Mekong Customs Officials Meet to Set Priorities for Cooperation
BANGKOK, THAILAND - High-level customs officials from five countries sharing the Mekong River have agreed on a set of priority issues to be tackled in the medium term as part of a common action plan. They were attending the First Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Heads of Customs Administrations Meeting held in Bangkok on 14-15 September. Co-organized by ADB, Customs Department of Thailand, and the World Customs Organization (WCO) Regional Capacity Building Office, the meeting included top officials from Cambodia, People’s Republic of China (PRC), Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand, and Viet Nam. GMS delegations discussed the status of customs modernization, challenges faced and progress made to date. They also discussed related key global and regional initiatives and developments, such as: - Revised Kyoto Convention;
- Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade;
- Istanbul Convention, which provides simplified and harmonized procedures and standardized model Customs documents for temporary importation of goods;
- GMS Cross-Border Transport Agreement; and
- Capacity building needs among GMS countries.
The Meeting stressed the importance of adopting global standards through regional initiatives, particularly, the GMS Cross-Border Transport Agreement, and indicated their support to expedite its implementation. During the conference, the Heads of Customs Administration Meeting was endorsed as an annual forum. Participants also identified a set of priority issues to be undertaken over the medium term as part of a common action plan. Thailand offered to provide the services of its customs training center in Bangkok to support workshops and capacity building. The PRC likewise agreed to provide similar support from its network of training institutions. The Meeting strongly requested ADB and WCO to play important roles in providing technical and financial support to GMS customs enhancement. About ADB | 
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