A sub-regional SAFE Framework and Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Workshop, hosted by Papua New Guinea Customs and funded by the Korean Customs Co-operation Fund (CCF/Korea), was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from 7 to 10 May 2018.

The event was attended by 22 representatives from Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga Customs, as well as by Customs officers from the Australian Border Force who supported the Workshop by sharing their experiences.

The Workshop was opened by Mr. Benjamin Sine, Assistant Commissioner Enforcement, Papua New Guinea, who emphasized that changes in the international trade environment were inevitable and that being left behind was not an option, adding that the Pacific Islands had a bright future with lots of opportunities that ought to be seized.

The Workshop is the first of its kind organized for the Pacific Islands. The participating Customs administrations were very interested in learning about the process of how to implement a Trusted Trader Programme in line with Standard 3.32 of the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention General Annex Transitional Standards on Authorized Persons, Article 7.7 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, and the SAFE Framework AEO Programme.

The four-day Workshop provided a platform for acquiring knowledge and know-how on the different aspects of all the relevant schemes, as well as giving an insight into how to manage the knowledge acquired at this event for the benefit of the region. The Workshop also offered a forum for dynamic discussions on the best way forward.