Kunio Mikuriya, WCO Secretary General, discusses single windows with the conference's hosts from Morrocan Customs
In his opening speech at the World Customs Organisation IT Conference in Marrakesh, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya emphasised the importance of developing single window systems and called for a "whole of government effort" towards achieving this goal. At a conference which acknowledged that most of the technical impediments to the single window had been overcome, the focus shifted to the administrative hurdles of inter-agency
co-ordination and legislative reform. Mr Mikuriya emphasised that, "Without political leadership and commitment it is difficult to make progress in solving these administrative and legislative issues as we often observe in the real world."
During the conference it was clear that national administrations were making this commitment as successful projects were presented ranging from embryonic to comprehensive systems and even collaboration efforts across borders. Although based on the same single window principles there were a variety of approaches on display. In his closing speech, Conference Chair Allen Bruford praised this diversity reminding delegates that, "The fact that not all single windows look and feel the same is not a bad thing."
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 68, Spring 2009
