Head of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan meets with the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization

A meeting was held in Brussels between the Head of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan, Mr. Maksat Hudaykulyyev, and Mr. Ian Saunders, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization, on the margins of the 147th/148th Sessions of the WCO Council, to which the delegation of Turkmenistan is participating.

During the meeting, the Head of the State Customs Service briefed the Secretary General on the ongoing efforts in Turkmenistan to modernize customs infrastructure, upgrade customs checkpoints and introduce advanced approaches in customs administration. It was emphasized that these reforms are being carried out with the strong support of the Government of Turkmenistan.

Special attention was given to the activities of the WCO Regional Training Centre in Turkmenistan. The Head of the Service noted that, since the opening of the Centre, significant work has been carried out to train and enhance the professional capacity of customs officers. He underlined that Turkmenistan attaches great importance to human resource development in the customs sphere and stands ready to host regional WCO training activities at the Centre, noting that the Turkmen side has valuable practical experience to share with its partners.

The WCO Secretary General highly appreciated the progress made in the modernization of Turkmenistan’s customs system. He warmly recalled his working visit to Turkmenistan in the framework of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries LLDC3, during which he visited the Turkmenbashi International Seaport and personally observed the level of modern transport and logistics infrastructure developed in the country.

Mr. Saunders also highlighted the important role of the WCO Regional Training Centre in Turkmenistan in strengthening professional capacity and training qualified customs specialists. He confirmed the readiness of the World Customs Organization to continue providing support aimed at ensuring the effective operation of the Centre.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Head of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan reaffirmed the country’s commitment to further improving its customs system, strengthening international cooperation and sharing practical experience. He also expressed readiness to continue familiarizing the WCO leadership with the latest developments and new stages of modernization of customs checkpoints in Turkmenistan.