Brussels, 12-13 November 2012
Report
The Secretary General of the WCO, Kunio Mikuriya, joined the President and CEO of the EastWest Institute (EWI), John Mroz, in welcoming delegates attending the 9th Annual Worldwide Security Conference focusing on regional economic security held at the headquarters of the WCO from 12-13 November 2012.
Organized by EWI in cooperation with the WCO, the Conference brought together high-level policy makers, business and investment executives and public opinion leaders from all over the world to brainstorm on economic security related to energy, water and food, and to deliberate on practical ways forward.
The President and CEO of EWI stated that the theme of this year’s Conference reflected the critical importance of economic security, an area around which the Institute and the WCO had forged a meaningful partnership in order to deal with the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities posed by global security issues.
In his remarks, the Secretary General of the WCO said that the Organization had developed its security agenda in line with global thinking, including that of EWI, and was actively contributing to international security through the recent launch of its Economic Competitiveness Package, as efficient border procedures will improve the investment climate and promote economic growth and security.
In the margins of the Conference, Secretary General Mikuriya met Martti Ahtisaari, the former President of Finland and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and current EWI Board Member keynoting at the Conference, for discussions on issues of mutual interest, including the impact of global issues on regional Customs administrations.