Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme and their impact in helping WCO Members address corruption issues, a round table with key officials from the WCO Directorates discussed interlinkages between integrity and their areas of responsibility. This led to an exchange of views on how integrity could potentially be mainstreamed as a core value across the work of the WCO.
When addressing the Organization’s staff and Customs Attachés, WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders underscored that corruption is not a peripheral issue but rather cuts to the very core of Customs work. He went on to point out that the WCO’s Revised Arusha Declaration was built on the idea that the WCO and its Member administrations were best placed to understand specific integrity challenges facing Customs, and that the Declaration provides a comprehensive framework to guide Customs in its fight against corruption.
The Customs Attachés present were given an opportunity to share their respective countries’ insights, thereby strengthening the WCO’s global network of integrity champions. Attendees reaffirmed their commitment to the WCO’s vision of embedding anti-corruption principles within all aspects of Customs operations, from trade facilitation to enforcement.
As the event drew to a close, the WCO renewed its pledge to help its Members align with international anti-corruption standards, including the United Nations Convention against Corruption to which almost all WCO Members are signatories. This collaborative approach ensures that Customs remains a vital force for good governance, public security and economic resilience worldwide.