BASC was present at the conference titled "Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit" of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program of the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which took place from April 17th to 19th in Boston, Massachusetts.
This annual summit and conference, which BASC has attended consistently, brings together logistics, security, and customs experts from around the world to discuss the latest advances in supply chain security and efficiency, as well as best practices for reducing security risks and facilitating trade.
The BASC delegation was represented by Mr. Oscar Sánchez, Chairman of the Board; Mr. Erik Moncayo, International President and Acting Executive Director; Ms. Suzanne Lemaitre, Director of Administration/Communications; Mr. Luis Renella, Director of Operations; Ms. Liliana Olague, Executive Director of BASC USA; and Ms. Beatriz Cerna, Executive Director of BASC El Salvador.
During the Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit 2023 in Boston, World BASC Organization witnessed the signing of Mutual Recognition Agreements between the CTPAT program of the United States and customs representatives from Colombia and Guatemala. The signed agreements will enable greater cooperation and collaboration between the supply chain security programs of the three countries, increasing security and efficiency in trade.
First photo: Representatives from the Guatemalan Tax Administration Superintendence (SAT), Superintendent Mr. Marco Livio Díaz Reyes, Intendant Mg. Werner Ovalle, and Head of the Authorized Economic Operator Unit, Mr. Victor Pérez, together with members of the WBO management team.
Second photo: Representatives from WBO and the BASC USA and BASC El Salvador Chapters, Oscar Sánchez - President of the WBO Board of Directors, and Carlos González - BASC Barranquilla Board of Directors - Colombia.
Third photo: Mr. Michael Looney, Director of Supply Chain Security for DHL Global Forwarding, together with the WBO management team and Oscar Sánchez, President of the WBO Board.
Important topics were discussed at the event, such as CBP initiatives and policies, including: the implementation of the Forced Labor Prevention Act; the 21st Century Customs Framework and customs modernization; planning for the Automated Commercial Environment 2.0; e-commerce challenges; green trade strategy; and the need to build resilience and preparedness to face supply chain disruptions. Additionally, the progress made in information exchange through signed MRAs, smuggling trends, and case studies on assessing trade partners and planning CTPAT program validations were covered.
The event featured more than eighty-seven speakers, representing various departments and areas of work of CBP and CTPAT, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Labor, the Food and Drug Administration, and the United States Chamber of Commerce. Delegates from the World Customs Organization (WCO) and regional customs authorities, as well as logistics and cargo handling companies, were also present.
First photo: Mr. Ian Saunders - Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. candidate for Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), alongside Erik Moncayo - International President and Acting Executive Director, and Oscar Sánchez - President of the WBO Board of Directors.
Second photo: Mr. Manuel Garza, Director of the CBP's CTPAT Program, alongside Oscar Sánchez - President of the WBO Board of Directors.
Third photo: Ms. AnnMarie Highsmith, Deputy Commissioner of CBP, together with the WBO management team and Oscar Sánchez - President of the WBO Board
Notable speakers included Customs Commissioner Troy Miller, who opened the event, and Ian Saunders, Deputy Commissioner of CBP and US candidate for Secretary-General of the World Customs Organization.
