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Tuesday 2 July 2013

Inside the World Customs Organisation (WCO) (1) Arrived in Brussels – first impressions and Women in International Trade

Despite fate sending me a slipped disc and the flight being delayed by nearly an hour, I did make it to Brussels.  When I arrived at my hotel this afternoon I realised, as I checked in for 11 nights, that this will probably be the longest I've slept in the same bed for that many consecutive nights for years!  International trade is a great job – whichever area you’re in – but it does tend to turn us into nomads.

I was told the World Customs Organisation (WCO) buildings were just around the corner from the hotel and guess what – they are.  It took me exactly 6 minutes to get there – what to do now for the 3 hours before the Reception of the Women in International Trade?  Brussels seems a strange city – high buildings, glass sky-scrapers, concrete shopping malls and wonderful hidden gems like an old theatre 1920’s art nouveau style and the Notre Dame Chapel in the centre of a concrete shopping precinct.  I must find time to explore – just wish my French was better.  I keep thinking of German and Spanish words to say hello, thank you, etc … very confusing.

6pm and the Reception – or cocktail party as I fancifully called it - for Women in International Trade.  I know I’m a woman in international trade but things like this do make me cringe a little.  I mean, why not an event for men in international trade as well?  But I had to go – and I’m glad I did.  I am stupid – just because I've never felt held back or kept under by being a female just means I've been lucky or too stupid to notice and this is partly thanks to the society I grew up in, I suppose.  Other countries in the world are much more blatantly male-dominated (remember - we've only had one female Prime Minister, though!) but even in these developing markets women have made a significant mark on Customs Administrations. Which is quite exceptional because despite strong evidence of the vast benefits of women’s empowerment, in many parts of the world women remain poorer and lack access to the same opportunities as men.

Yet, somehow the areas of international trade compliance and customs authorities are seen as an acceptable job for women and many can made it into senior roles such as Ms Agnes Katsonga who is the Commissioner of Customs and Excise for the Malawi Revenue Authority, Ms Allen Kagina, Commissioner General, Uganda Revenue Authority and Ms Claudia Maria Gaviria, Customs Director General, Republic of Columbia, to name just 3. It is amazing how women in the developing world are becoming increasingly engaged in international trade. And economic empowerment of both men and women, supported by trade, can support positive social, economic and national revenue outcomes.

Even in the UK/EU I have seen how women are attracted – at all levels – to the job of customs compliance, import administrator, export controller.  Maybe I've never felt held back because I accidentally choose the right profession, though, to be more accurate, I should say the right profession choose me.  It was great meeting these men and women from different countries being able to find fulfillment and success in this area of business and government. Customs administrations play a key role in supporting trade facilitation and economic development in developing countries. Gender equality is, obviously, key to a country’s economic, social and democratic development as it generates higher growth outcomes and lower poverty so I won’t be so negative next time.



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