KUWAIT CITY, June 26: The Acting Director- General of the General Administration of Kuwaiti Customs, Abdullah Al- Sharhan, says more efforts are being exerted now to face the challenges posed by the international trade environment, reports Al- Qabas daily. Al-Sharhan said this when he was addressing the Council of the World Customs Organization, which concluded at the organization’s headquarters recently in Brussels, Belgium. He pointed out strict measures were taken to confront the new smuggling routes, in addition to exchanging intelligence information and devoting commercial security.

Al-Sharhan stressed on the need to keep up with the rapid new updates in technological systems and programs, e-commerce and the digitization of data that the customs administrations of the member states of the organization seek, in addition to coordinating positions, programs and procedures to achieve this. He also stressed on the necessity of exchanging intelligence information and participating in joint operations through the customs control network for illegal trade, “which negatively affects the security and facilitation of trade.” He stressed the need to enhance the capabilities of customs officials, exchange data, and identify new methods of smuggling.

Al-Sharhan drew attention to Kuwait’s membership in the audit and review committee, which is one of the main committees in the organization. He explained the membership consists of two countries from each of the six regions, and its tasks are to provide objective and independent advice and recommendations to the Secretary- General, the Policy Committee and the Council, and it works to review annual plans and monitor the comprehensive implementation of the strategic plan to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

During the meetings, Al-Sharhan reviewed the priorities of the General Administration of Customs in Kuwait, including qualifying workers, providing all means and providing all the necessary capabilities to build their capabilities, providing technical assistance to enable them to develop customs work, achieve security and facilitate trade, and provide opportunities for them to occupy positions in the organization, represent in committees, and raise the professional level to achieve the desired goals in the strategic plan. During the regional meeting for the Middle East and North Africa region, Al-Sharhan stressed the importance of the agreement of the countries of the region on a financing mechanism for translating the work of the organization’s committees into Arabic to ensure the empowerment and activation of the participation of customs administration employees in the Arab countries, pointing out that the terms of reference document for the appointment of technical attachés for the countries of the region was also approved after the inclusion of observations Kuwait.

The meeting of the World Customs Organization Council 141/142 and the 58th regional meeting for the Middle East and North Africa region, which began on the June 21, concluded during which the organization’s budget reports 024/2023 and its financial committee were approved. The delegation of the State of Kuwait to the meetings was headed by the Acting Director General of the General Administration of Customs, Abdullah Al Sharhan. Al-Sharhan participated in the vote for the candidates for the position of Secretary-General of the World Customs Organization, which was won by the American Ian Sanders, succeeding the Japanese Kunio Mikuria.