At the invitation of the World Economic Forum, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya participated in its annual meeting held in Davos from 20 to 23 January 2016 where he met global leaders, explained the role of Customs and contributed to various sessions.

Secretary General Mikuriya spoke to trade ministers and business leaders about the implementation modalities of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation, including business engagement and Coordinated Border Management, as well as the new challenges of digital trade.

He also took this opportunity to raise the profile of Customs on security and illicit trade, including counterfeiting and protection of cultural heritage and wildlife, through contributions to numerous sessions and bilateral networking. 

The high-level participants appreciated the WCO's contribution to and collaboration with a range of initiatives, such as the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation.