Arab League Holds 61st Customs Meeting
Mohamed Mandour
The 61st meeting of the directors-general of Customs in the North Africa, Near, and Middle East region convened at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States on 23 February. Organized by the General Secretariat, in collaboration with the Customs Authority of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the meeting was held in Jordan's capacity as Deputy of the World Customs Organization (WCO) and Regional Representative for the North Africa, Near, and Middle East region.
The event witnessed the participation of heads and directors of customs authorities from across the region, alongside the Secretary-General of the WCO and representatives of affiliated regional bodies.
Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Economic Affairs Sector, delivered a keynote address in which he welcomed the attending delegations from Arab customs authorities and the Secretary-General of the WCO.
He underscored the significance of this year's International Customs Day theme—"Customs Achieving Its Commitment to Efficiency, Security, and Prosperity"—as designated by the WCO. He said that this theme would serve as a catalyst for customs administrations to adopt enhanced measures aimed at achieving these strategic objectives.
Furthermore, he highlighted the pivotal role of the customs sector as a fundamental pillar of national economies, contributing to trade facilitation, revenue generation, and economic security.
The meeting's agenda encompassed a comprehensive review of key regional and international customs developments, including a summary of the proceedings of the Policy Committee; reports from the Regional Office for Capacity Building; updates from the Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices in Morocco and Riyadh; and discussions on the 2025–2028 strategic plan of the WCO.
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