The following is excerpted from a 6 February 2013 news item by the World Customs Organization.
At the invitation of Director General Vola Razafindramiandra of Madagascar Customs, Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya of the WCO visited Madagascar from 5-7 February 2013 to appreciate Madagascar’s progress in Customs reform in recent years. In the country's capital, Antananarivo, Secretary General Mikuriya had a series of meetings with political leaders, including the Prime Minister, Jean Omar Beriziky, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pierrot Rajaonarivelo, and the Minister of Finance and Budget, Hery Martial Rajaonarimampianina.
Recognizing the importance of Customs and the support given by the WCO, as a former Ambassador to Brussels, the Prime Minister pledged his support for Customs reform, including the fight against corruption, while stressing the need to enhance controls against illicit trade. Also acknowledging the crucial role Customs plays in his country's strategic position, the Minister of Foreign Affairs underlined the significance of Customs cooperation with surrounding countries in transferring knowledge and sharing information. Familiar with Customs’ modernization, the Minister of Finance and Budget commended Customs for applying innovative measures, such as state-of-the-art scanners, in facilitating and securing the supply chain and helping to ensure connectivity at the border.
This news item is available in its entirety at:
http://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2013/february/madagascar-political-leaders-support-progress-in-customs-reform.aspx