Louise Ho leads delegation to South Africa to attend meeting, visit Saudi Arabia for reaching customs cooperation

​The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Louise Ho, from December 3 to 5, led a delegation that included the Assistant Commissioner (Excise and Strategic Support) of Customs and Excise, Rudy Hui, the Assistant Commissioner (World Customs Organization) of Customs and Excise, Li Kin-kei, and other Customs officers to attend the 91st Session of the Policy Commission of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Cape Town, South Africa, and visited Saudi Arabia on December 6 and 7.

During the meeting and visit, a number of customs cooperation agreements were reached with other customs administrations, including the conclusion of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with the South African Customs, AEO MRA Action Plans with Chilean Customs and Peruvian Customs, and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance (MOU) with Saudi Arabia Customs. The trip concluded yesterday (December 7).

The Policy Commission of the WCO holds at least two sessions annually to discuss and determine the roles and functions of the WCO. Ho attended this session from December 3 to 5 in the capacity of WCO Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific (A/P) Region to convey the views of the A/P members to the Policy Commission.

On December 3, Ho signed the AEO MRA with the Commissioner of South African Revenue Service, Edward Kieswetter, which was the first MRA signed with the customs administration in the African region. This MRA will reinforce the international cargo security of the two places while facilitating legitimate cross-boundary cargo movements and bringing significant benefits to AEOs on both sides, as well as enhancing their competitiveness in the international market.

On December 6, Ho and the delegation arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and signed an MOU with the Governor of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority of Saudi Arabia, Suhail bin Muhammad Abanmi. This MOU is the first Customs Co-operative Arrangement (CCA) signed between Hong Kong Customs and the Customs Authority of the GCC Member States in the Middle East region, which will help strengthen intelligence and information exchange for combating cross-boundary crimes and promote closer ties in trade facilitation. Currently, Hong Kong Customs has signed 33 similar CCAs with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, Macao Customs Service, and 31 overseas customs administrations.

In addition, Ho on December 7 paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Chang Hua, to share insights on Customs cooperation and trade facilitation between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.

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