The Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division this week welcomed a delegation from New Zealand Customs and the New Zealand High Commission as part of ongoing engagement and cooperation between the two countries on Customs Administration, International Relations, Governance, and Capacity Development.
The delegation included Joe Cannon, Deputy Chief Executive (International and Governance), New Zealand Customs, and Fiona Proudfoot, Customs Counsellor, accompanied by Jonathan Curr the New Zealand High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands.
The visiting delegation held a meeting with the Customs Executive at the Customs Conference Room, where discussions focused on matters of mutual interest and opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between Solomon Islands Customs and New Zealand Customs.
“With the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand Customs has delivered the Pacific Leadership Programme, a course supporting leadership development and organisational strengthening.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to follow up on that training and discuss further opportunities for collaboration and support to Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division”, New Zealand High Commissioner Jonathan Curr said.
New Zealand Customs Deputy Chief Executive Joe Cannon raised the issue of increasing transnational, serious and organised crime, and the shared challenge of illicit drugs affecting the region. He provided an update on Operation Kiwa, a joint inter-agency response targeted at combatting the growing threat of transnational crime.
“Operation Kiwa combines the expertise and capabilities of Customs and other agencies to deliver enhanced maritime surveillance to detect, deter, and disrupt Transnational Serious and Organised Crime, and drug flows in particular, across the Pacific. We all need to work together to stop organised transnational crime groups and their products from reaching anyone’s shores and causing harm to our people and economies,” Joe Cannon said.
The engagement highlights the importance of regional cooperation and strong relationships between customs administrations in the Pacific. Collaboration with international partners such as New Zealand Customs contributes to the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and best practices in areas including governance, border management, trade facilitation, compliance, and organisational development.
The Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division expressed its appreciation to the New Zealand Customs delegation and the New Zealand High Commission for the visit and for their continued commitment to strengthening Bilateral and Regional Cooperation.
“I wish to acknowledge and sincerely thank the New Zealand Customs delegation for visiting the Solomon Islands and for taking the time to meet with the Customs Executive.
“The discussions provided a valuable opportunity to engage on matters of mutual interest and to explore areas where we can further strengthen cooperation between Solomon Islands Customs and New Zealand Customs,” John Peter Lagi, Comptroller of Solomon Islands Customs, highlighted.
“Strong partnerships such as this are important to the continued development of our Customs administration. Through ongoing engagement, we can share knowledge, experiences and best practices, strengthen our institutional capacity, and collectively respond to the evolving challenges of Border Management and International Trade.
“We greatly value the longstanding support and partnership of New Zealand Customs and look forward to continuing this positive engagement for the benefit of both Customs administrations and the wider Pacific region.” Comptroller Lagi added.
The Division looks forward to maintaining and further developing its partnership with New Zealand Customs and other development partners in support of a modern, professional, and effective customs administration for the Solomon Islands.
