The third Policy Dialogue between the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was held on 2 August 2017 at JICA headquarters in Tokyo. WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya expressed his appreciation for JICA's support in organizing the Global Conference on Transit held in July 2017 at WCO headquarters. JICA President Shinichi Kitaoka welcomed the cooperation between the two Organizations, given the important role played by Customs in economic development. They reviewed and welcomed progress with the WCO-JICA joint project launched in July 2016 and which aims to support trade facilitation in Africa, including the implementation of One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) and other capacity building initiatives along the various trade corridors in Africa.   

On the same day, Secretary General Mikuriya also gave a special lecture to the WCO scholars from ten different countries studying strategic management and intellectual property rights at Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU). His lecture focused on the WCO priorities addressed at the Organization’s recent Council Sessions. During the discussions which followed, Dr. Mikuriya answered questions and listened to comments by the scholars. He made frequent reference to the situation in the WCO scholars’ respective countries, while explaining the WCO’s contribution to promotion of information exchange and to implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. He also touched on the scope of WCO instruments, the role of Customs in the development and management of Single Window, and issues related to e-commerce and protection of cultural heritage. On behalf of the Faculty, the Dean of AGU’s School of Business, Dr. Yumiko Mimura, expressed her appreciation for Dr. Mikuriya’s intervention. In turn, Dr. Mikuriya commended the initiative taken by AGU to provide Customs officials from developing countries with an opportunity to pursue Master’s level studies in Strategic Management and Intellectual Property Rights.