26-27 July 2024, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

With the invitation of the Oceania Customs Organization (OCO) Secretariat, Mr. Jun Tajima, the Head of the ROCB A/P, participated in the 26th OCO Annual Conference in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

The Conference was attended by 20 Heads and Senior Customs Representatives, held under the theme “Strengthening Partnerships for Dynamic Solutions and a Future-ready Blue Pacific.”

The OCO is an important partner to the ROCB A/P. The latest two Members of the WCO are from OCO Members: Solomon Islands (2023) and Palau (2024). There are three RKC contracting parties of OCO Members which are non-WCO Members: Kiribati(2018), Cook Islands(2019) and Tuvalu(2019). This illustrates the successful efforts by the OCO that encourages its Members to align with international standards, which the ROCB A/P pursues.

The Conference was opened by the Prime Minister of Cook Islands, stressing the vital role of Customs to tackle with drugs trafficking by transnational organised criminals; it requires Customs in the pacific to keep up with technology and regional cooperation among law enforcement agencies and partners.

During the Conference, Members discussed current and emerging issues, share achievements and experiences, and chart the path forward for Customs modernization and regional cooperation. Jun made a presentation, on behalf of the WCO, about the overview of the WCO as well as its benefits to become a Member.  He introduced that the majority of the WCO Members’ financial contribution to the WCO per day is less than staying a hotel of the Conference venue; with that contribution, Members enjoy opportunities to apply long-term scholarship and many more.

In introduction of the ROCB A/P with its new leadership, Jun explained that the ROCB A/P will have good communication with Members so that WCO Workshops are even more targeted and effective, thus they bring more impacts on Members’ modernisation efforts.

The ROCB A/P iterated its intention to support OCO’s activities by inviting future WCO Sub-Regional Workshops held in RTC Fiji, based on the MoU between the WCO and the OCO, and it also expressed its gratitude to the host Administration of Cook Islands for its warm hospitality.

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