Thursday 26 November

12:00-13:10

Capacity building and the PICARD Programme

Moderator: Dashgin Aliyev (Technical Attaché, Capacity Building Directorate, World Customs Organization)

The Mercator Programme and the latest developments in capacity building activities and the PICARD Programme (tbc) (5 mins)
− Jonathan Fellows (Acting Deputy Director, Capacity Building Directorate, World Customs Organization) See presentation

Customs capacity building through Partnership in Customs Academic Research and Development (PICARD): Achievements and future directions (8 mins)
− Juha Hintsa (Cross-Border Research Association, Switzerland) and Mikhail Kashubsky (Head of Secretariat, International Network of Customs Universities) See presentation

The WCO’s impact to date and lessons learned: The road from Columbus to Competency (8 mins)
− David Hesketh (Hesketh Consultancy Ltd., UK) See presentation

How to better utilize the PICARD Programme in the WCO capacity building activities from the perspective of the WCO Asia-Pacific regional structures (8 mins)
− Tong Hua (Programme Manager, Asia-Pacific Regional Office for Capacity Building, World Customs Organization) See presentation

Question & Answer Session (39 mins)

13:10-14:30

Data-driven Customs and emerging technologies

Moderator: Milena Budimirovic (Senior Technical Officer, Procedures and Facilitation Sub-Directorate, Compliance and Facilitation Directorate, World Customs Organization)

Effectiveness and efficiency of artificial intelligence in boosting Customs performance: A case study of the RECTS at the Uganda Customs Administration (8 mins)
− Kugonza Julius and Mugalula Christabel (Uganda Revenue Authority) See presentation

How can Customs better leverage emerging technologies for more sustainable and smarter operations? (8 mins)
− Ismael Kafando (Cotecna Inspection SA, Switzerland) See presentation

Blockchain technology in post and Customs (8 mins)
− Samira Rahmanian and Morteza Farokhzad (Iran Customs) See presentation

Question & Answer Session (46 mins)

14:30-14:35

Closing Ceremony

Closing remarks: Ricardo Treviño Chapa (Deputy Secretary General, World Customs Organization)