From 8 to 12 April 2024, the 6th  Edition of the IMF Advanced Programme on Tax and Customs Administration Management was delivered in Antigua Guatemala as a joint initiative between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) through its Technical Assistance Center for Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic (CAPTAC-DR), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT),  the Institute of Fiscal Studies of Spain (IEF), the National Distance Education University (UNED), and the WCO through the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP).

This endeavour aligns with the WCO theme for this year, “Customs Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose”, with the clear aspiration of enhancing the mid and high-level managerial capabilities of the Tax and Customs administrations of Central America, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. The programme comprised two phases: a virtual component, which started on 25 October 2023, and an in-person workshop held from 8 to 12 April 2024 in Antigua, Guatemala, with the participation of 29 Customs and Tax officials, who approved the first phase.

Through active sessions and case studies, participants enhanced their capacities to successfully implement Strategic Planning, Risk Management, Project Management, Gender, Integrity, and Transparency. In addition, the Customs and Tax representatives were equipped with soft skills and techniques in Change Management, Adaptive Leadership, and Conflict Management, among others. During this edition, the WCO facilitated the discussion on the importance of Change Management within Tax and Customs administrations.

The WCO joined this initiative in 2020 under the GTFP framework and has supported the graduation of more than 150 Customs and Tax officials from the region. The WCO and the Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO) highlight the essentialness of organizational development in Customs administrations toward modernization efforts.

For more information on the GTFP, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org