Customs Measures to Strengthen Air Cargo Security - WCO and US Government Initiative
SECRETARY General of the WCO, Kunio Mikuriya, and US Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano, met at WCO headquarters yesterday to discuss international efforts – in particular those of the Customs community – to ensure the security of air cargo and the global aviation supply chain following recent unsuccessful attempts late last year to use air cargo as a delivery mechanism for explosive devices and as a medium for spreading terror.
WCO will be working closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and IATA (International Air Transport Association) in seeking ways in which air cargo, an important link in the global trade supply chain, can be further secured from future threats.
“Global trade is the foundation of global prosperity and any attempt to compromise or disrupt the global trading system requires a swift and concerted response from all international stakeholders: The International Customs community will be doing all it can to secure air cargo through a combination of measures including enhanced risk management, strengthened cooperation, wider intelligence and information sharing, further research, and supportive capacity building activities,” Mikuriya said.
Secretary Napolitano's visit to WCO headquarters took place after earlier meetings with top officials from the European Commission and several Members of the European Parliament. Her meetings in Belgium follow stops in Ireland, Afghanistan, Qatar and Israel in which air cargo security was on the agenda.