Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received Secretary General of the World Customs Organization Kunio Mikuriya on September 7.

President Aliyev said Azerbaijan and the WCO maintain successful cooperation, and noted that a number of practical steps have been made in the country to modernize the customs system.

Emphasizing the importance of the customs service in terms of economy and security, the head of state said wide reforms have been conducted in Azerbaijan to ease customs procedures.

Azerbaijan has hosted a number of events addressing customs service, President Aliyev said underlining the significance of the fact that the World Customs Organization’s 10th PICARD (Partnerships in Customs Academic Research and Development) conference will be held in Baku.

In his turn, Kunio Mikuriya said the volume of global customs transportation is increasing, adding it is important to increase professionalism in this area.

He said international transportation management issues are of profound importance in many countries, expressing confidence that the WCO’s 10th PICARD conference in Baku will contribute to the efforts to address these issues.

Mikuriya thanked the head of state for supporting the customs service. He said that the World Customs Organization has its Regional Training Center in Baku, adding the new Regional Cynology Training Center will open in the Azerbaijani capital.

The sides further discussed prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Organization.

The PICARD Conference which will begin its work in Baku on September 8 will discuss the ways of developing customs business in the world, said Aydin Aliyev, the head of the Azerbaijan State Customs Committee.

He made the remarks during a meeting with WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya on September 7.

Over 200 delegates from 53 countries are expected to participate in the conference. The representatives of more than 20 international organizations will also take part in the event.

“Some very important tasks stand before the customs,” Aliyev said. “These tasks are particularly important during the current global economy. On the one hand, customs officers must oversee revenue to the state budget, and on the other – to ensure the fight against smuggling and the economic security of the state.

“Tomorrow's debate will raise these questions. New ideas that contribute to the development of the customs science will be made, and we hope that together with the scientists will be able to find new ways of development of customs.”

The PICARD program was launched by the World Customs Organization in 2006 to provide a framework for cooperation between Customs and the academic world.

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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar

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