April 29–30, 2025 — The annual Conference of Heads of Customs Administrations of the WCO Europe Region was held at the headquarters of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Brussels.

During the event, the proposal to grant the Training Centre under the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan (SCS) the status of a WCO Regional Training Centre was unanimously endorsed by the participating member administrations.

The Turkmen delegation was led by the Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Service and included H.E. Mr. S. Palwanov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the Kingdom of Belgium, and Mr. Y. Kakajanov, Counselor.

A key intervention was made by Mr. K. Ahmedov, representative of the State Customs Service, who delivered a comprehensive presentation on the capabilities of the Training Centre. He emphasized the Centre’s alignment with international standards, its upgraded infrastructure, and its extensive opportunities for professional training and knowledge exchange.

Additionally, a video presentation was showcased, illustrating the functional capacity and technical facilities of the Centre.

Representatives from countries such as Türkiye, the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan expressed their support for Turkmenistan’s initiative to establish the Regional Training Centre.

As a final step in the implementation of this initiative, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the World Customs Organization and the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan is planned to take place in June 2025 during the WCO Council Session. The granting of the status of a WCO Regional Training Centre to the Training Centre stands as further recognition of Turkmenistan’s growing international reputation and success in customs administration and human resource development.