World Customs Organization Secretary General Ian Saunders joined the first International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Air Cargo Summit on 9 April in Antalya, Türkiye. The summit, held under the theme of “​Advancing the Sustainable Growth of Air Cargo” gathered around 400 participants from various sectors of aviation supply chain, including regulatory agencies, international organizations, aviation industry, and academia.

As a keynote speaker, Secretary General Saunders began his opening remarks by conveying appreciation to all related stakeholders for their efforts to build a resilient air transport network. He noted the growing importance of the aviation sector along with the emerging threats such as terrorism, illicit trade, and infiltration by organized crime groups.

The Secretary General also emphasized the role of a robust WCO-ICAO partnership to reach common goals with a reference to the three WCO-ICAO Joint Guidelines and their meaning in establishing a seamless flow of goods and people free from illegal activities. He concluded his remarks by sharing that “the WCO looks forward to continuing in these efforts, to cooperating with ICAO and all of you, and to working with our Member Customs administrations to employ and go beyond the foundation of guidance and tools we have already created to support efficient, safe, and secure trade in the air environment.”

On the first day of the event, Secretary General Saunders also had a bilateral meeting with ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar to discuss a collaborative approach to address common challenges. Secretary General Saunders appreciated the achievement of the two organizations in turning good ideas into good practices based on the Memorandum of Understanding.

The Secretaries General agreed on the importance of collective efforts to ensure safe, secure, and fast air transportation system and made commitment to continued collaboration in the future.