Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to South Africa to attend World Customs Organization meeting and visit Saudi Arabia for reaching customs co-operation (with photos)

     â€‹The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, from December 3 to 5, led a delegation that included the Assistant Commissioner (Excise and Strategic Support) of Customs and Excise, Mr Rudy Hui, the Assistant Commissioner (World Customs Organization) of Customs and Excise, Mr Li Kin-kei, and other Customs officers to attend the 91st Session of the Policy Commission of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Cape Town, South Africa, and visited Saudi Arabia on December 6 and 7. During the meeting and visit, a number of customs co-operation agreements were reached with other customs administrations, including the conclusion of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with the South African Customs, AEO MRA Action Plans with Chilean Customs and Peruvian Customs, and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance (MOU) with Saudi Arabia Customs. The trip concluded yesterday (December 7).

     The Policy Commission of the WCO holds at least two sessions annually to discuss and determine the roles and functions of the WCO. Ms Ho attended this session from December 3 to 5 in the capacity of WCO Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific (A/P) Region to convey views of the A/P members to the Policy Commission.

     On December 3, Ms Ho signed the AEO MRA with the Commissioner of South African Revenue Service, Mr Edward Kieswetter, which was the first MRA signed with customs administration in the African region. This MRA will reinforce international cargo security of the two places while facilitating legitimate cross-boundary cargo movements and bringing significant benefits to AEOs on both sides, as well as enhancing their competitiveness in the international market.

     Later that same day, Mr Hui signed the AEO MRA Action Plans with the Director General of National Customs Service of Chile, Ms Alejandra Arriaza Loeb, and the Deputy National Superintendent of Customs of the National Superintendence of Customs and Tax Administration (SUNAT) of Peru, Mr Jyns Jose Francisco Ordonez Torres, marking a significant step for Hong Kong Customs in extending the MRA network to South America.

     The signing of the MRA with South Africa Customs brings the total number of MRAs ratified between Hong Kong Customs and other Customs administrations to 16. The other 15 Customs administrations with which Hong Kong has signed MRAs are Mainland China, India, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Macao, China and Bahrain. Under the MRAs, AEOs from the signatory countries or regions can enjoy reciprocal trade facilitations including reduced Customs inspection and prioritised clearance. In expanding the MRA network, Hong Kong Customs will continue to accord priority to discussions with the Belt and Road economies, particularly member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), as well as African and South American countries.

     On December 6, Ms Ho and the delegation arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and signed an MOU with the Governor of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority of Saudi Arabia, Mr Suhail bin Muhammad Abanmi. This MOU is the first Customs Co-operative Arrangement (CCA) signed between Hong Kong Customs and the Customs Authority of the GCC Member States in the Middle East region, which will help strengthen intelligence and information exchange for combating cross-boundary crimes and promote closer ties in trade facilitation. Currently, Hong Kong Customs has signed 33 similar CCAs with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, Macao Customs Service, and 31 overseas customs administrations.

In addition, Ms Ho on December 7 paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr Chang Hua, to share insights on Customs co-operation and trade facilitation between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.

Separately, Mr Hui attended the two-day Zakat, Tax and Customs Conference on December 4 and 5 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The conference, conducted under the theme "Shaping Tomorrow for Sustainable Ecosystems", gathered delegates from customs and tax administrations and international organisations, as well as stakeholders from diverse sectors, to exchange perspectives on various subjects concerning customs and trade.