Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, participated in the 9th Annual Meeting of the Partnership for International Organisations, hosted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), on 5 and 6 December 2022. Held at the WOAH headquarters in Paris, France, the meeting gathered leaders of International Organizations (IOs), government representatives, academics and civil society representatives to discuss the needs of governments for effective global governance in times of crisis.
The event was chaired by the OECD Secretary-General, Dr. Angel Gurría, and the WOAH Director-General, Dr. Monique Eloit. Participants discussed the challenges faced by IOs when addressing urgent and structural global disruptions, and the importance of collaboration between IOs and governments.
In his address, the Secretary General of the WCO, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, highlighted the importance of international cooperation and the WCO’s role in supporting global customs operations and trade facilitation. He also discussed the WCO’s recent initiatives in the field of digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence in customs operations.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Trade Organization, the International Maritime Organization and the Universal Postal Union.
The 9th Annual Meeting of the Partnership for International Organisations provided a valuable platform for representatives of IOs and governments to discuss and exchange ideas on global governance in times of crisis. The discussions highlighted the need for strengthened international collaboration and the importance of effective multilateral cooperation for achieving global objectives.
Dr. Mikuriya’s focus on the future during the event was a clear reminder of the importance of assessing the impact of standards-setting in areas of disruption. He called upon the international community to strengthen the existing platform of collaboration and experience-sharing, with the goal of making international rulemaking more agile, effective, and inclusive. These objectives were further highlighted by the launch of the IO Compendium, which serves as a guide for how IOs can improve their international rulemaking. By working together and leveraging the lessons learned, IOs can develop a culture of evaluation and make sure their international rulemaking is having a positive impact.