The 32nd Global Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO) Meeting, held from 27 to 29 January 2025 at WCO Headquarters in Brussels, brought together representatives of the RILOs to examine challenges related to global illicit trade and Customs enforcement issues.
The principal focus of the Global RILO Meeting (GRM) was on topics such as enhanced collaboration, performance evaluation for RILOs, and improved operational visibility.
The GRM opened with inspiring remarks by the Acting Deputy Director of the Compliance and Enforcement Sub-Directorate, who underscored the importance of continued collaboration in tackling global illicit trade challenges. The Chairperson of the 32nd GRM, Munerah AlRasheed, Head of the RILO Middle East, also delivered remarks, emphasizing the crucial role played by the RILO Network in facilitating intelligence sharing and enhancing international cooperation.
The GRM discussed the progress made since the 31st Meeting last year, highlighting successes and identifying ongoing challenges. Discussions focused on how best to evaluate the RILOs’ performance. Although progress in this respect had slowed, a proposed action plan was presented to improve accountability and establish performance indicators to measure the outcomes of RILOs’ activities more effectively.
Enhancing the visibility of the RILOs’ operations was another major focal point. The development of a content framework for the WCO website was discussed, aimed at better showcasing the RILOs’ activities such as operations, training events and key achievements, ultimately increasing engagement within the global Customs community.
Updates on the RILOs’ operations were shared as well, including significant progress in combating various types of illicit trafficking through a range of operations conducted in 2024. In addition, the RILOs explored strategies to strengthen international partnerships for improved intelligence sharing, with a presentation by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA).
During the GRM, updates were also provided on the Customs Enforcement Network (CEN) and its associated tools. In particular, the development of the new CENcomm platform, which brings together the previous functionalities in a more secure and user-friendly system, was discussed. This new platform is expected to enhance data sharing and operational efficiency across global Customs operations.
The 32nd GRM concluded with a comprehensive review of the GRM Work Programme. The GRM endorsed its plans for 2025/2026, which include strengthening regional efforts, promoting data-sharing initiatives and securing sustainable funding for ongoing and future projects.
The Chairperson closed the GRM by thanking participants and underscoring that its success was due to the collective contributions of all. The RILO Network remains a key tool for fighting illicit trade.