The Strategic Trade Control Enforcement Programme designed, together with the United States Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (NSDD) Program, a new training curriculum, with the objective of providing customs officers with advanced skills for the identification and detection of illegal trade radiological and nuclear materials. A first pilot was conducted in November 2020 for Spanish speaking Administrations in the Americas Region, following which the curriculum has been adjusted based on the feedback received.
Consequently, in order to test the second version of the curriculum, from 15 to 19 November 2021, the STCE Programme delivered an English pilot addressed to WCO members in the Asia Pacific Region. The WCO received a large number of nominations and selected 16 officers from 11 Administrations with different levels of experience in the detection of Radiological and Nuclear materials.
The training was opened by the Director General of Pakistan Customs, and closed by the Additional Director General (Enforcement) of Sri Lanka Customs, both representing the Administrations in the Region and thanking the WCO for the opportunity to enhance customs’ ability to fight illegal trafficking of RN materials.
Following the first pilot, one module had been developed into an e-learning course on the WCO CLiCK! platform, which participants have been asked to complete before the starting of the virtual training. During the course, the instructors proposed several quizzes and practical exercises for the attendees to assess their knowledge and test their skills through small groups’ discussions about the proposed topics. Few case studies were also presented, helping to transform the theoretical teachings into practice.
The network of STCE accredited Expert Trainers is always available to assist the Organization and also on this occasion two accredited STCE trainers from the region delivered with great competence part of the curriculum together with the WCO.
For more information on the STCE Programme and on the new developed curriculum on RN Detection Awareness, you can contact the WCO Security Programme at WCOSecurityProgramme@wcoomd.org.