On May 21, 2026, the World Customs Organization (WCO) announced that:
- It had accredited four Technical and Operational Advisers (TOAs), improving access to technical capacity-building activities and advisory support for WCO members seeking to build resilient supply chain controls.
- Addressing criminal infiltration of global cargo supply chains and the associated insider threats is a key challenge across WCO member regions. It requires detailed expertise and intricate knowledge of the contemporary threat landscape.
- Towards the end of 2027, the project will aim to accredit Spanish-speaking TOAs, further expanding the reach of WCO capacity-building activities on the topic.
Sophisticated and constantly evolving threats challenge the integrity of international supply chains. To remain effective as custodians of global borders, Customs administrations must remain vigilant, informed, and prepared to respond.
Building on the success of a comprehensive regional seminar series that delivered targeted capacity-building initiatives for over 100 WCO member administrations, the project, now part of the WCO Secretariat’s Supply Chain Integrity Unit, has established the WCO’s first pool of English-speaking TOAs in risk management with a specialisation in supply chain integrity.
These new TOAs bring contemporary frontline knowledge to detecting insider threats, designing strategies to counter criminal infiltration, and undertaking supply chain-related risk assessments. This new area of expertise can assist members in strengthening Customs controls, minimising interference from criminal exploitation, and improving the flow of legitimate trade.
Addressing contemporary supply-chain threats
The integrity of cargo supply chains depends largely on Customs’ capacity to identify and counter evolving criminal tactics. Internal conspirators who deliberately misuse their authority to facilitate illicit activity represent a persistent and pervasive vulnerability across all member regions. Such a complex and often opaque threat landscape demands specialised expertise that many administrations are still developing.
Complementing WCO activities and capacity-building resources
The accreditation of new TOAs further strengthens the WCO’s comprehensive capacity-building ecosystem and the technical support it offers to members. Additionally, the WCO CLiKC! platform includes e-learning courses on supply chain integrity, available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. The project intends to accredit Spanish-speaking TOAs towards the end of 2026, further expanding the scope of member capacity-building activities.
Coordinated action in support of members
The SCI project operates under the WCO Secretariat’s newly established Supply Chain Integrity Unit, which actively collaborates with industry stakeholders, national enforcement authorities, and the international trade community. This collaborative approach continues to foster trust and active dialogue across the global cargo supply chain.
The most recent capacity-building workshops held in Fiji and Singapore exposed participants to current and emerging threats impacting the broader Asia/Pacific region and invited a speaker from the CMA CGM shipping line to contextualise what risk means for the company and how risk treatment options are coordinated and implemented.
Moving forward in 2026 and beyond
The SCI project will continue to deliver tailored activities to members and remains committed to strengthening the collective resilience of Customs administrations, promoting information-sharing mechanisms and joint operational activities, and supporting evidence-based interventions to enhance the integrity of international trade systems.