In March 2015 a WCO Capacity Building support mission was undertaken to Viet Nam. The mission was the latest in a series of inputs as part of the Project for "Customs Capacity Building for WCO Members 2012-15" which is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). The aim of the project is to deliver technical assistance to seven countries in specific areas of Customs operations. As one of the countries participating in the project the assistance provided to Viet Nam has focused on capacity building on Customs Brokers and Stakeholder Engagement.

The mission commenced with a seminar on Compliance Management for Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuc, Director General, Customs and his senior management team. The seminar provided the opportunity for the WCO experts and the Director General to discuss latest thinking and best practice in the area of Compliance Management.

Following on from the seminar, WCO experts assisted the General Department of Viet Nam Customs (GDVC) to complete the first draft of a Client Services Strategy and to review the existing Service Standards. A workshop, attended by over eighty stakeholders, was also held to seek feedback on the new Stakeholder Engagement Strategy.

As part of a pilot program, a WCO expert and colleagues from the GDVC Stakeholder Engagement Team attended a series of consultative committee meetings between customs, business representatives and officials from other ministries.

For more information on the project for Customs Capacity Building for WCO Members 2012-15 please contact the Project Manager, Mr. Philip Wood Philip.Wood@wcoomd.org