Nigeria’s Customs DG hands over WCO-WCA Vice Chairmanship to Mali’s Amadou Konate (Pictures)

August 14, 2024

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Nigeria’s Customs DG hands over WCO-WCA Vice Chairmanship to Mali’s Amadou Konate (Pictures)

In a significant leadership transition, the Director-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, officially transferred the Vice Chairmanship of the World Customs Organisation – West and Central Africa (WCO-WCA) region to his counterpart, the Director-General of Mali Customs, Amadou Konate.

The handover ceremony took place on the 13th of August, 2024, during a formal meeting of the WCO-WCA in Abuja, underscoring the region’s commitment to collaborative governance in customs administration.

This seamless transition highlights the WCO-WCA region’s dedication to sustained leadership and cooperation. The Vice Chairmanship role is crucial for steering strategic initiatives, promoting regional integration, and ensuring that member countries uphold international best practices in customs operations.

During his handover speech, DG Adeniyi reflected on the accomplishments of his tenure, which included enhanced regional cooperation, extensive capacity building, and the introduction of innovative technologies that have significantly improved customs processes across the member states.

He expressed his confidence in DG Konate’s ability to continue these initiatives, emphasizing the importance of unity and shared objectives in advancing the region’s customs framework.

In his acceptance speech, DG Amadou Konate expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him by his colleagues and acknowledged the substantial progress achieved by his predecessor. He pledged to build upon Nigeria’s leadership foundations, with a focus on strengthening cooperation, improving revenue generation, and addressing challenges such as smuggling and transnational crime.

The leadership handover is seen as a reaffirmation of the region’s commitment to the principles of the WCO, which include enhancing global trade security and facilitation. With Mali now at the helm, the WCO-WCA region is poised to continue its trajectory of growth, innovation, and improved customs governance.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from various member states, who lauded the smooth transition and pledged their support for the new Vice Chair. The change in leadership comes at a critical time when the WCO-WCA is prioritising areas such as digital transformation, capacity building, and combating illicit trade—key factors for the region’s economic development.

As the WCO-WCA region, encompassing 24 member countries, plays a vital role in the global customs community, this leadership transition is expected to further strengthen its contributions to global trade facilitation and security.

See pictures below: