International Forum on Silk Road has ended up with a Great Success

Bearing in mind the fact that Silk Road Countries has a great potential in international trade as well as the fact that the customs administrations of those countries have a major role in increasing that potential, the Turkish Customs Administration organized an International Forum with the theme “the Role of Customs Administrations on Promoting and Facilitating Trade Among Silk Road Countries”. The Forum has been honoured by the presence of State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Hayati YAZICI is to be held in Antalya, Turkey on 24-25 October 2008.

This two-day Forum has brought together the representatives of customs administrations from 15 countries, as well as the representatives of the international organizations and the private sector. Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, the Secretary General Elect of the World Customs Organization has also gave an address during the Forum.

The Forum has enabled the participants to debate and create thought provoking ideas on how the customs administrations should cooperate with each other as well as with the private sector and relevant international organizations to facilitate trade among Silk Road Countries.

Further to the discussions made at the Forum, a decleration named “the Antalya Decleration” was accepted. A copy of this declarartion could be found at the following link. Through this decleration, the customs administrations of the Silk Road Countries have declared their common vision on facilitating and promoting trade among their countries.

Declaration