Suva, Fiji, December 14, 2020- Keeping our borders secure from illicit trade is not only the concern of regulatory bodies but is a national effort, says OCO acting Head of Secretariat, Mrs. Irma Daphne Stone. “Regulatory bodies such as customs administrations alone cannot battle against unscrupulous traders. We need to have a collaborative approach of…
Suva, December 10, 2020– If there is one major change enforced by COVID-19, it has been the increased use of digital technology to continue operations. In the Pacific region and like the world all over, e-commerce is now relevant more than ever. “Our customs officers need to quickly learn how to adapt to these changes…
December 03, 2020– Customs and Immigration officers in the region are being trained by the Australian Border Force (ABF) to use the Pacific Small Craft Application, which has been developed for the Pacific by Australia’s Department of Home Affairs and the ABF. Since mid-November, Customs and Immigration officers have been attending the two-hour weekly Virtual…
December 04, 2020– Information sharing is now important more than ever, OCO Acting Head of Secretariat, Irma Daphney Stone says following the conclusion of another Information Sharing Working Group (ISWG) meeting on November 24. The meeting, which is held every quarter comprises six members who have been elected from the 23 OCO member countries. The…
November 20, 2020– Nineteen customs officers and five other law enforcement officers from 13 Pacific Island countries, consisting of six females and eighteen males recently completed the basic All Partners Access Network (APAN) training- A Starter Pack for OCO Intelligence Contact Points, aimed to assist the countries in their gathering and sharing of information on…
November 17, 2020– Fourteen Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are in various stages of implementing the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which require Parties to gradually phase down the production and use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). HFCs are greenhouse gases commonly used in air conditioning and refrigeration. The Kigali Amendment came into effect in 2019 and…
Greetings from the OCO Secretariat! We are pleased to present the OCO E-Newsletter for the period July – September 2020. In this edition we bring you up to speed on: • Activities for the period July – September 2020 • Getting countries PACER Plus ready • Preparatory works for WCO Master Training Program • Role…
Suva, Fiji, November 03, 2020– Customs administrations in the region are faced with similar challenges due to COVID-19 but have agreed to work together and collaborate more to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic. At the conclusion of the OCO Heads Annual Conference on October 20, themed “Working together to build a safer Blue Pacific”, leaders…
Suva, Fiji, October 19, 2020– Revenue security is a priority for Heads of Customs administrations in the Oceania region when they virtually meet tomorrow (Tuesday, October 20) for their annual conference. “We all know the chaos COVID-19 has caused and the impacts on various economies, for customs organisations in the Pacific region it is critical…
Greetings and Bula vinaka! Please access the link below to the Islands Business feature (Sept-Oct issue) by the OCO Secretariat in celebration of Fiji’s 50th Year of Independence; https://islandsbusiness.com/pacific-market/partner-advertorials/item/2983-happy-50th-independence-day-viti.html Vinaka
