Suva, Fiji, December 21, 2020– OCO conducted a webinar on December 8, 2020, to sensitize members on the online modality of training to be introduced in 2021. The webinar on “Implementing competency-based training and e-learning for OCO members” provided background information for members to better understand the courses, their objectives, and administration issues.
Adapting to COVID-19 protective measures and border closures, the annual OCO Heads of Customs annual conference this year approved the use of online facilities to deliver training and build the capacity of OCO members. “OCO mission is to build the capacity of Customs Administrations to comply with international Customs Standards,” OCO Acting Head of Secretariat, Mrs. Irma Daphney Stone said. “We also need to continue to provide training to our members in areas where there are challenges even though the borders are closed.” Providing training to OCO members has always been at the core of the OCO Secretariat’s work.
The 2020/21 work program incorporated core Customs training modules based on international Customs best practice and learning tools, including, modules developed by the Centre for Customs and Excise Studies (CCES) in Australia. This also links to the OCO Professional Standard Framework (OPSF) which was designed and developed with CCES to enable training provided to members to be consistently applied and to follow a pathway that will be internationally and regionally recognized. The partnership with CCES is critical to provide the quality assurance of the training content as CCES is a WCO PICARD accredited institution.
The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service Acting CEO Ms. Fane Vave shared Fiji’s approach to training and capacity building during and post COVID19. Their training model is an example for members to aspire to and encourages individual countries in their work.
The training highlighted members’ cooperation and support is critical for the successful outcome of the program. Further, this is a regional initiative and it will create a professional cadre of Customs Officers in the region who will be able to deliver the regional capacity building to members when requested whilst at the same time contributing to training at their respective Customs Administrations.
OCO, CCES, and FRCS co-facilitated the webinar on December 8, 2020.
For more information or for any queries, please contact the Secretariat or email: mediaoco@ocosec.org
ENDS