WCO Secretary General welcomes participants to the 85th Fellowship Programme

BRUSSELS : During the round table opening the 85th Fellowship Programme, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, encouraged the 15 English-speaking participants to make the most of their time at the WCO Secretariat by gaining new skills and competencies and expanding their network of contacts. Echoing the theme for 2023, dedicated to nurturing the next generation: promoting a culture of knowledge-sharing and professional pride in Customs, the Secretary General recalled how the Fellowship Programme formed a key part of this approach.

During their time at the WCO Secretariat, the Fellows will have the opportunity to take part in a Leadership and Management Development Workshop from 8 to 17 March 2023. This component of the Programme will enable them to refine their skills and knowledge, so as to contribute more effectively to the development and modernization processes of their respective administrations, especially by working on a modernization project under the guidance of a WCO tutor. A study trip to observe operational practices in a partner administration will complete the Fellowship Programme in early April.

Bringing together participants from the Administrations of Botswana, Fiji, Georgia, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea and Peru, the 85th Fellowship Programme has been made possible through the financial support of and partnership with the Customs Administrations of Japan and China, as well as Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Korea.