World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretary-General Kunio Mikuriya arrived in Tajikistan yesterday on a three-day official visit, according to the Tajik president’s official website.   

While in Tajikistan, Mr. Mikuriya is scheduled to hold talks with high-ranking Tajik state officials to discuss cooperation  

WCO secretary-general also plans to visit customs checkpoints “Terminal” and “Dousti”, Kokhii Navrouz State Complex and vineyards in Tursunzoda and Varzob Gorge.  

It is worth noting that this is the second visit of WCO Secretary-General Kunio Mikuriya to Tajikistan.  His first visit to the country took place in 2014.  

In 2014, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya visited Tajikistan on October 1-2.  He had a series of meetings with political and business leaders and also visited the Customs facility at Panji Poyon, located on Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan.  During a briefing session at Customs Service headquarters, Secretary General Mikuriya commended the progress achieved, since the WCO diagnostic mission in 2007, in terms of Customs modernization ensuring greater transparency through information technology. Tajikistan Customs reportedly took the opportunity to explain its ongoing planning for a Single Window.

Mr. Mikuriya has been Secretary-General of the World Customs Organization since 2009.  He has a BA in law from the University of Tokyo and a PhD in international relations from the University of Kent, Brussels School of International Studies.  During his career, Mikuriya has held various high-level positions in Japan's Ministry of Finance.  He also had assignments as Counselor in Japan's Mission to the WTO and a negotiator for Japan during the GATT Uruguay Round negotiations.