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WCO Secretary General Speaks to the Value of AEO Programmes at the 2026 WTO Global Review of Aid for Trade

• WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders participates in Rwanda Session of the WTO 10^th Global Review of Aid for Trade
• Calls for further development of AEO programmes, setting a future direction towards greater regional and global integration of trusted supply chains.
• Meets with WTO Director General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on WCO-WTO partnership and collaboration.

Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Ian Saunders, travelled to Geneva, Switzerland, for the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 10^th Global Review of Aid for Trade. This Global Review focuses on the impact of trade development interventions and looks at how strong partnerships can help developing economies address their trade-related challenges and create new opportunities for all economies. The Secretary General participated in a panel on how to enhance trade facilitation through Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) schemes.

(The WCO Secretary General participated in a panel on AEO schemes)

Supporting international trade

Joining senior leaders from the Customs Administrations of Rwanda and Uganda, TradeMark Africa and the East African Community Secretariat for a policy dialogue on trade facilitation in the East African Community, the Secretary General highlighted the benefits of AEO programmes. He emphasized their role in facilitating trade and the WCO’s global technical expertise in supporting their implementation, noting the next challenge for Customs and the private sector is to advance the regional and global integration of trusted supply chains.

MSME integration

Secretary General Saunders reinforced the importance making AEO programmes accessible for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). The 2025 WCO SAFE Framework of Standards emphasizes this with a new section to guide the inclusion. He also highlighted the joint WCO–WTO–International Chamber of Commerce Study Report which identifies recommendations for overcoming the barriers faced by smaller businesses and shares best practices from Customs experiences.

In addition, he noted the recently launched initiative that will become an annual focus to put the Spotlight on MSMEs. At the 43^rd SAFE WG held in mid-October, Morocco, India and the United States presented their AEO programmes and brought MSMEs to share their perspectives and journey in becoming accredited.

Based on the perspectives shared by these businesses, the Secretary General outlined the importance of adapting AEO programmes to support MSMEs throughout the certification process and ensure they receive the benefits of being an AEO such as faster clearance processes and greater predictability while maintaining the necessary security and compliance standards.

AEO success in Africa

As part of the panel discussions, the EAC Secretariat presented the EAC’s experience in implementing the AEO programme and highlighted its evolution from national initiatives into a regional framework that supports trade facilitation, enhances compliance and strengthens trusted trader programmes.

Rwanda Revenue Authority shared their experience and perspective on AEOs which was further supported by a representative from the private sector who spoke about their experience in becoming an AEO.

Uganda Customs spoke to their experiences in broadening AEO participation across the private sector and the importance of collaborating with other government agencies.

Secretary General Saunders shared the work that the WCO is doing in the Africa region to support the creation of an interconnected system of trusted traders, facilitating cross-border trade and enabling businesses of all sizes to participate through capacity building and technical assistance.

WTO-WCO partnership

While in Geneva, the Secretary General met bilaterally with his counterpart, WTO Director General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to reaffirm the strong partnership between the two organizations and their shared commitment to facilitating safe and secure international trade. The discussion provided an opportunity to exchange views of areas of mutual interest, including disruptive technologies, e-commerce, AEO programmes and MSMEs, and the continued collaboration on the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

(the WCO Secretary General met bilaterally with his counterpart, WTO Director General in Switzerland)

(Source: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2026/october/wco-secretary-general-speaks-to-the-value-of-aeo-programmes.aspx)