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Ready Before Disaster Strikes: WCO Symposium Puts Customs Preparedness in the Spotlight

• Customs preparedness helps essential relief supplies reach affected communities swiftly while maintaining appropriate controls.
• Effective disaster relief requires coordinated action by Customs, humanitarian organizations and logistics partners.
• WCO instruments and practical tools support national procedures, contingency planning and continuity of operations.

On 3 November 2026, the World Customs Organization (WCO) held a hybrid symposium at its Headquarters in Brussels on the role of Customs in disaster relief. More than 190 participants joined the event, which brought together Customs administrations, international organizations and humanitarian and logistics practitioners. The symposium was funded through the Customs Cooperation Fund of Korea (CCF/Korea).

The discussions highlighted that effective disaster relief begins with preparedness, and that Customs, government agencies, humanitarian organizations and logistics partners must work together before crises occur to ensure life-saving supplies reach affected communities swiftly, safely and securely. The symposium also underscored the importance of WCO instruments and tools in supporting Customs to prepare and respond to disruptive events, including the Revised Kyoto Convention, the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS Convention) and Istanbul Convention. Additionally, the Guidelines on disaster management and supply chain continuity, the WCO Guide to Stress Tests, and the key principles of the SAFE Framework of Standards further support Customs administrations in facilitating the clearance of relief consignments.

Addressing the symposium, WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders emphasized that Customs is a critical link in ensuring timely delivery of relief supplies. He highlighted the role of countries dispatching, transiting and receiving aid in expediting its delivery, and called for Customs to be fully involved in national disaster management arrangements. Partnerships, reliable communication and pre-tested procedures are essential to sustaining operations, including when Customs officers themselves are affected.

He encouraged Members to translate WCO standards into effective national procedures, drawing on the Revised Kyoto Convention, the Istanbul Convention and practical preparedness tools. Linking disaster readiness to the WCO’s 2026 theme, “Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment”, he urged participants to turn shared experience into practical action as all share a common goal of protecting citizens when disaster strikes.

The evolving humanitarian landscape

Jean-Cédric Meeùs, Chief of Global Transport and Logistics at UNICEF, delivered the keynote address on “Future-ready Customs: Implications of the Evolving Humanitarian Landscape for Disaster Response”.

He examined the Humanitarian Reset focusing on the need to avoid duplication and to harmonize processes, highlighting their potential implications for Customs. Against a backdrop of rising humanitarian needs and growing resource constraints, he urged Customs administrations to embed already agreed tax and duty exemption agreements for humanitarian and development imports directly into national legislation and digital Customs clearance systems.

Customs experiences in protecting society and saving lives

The WCO Secretariat highlighted the Organization’s support to Members in strengthening disaster preparedness and response over the years through free e-learning courses and various instruments and a breadth of practical tools including the WCO Council Resolution on natural disaster relief, and the Secretariat Notes on establishing and utilizing essential goods lists during a disaster. Drawing on their recent experiences with hurricanes and the Ebola outbreak, respectively, the Jamaica Customs Agency and the Democratic Republic of the Congo shared national approaches to emergency preparedness and response. Both presenters underscored the importance of balancing the rapid clearance of relief consignments with effective Customs controls among others.

Disaster preparedness requires coordination

A panel discussion followed, bringing together representatives from Türkiye Customs, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Global Logistics and Telecommunications Cluster to share practical experiences and discuss how cooperation strengthens disaster preparedness.

Panellists explored how preparedness should evolve to address increasingly complex and interconnected crises. Discussions examined challenges in clearing medical supplies, recurring bottlenecks in humanitarian logistics, and the role of technology and information sharing in facilitating relief consignments while maintaining appropriate controls.

The discussion highlighted that effective response requires preparation well before an emergency occurs. Tested contingency plans, clear clearance procedures, trained personnel and resilient systems help Customs maintain essential operations during disruptions. Clear responsibilities, reliable contact points and joint simulation exercises also strengthen coordination among Customs, government agencies, humanitarian organizations and logistics providers.

A recurring message throughout the panel session was the need to plan and prepare before a disaster strikes. It was emphasized that effective preparedness depends on sustained cooperation and shared responsibility, with planning focused on a coordinated border response, involving border agencies, humanitarian organizations and the trade community. By embedding preparedness in regular institutional planning and translating lessons learned into practical improvements, Customs and its partners can strengthen operational readiness and help essential supplies reach affected communities when they are needed most.

In closing the symposium, the WCO Secretariat stressed the importance of preparatory work well before the catastrophic event occurs and to ensure that decisions made at the national level are guided by international standards. It was highlighted that proposals for solutions at the international level that were proffered during the symposium will be part of future discussions among Members, particularly at the WCO’s Permanent Technical Committee.

(https://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2026/november/ready-before-disaster-strikes-wco-symposium-puts-customs-preparedness-in-the-spotlight.aspx)