Fifteen officers from Maldives Customs Service have attended a workshop on WTO Trade Facilitation National Self Assessment of Needs and Priorities from 28th September – 1st October 2009 which was held at Meerubahuru Maalan.

The main objective of this meeting was to discuss about the negotiation that is being conducted at the Geneva on WTO Trade Facilitation, to discuss importance of trade facilitation and to create a need assessment on this area. The workshop was organized by Ministry of Economic Development.

The national assessment seminar on trade facilitation contributed information on areas such as, establishment of a central information system, single window, bonded warehouse, risk management, testing facilities and procedures, co-ordination between the border enforcement agencies, advance ruling, trade licensing etc.

The workshop produced a document identifying the nation needs and priorities in Trade Facilitation. The workshop was attended by 30 participants which includes Government and Private Sector stakeholders.

Deputy Principal Collector of Customs, Mr. Mohamed Kamal, Mr. Abdul Razzaq Aboobakur and other executives attended the opening and closing ceremony of the workshop.