At the invitation of Major (Ret’d) Richard Reese, COE/Commissioner of Jamaica Customs, WCO Deputy Secretary General Sergio Mujica attended the “Official Launch Ceremony and Symposium of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme” in Kingston, Jamaica, on 28 July 2014.

After a welcoming statement from Commissioner Reese, the Minister of Finance and Planning and the Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce of Jamaica spoke about the importance of AEO to enhance trade facilitation and security. On the occasion, Mr. Mujica delivered a keynote speech on the importance of AEO Programmes and other international initiatives, the vital role of the private sector, and the impact of AEO in promoting global trade and economic competitiveness.

Jamaica is the first English speaking Caribbean country to launch a full AEO programme, which is an example of strong political will and engagement with the Caribbean region as a whole in order to implement WCO instruments and tools such as the WCO SAFE Framework. This is also reflected in the high level event organized by Jamaica Customs to launch its programme, headed by two Ministers and key representatives from the private sector, other Customs Administrations from the region, and several regional organizations including the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC), and international organizations such as the WCO.