Laos, Cambodia cooperation on customs

(KPL) - The customs departments of Laos and Cambodia have agreed to strengthen their mutual cooperation and assistance in trade and customs.

The two delegations met at their first bilateral talks on cooperation and mutual assistance and signed a common memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation and exchange, on 20 June, in the Lao Capital of Vientiane.

The MoU was inked by the Director General of the Lao Customs Department
Santiphab Phomvihane, and the Director General of the Cambodian Customs and
Excise Department, Dr Pen Siman. Mr Santiphab said "This marks the first
cooperation between our two customs administration." During the meeting the
two sides discussed their works and experiences in customs reform and
modernisation.

They agreed to meet every two years to review and strengthen
the cooperation.

The two parties emphasised the need for information
exchange on anti-smuggling activities, commercial fraud, illegal
cross-border transportation of goods, intellectual property rights and customs legislation related violations. The two sides also agreed to minimise customs formalities to facilitate trade.

Mr Santiphab said Cambodia had lessons it could provide for the Lao Customs
Department to improve its work and cooperate with other countries. But, he
said, the most important thing was to have human resource competency. The
Cambodian customs and excise sector has developed very fast through the introduction of technologies.