Photo credit: Papua New Guinea Customs Service
The PNG Customs Service and Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) have renewed their partnership to work together in relation to trade, border protection and facilitation, promoting investment including intellectual property enforcement.
In order to advance their continuous collaboration, customs chief commissioner David Towe and IPA managing director Clarence Hoot signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Port Moresby.
The last Memorandum of Understanding was initially signed in 2013 and expired in 2016.
Hoot claimed that the MoU was a result of the need to uphold the national government's duties and obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO), particularly with regard to the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and their responsibilities as the relevant government agencies to carry out enforcement duties and obligations fundamental to the WTO.
The MoU also acknowledges IPA's and Customs PNG's obligations under the Financial Action Task Force and its regional affiliate, the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering, as well as their duties as pertinent government organisations to carry out enforcement and obligations essential to countering money laundering and financing for terrorism.
According to him, the MoU will be carried out through the use of approved channels for communication, partnerships and collaboration, information sharing, joint initiatives, and consultations.
The parties will also follow their obligations under the Memorandum of Understanding and within their respective legal systems.
Reference: The National (22 July 2022). “Customs and IPA sign MoU, renew partnership”.
