2016 WCO IT Conference and Exhibition


2017 WCO IT Conference & Exhibition

Location: Tbilisi, Georgia

Date: 7-9 June 2017

Enquiries: WCOIT2017@wcoomd.org


Digital Customs

- Accelerating Connectivity – Bridging the Divide -

 

2016 WCO IT Conference

1-3 June, Dakar, Senegal


ITC in Senegal, the land of Teranga


The 2016 WCO IT Conference & Exhibition is moving to Senegal, the Land of Teranga.  In Wolof, the country’s national language, Teranga means hospitality, which is given such importance in Senegalese culture that it is widely considered to be part of the national identity. Senegalese people take pride in their hospitality and their country and make great efforts to welcome visitors and to introduce them to their language and customs.


The Customs Administration of Senegal is wholeheartedly inviting you to the 2016 WCO ITC in Dakar, the westernmost point in Africa and one of the key seaports on the western African coast. Dakar is one of tropical Africa’s leading industrial and service centers. It is a vibrant city and one of the most visited destinations in Western Africa.


Digital Customs


Do Customs administrations have the ability and flexibility to respond to the ever-growing challenges faced with the growth of trade and changes in trade patterns?

Experience shows that Customs is among the leading agencies, if not the leading agency at the border, when it comes to reform and modernization, especially when it comes to automation. But, can Customs afford to purely rely on its existing abilities to adapt to change in the digital world of today and tomorrow?


Embracing information technology, investing into research and development, fostering innovation and thinking out of the box are only the beginning of finding solutions to these questions. Whether we are ready or not, the digital world is here to stay and will influence how we do business in the future...


The WCO has launched comprehensive discussions on Digital Customs, as a response to the continuous challenges imposed by the demanding pace of the ever-changing digital landscape of today. Aim of the WCO Digital Customs Concept is to serve as a conceptual framework to support Member administrations in understanding and implementing the ICT-related standards, tools, instruments and guidelines that have already been developed by the WCO.


The IT Conference is an important WCO event contributing to the shaping of Customs ICT-related initiatives.  The Customs-Private Sector dialogue, taking place at this diverse and exciting forum, contributes and will continue to contribute to the shaping of Customs and other regulatory bodies’ IT solutions and efforts.


The 2016 WCO IT Conference will endeavour to explore technologically-enabled Customs-to-Customs, as well as Customs-to-Other Agencies’ cooperation mechanisms, and will take a look at emerging trends and technological developments that could provide new capabilities and opportunities, or impact how Customs currently facilitates trade and performs regulatory tasks.


The Conference will provide a platform for bringing together key partners from Customs administrations, relevant agencies and ministries, regional economic communities, private sector, international organizations, development partners and academia. It will allow sharing experiences and conducting strategic discussions on many topics of relevance for facilitating and securing the movement of information, goods and people across borders.


2016 Conference Objectives


Explore implications of the digital world on Customs and other Government agencies in the future.


Showcase private sector and Governments’ most recent technological developments that will provide new capabilities and opportunities and impact how Customs facilitates trade and performs its regulatory tasks.


Monitor emerging trends, including IT solutions for exchange of information between Customs and between Customs and other agencies.

Seek potential areas of synergy amongst relevant stakeholders at national, regional and international level.


Participant Profile


The 2016 WCO IT Conference and Exhibition will bring together Customs authorities, representatives from other border regulatory agencies, the IT sector, international organizations, development partners, regional economic communities, the broader business community including trade, transport and logistics bodies, lending institutions and other international trade stakeholders.


Conference Registration


This unsurpassed package comprises the three-day conference, refreshment breaks and lunches, dinners, and a delegate pack that includes access to all presentations. For further information on registration fees and conditions, please use this link.


The World Customs Organization (WCO), established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.


Today, the WCO represents 180 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade. As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only international organization with competence in Customs matters and can rightly call itself the voice of the international Customs community.


The WCO’s governing body – the Council – relies on the competence and skills of a Secretariat and a range of technical and advisory committees to accomplish its mission. The Secretariat, comprising over 100 international officials, technical experts and support staff of some nationalities.


As a forum for dialogue and exchange of experiences between national Customs delegates, the WCO offers its Members a range of Conventions and other international instruments, as well as technical assistance and training services provided either directly by the Secretariat, or with its participation. The Secretariat also actively supports its Members in their endeavours to modernize and build capacity within their national Customs administrations.


Besides the vital role played by the WCO in stimulating the growth of legitimate international trade, its efforts to combat fraudulent activities are also recognized internationally. The partnership approach championed by the WCO is one of the keys to building bridges between Customs administrations and their partners. By promoting the emergence of an honest, transparent and predictable Customs environment, the WCO directly contributes to the economic and social well-being of its Members.


Finally, in international environment characterized by instability and ever-present threat of terrorist activity, the WCO's mission to enhance the protection of society and the national territory, and to secure and facilitate international trade, takes on its full meaning.