The Bahamas has been a member of the World Customs Organization since August 16, 1974. Since becoming a member of the organization the country of benefited from technical expertise and advice from the organization.
The World Customs Organization (WCO), established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.
Today, the WCO represents 183 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade. As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only international organization with competence in Customs matters and can rightly call itself the voice of the international Customs community.
The WCO’s governing body – the Council – relies on the competence and skills of a Secretariat and a range of technical and advisory committees to accomplish its mission. The Secretariat comprises over 100 international officials, technical experts and support staff of some nationalities.
As a forum for dialogue and exchange of experiences between national Customs delegates, the WCO offers its Members a range of Conventions and other international instruments, as well as technical assistance and training services provided either directly by the Secretariat, or with its participation. The Secretariat also actively supports its Members in their endeavors to modernize and build capacity within their national Customs administrations.
Besides the vital role played by the WCO in stimulating the growth of legitimate international trade, its efforts to combat fraudulent activities are also recognized internationally. The partnership approach championed by the WCO is one of the keys to building bridges between Customs administrations and their partners. By promoting the emergence of an honest, transparent and predictable Customs environment, the WCO directly contributes to the economic and social well-being of its Members.
Finally, in an international environment characterized by instability and the ever-present threat of terrorist activity, the WCO’s mission to enhance the protection of society and the national territory, and to secure and facilitate international trade, takes on its full meaning.
Recently, The Bahamas Customs Department has taken full advantage of the developing relationship with the WCO. On March 22nd, 2018, a WCO training program was launched by the Bahamas Customs & Excise Department. The Program, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, consists of 26 missions over a two-year period and comprises of three components: organizational development, human resources and governance. Thus far, courses such as Gulf CBR and Data Modeling have been offered. As the Bahamas aims to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) within two years, this Program is also intended to prepare the country for WTO accession.
