At the invitation of newly appointed Chairman of State Revenue Committee of Armenia, Mr. Vardan Harutyunyan, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya visited Yerevan, Armenia on 18 October 2016.  Together with Chairman Harutyunyan and Vice-Chair for the WCO Europe Region, Dr. Bettina Vogl-Lang, Director, Customs Duties Directorate, Austria Federal Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mikuriya opened the WCO Regional Conference on "WCO Mercator Programme", funded by the Customs Cooperation Fund China, held in Yerevan with the support of Armenia Customs.  He commended the host administration for inviting other border agencies and business representatives as a basis for coordinated border management in a single window environment.

Secretary General Mikuriya had a meeting with the Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, who was appointed head of the Armenia's new government last month.  The Prime Minister explained his plan for Customs reform as a priority for the government and asked for the continuous WCO support in streamlining border procedures.  Congratulating the Prime Minister for his new appointment, Dr. Mikuriya praised the progress in Customs modernization, including the use of information technology and the introduction of one-stop border facilities, and suggested further measures like the Time Release Study (TRS) to improve the business climate while further protecting society.

President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia received Secretary General Mikuriya, and appreciated the WCO's sustained support for Armenia's Customs reform.  They discussed about the upcoming opening of modernized borders with Georgia, and future similar projects with other countries including Iran.  As Armenia's trade expands towards Asia, especially China, it would be important to position the region as part of the revived Silk Road.  They also touched upon the Eurasian Economic Union, and its incoming Customs Code.  Dr. Mikuriya pledged continuous support for Armenia's Customs reform adapting to the new environment.

------------------------------------------

Photos:

1. WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya when received by President Serzh Sargsyan;

2. & 3. WCO Secretary General Mikuriya during his meeting with the Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan;

4. Dr. Mikuriya opening the WCO Regional Conference on "WCO Mercator Programme", funded by the Customs Cooperation Fund China, and, on his right, Vice-Chair for the WCO Europe Region Dr. Bettina Vogl-Lang, Director, Customs Duties Directorate, Austria Federal Ministry of Finance, Chairman of State Revenue Committee of Armenia Mr. Vardan Harutyunyan;

5. Group Photo of the participants to the Workshop, with from left to right, Vice-Chair for the WCO Europe Region Dr. Bettina Vogl-Lang, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya, Chairman of State Revenue Committee of Armenia Mr. Vardan Harutyunyan, and the Customs Attaché Mr. Xiangyang Sun, Mission of the People's Republic of China in Brussels.