WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders speaks at the 2024 WCO Technology Conference and Exhibition. Photo: Nha Trang

This is one of the WCO’s flagship annual conferences, drawing the participation from WCO member Customs administrations, border management authorities, researchers and representatives of the private sector, and providers of customs and trade compliance software solutions.

The conference theme is developed from the WCO's 2024 theme of purposeful cooperation with traditional and new partners. The event attracted over 1,000 registered participants from 117 member Customs administrations, businesses, organizations, and research institutions.

Opening speeches were delivered by Claudia Gegina Leao Nascimento, Undersecretary for Customs Administration, Secretariat of the Federal Revenue of Brazil, and Ian Saunders, Secretary General of the WCO, who underscored the role of international trade in economic development, the role of Customs in facilitating and ensuring security, for the economy, as well as the importance of partnerships to address each member's challenges and global challenges through the use of technology.

The conference opens up a great opportunity for member Customs administrations to learn about new technologies, connect, enhance global cooperation and understanding between parties, and jointly build good practices and international standards in technology application.

With a diverse agenda of the conference, speakers discuss the application of emerging technologies in customs operations, learn about advanced screening and analysis technologies, green customs, e-commerce, data models, etc.

Claudia Gegina Leao Nascimento, Undersecretary for Customs Administration, Secretariat of the Federal Revenue of Brazil speaks at the 2024 WCO Technology Conference and Exhibition. Photo: Nha Trang

Ian Saunders, Secretary General of the WCO, hopes that delegates will become leaders in recognizing, evaluating new technologies and applying them in practice.

The conference has 10 panel sessions focusing on exchanging and sharing experiences on key contents including partnerships and innovation for seamless trade; the development of data and technology for sea and road transport; revolution in air transport; emerging business models, especially e-commerce;

The potential of screening technology; the role of advanced technology in modernizing customs procedures; intelligent screening data analysis; applications of artificial intelligence; the future of customs in the digital age towards the goal of building a strategy for innovation and sustainable cooperation.

Deputy Director General Tran Duc Hung (second from left) heads the delegation of Vietnam Customs to attend the 2024 WCO Technology Conference and Exhibition. Photo: Nha Trang

The conference has six thematic sessions on digital transformation, data application, information exchange and customs cooperation, blockchain technology, internet of things, and green customs. Tech talks are also a notable activity of the conference to introduce different technology solutions.

Exhibition area of ​​the 2024 WCO Technology Conference and Exhibition. Photo: Nha Trang

The technologies and equipment introduced at the exhibition are solutions applying advanced technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, devices for screening and data analysis, security assurance, detection of fraud, drug, toxic chemicals, explosives, etc. to support customs modernization, trade facilitation, reduce customs clearance time, and maintain revenue.

The event provides an opportunity for Customs and trade management agencies to update the cutting-edge technological solutions for monitoring, managing, facilitating trade, controlling and combating smuggling.

It is also an opportunity for businesses to understand the needs and challenges that the Customs needs to overcome in order to continue researching and providing increasingly optimal technology solutions and support equipment.