Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya welcomed Mr. Meliton Arrocha, Panama’s Minister of Commerce and Industries, and H.E. Mr. Dario Chiru, Panama’s Ambassador in Belgium, to the WCO on 27 February.

A range of issues of mutual interest were discussed, including regional integration, in respect of which Mr. Mikuriya emphasized the key role that Customs played in implementing global standards to ensure connectivity.

Also high on the agenda was the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and its implementation. Secretary General Mikuriya welcomed the forthcoming establishment of a National Trade Facilitation Committee in Panama and urged Minister Arrocha to consider Customs as a key partner and central player in that Committee to contribute to successful TFA implementation.

Minister Arrocha expressed Panama’s keen interest in the protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), an issue of high importance in Panama. Secretary General Mikuriya underlined the positive collaboration between the WCO and Panama to date on all matters related to IPR. Panama was an active partner and regularly participated in regional IPR operations. The Secretary General pledged his ongoing support for all IPR-related activities in Panama and the sub-region, including through the use of the WCO’s IPM tool.