The Vanuatu Department of Customs and Inland Revenue (DCIR) has assigned strategic priority to risk management development for both the managerial and technical levels of their organization.

Against this background, a Workshop on Risk Management was organized by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and financed by the Customs Cooperation Fund - Japan. The Workshop was held in Port Vila, Customs Wharf Office, from 24 to 28 August 2015, for 15 staff.

The aim of the workshop was to draft a Risk Management Plan for the DCIR. Vanuatu DCIR has in place a documented Strategic Plan, an implementation Business Plan and Risk Management Framework. To ensure better delivery towards the Strategic Plan and Business Plan goals, the DCIR Director and his two Deputy Directors (Customs & Inland Revenue) expect all staff to make decisions and allocate resources based on risk management.

The participants drafted a comprehensive Risk Management Plan that included high-level risks and subsequent treatments to mitigate those risks. This is the first Risk Management Plan drafted for the organization and complements their reform and modernization programme.

On the last day of the workshop, three representatives presented the Risk Management Plan to the Deputy Directors. After several questions and clarifications, it was clear that officers understood organizational risk management and were discussing ways to implement the plan in their respective work areas.