Strengthening Regional Connectivity through Capacity Building

The Regional Office for Capacity Building for the WCO Europe Region (ROCB Europe) participated in the International Conference titled “The Role of Regional Training Centres in Strengthening Regional Connectivity,” held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on 29–30 April 2026.

The event was hosted by the Regional Training Centre of Turkmenistan and the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan, bringing together representatives from across the region to exchange experiences and strengthen cooperation in customs capacity building.

The Conference gathered participants from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, reflecting a strong regional commitment to promoting cooperation and strengthening customs training systems. The event also benefited from the valuable contribution of the Japan Customs Training Institute.

The Conference further included the active participation of the Regional Development Manager for the Europe Region from the WCO Secretariat, who emphasized the importance of aligning regional initiatives with the WCO Capacity Building Paradigm and broader regional priorities.

A key highlight of the event was the official launch of the 8th Regional Training Centre (RTC) of the WCO Europe Region, representing an important milestone in strengthening regional cooperation and enhancing the delivery of more coordinated and needs-driven capacity-building activities.

Throughout the Conference, discussions focused on several key themes, including:

• the evolving role of RTCs in implementing the WCO Capacity-Building Paradigm;
• national experiences in customs training and human resource development;
• innovative learning approaches, including distance learning, simulation tools, and virtual environments;
• proposals aimed at improving communication, coordination, and information-sharing across the RTC network.

ROCB Europe actively contributed to the Conference by presenting its vision for a more connected and impact-driven “RTC 2.0” model, facilitating Session III dedicated to practical cooperation among RTCs, and introducing the upcoming RTCs Dashboard — a digital platform designed to improve transparency, visibility, and real-time coordination throughout the network.

The RTCs Dashboard is scheduled to be officially launched during the 14th ROCB–RTCs Annual Meeting in Budapest, taking place on 27–29 May 2026, representing a significant step toward a more integrated and collaborative regional framework.

The discussions in Ashgabat reaffirmed a shared understanding among participants: modern capacity building is no longer based solely on individual excellence, but increasingly depends on connectivity, communication, and collective impact.

ROCB Europe looks forward to continuing cooperation with regional partners and further strengthening customs capacity-building initiatives across the Europe Region.