In response to an initiative from Mr. Emilio Aguiar, President, World BASC Organization, Board of Directors, the first ever meeting of Board members of BASC Chapters worldwide was held on September, 2019, in Cartagena, Colombia with the participation of more than 70 directors of BASC Chapter Boards, from Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the Dominican Republic.
Emilio Aguiar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of WBO, gave the opening remarks along with and Ricardo Sanabria, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BASC Colombia.
The agenda included presentations from special guests, Ana Hinojosa, Director of Compliance and Facilitation at the World Customs Organization (WCO), and Allen Gina, founder of CT-Strategies and former Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Both of them addressed important topics such as the prospects and challenges facing security programs, including BASC, CTPAT and the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO).
Fermin Cuza, international President, WBO, presented an update on World BASC Organization activities internationally.
Second photo: Ana Hinojosa, Director of Compliance and Facilitation, World Customs Organization – WCO.
The meeting also included a panel of BASC company representatives who spoke on BASC best practices/experiences and the role of the Boards of Directors in strengthening the World BASC Organization. The panel included BASC companies and leaders such as Mr. Juan Gabriel Aguirre, Nirsa (Ecuador); Ricardo Sanabria, Super Cargo International Services S.A (Colombia); Patricia Siles, representing DINET (Peru); and Juan Francisco Toruño, Consolidados 807 (Guatemala).
Manuel Echeverría, WBO Executive Director, provided an overview of various activities, programs and challenges that BASC faces today and in the near future. The meeting concluded with a spirited Q&A session and very positive comments from each of the BASC Board members present. This session served to enhance BASC communication and team spirit among BASC Chapters and the WBO.
At the closing remarks, Mr. Emilio Aguiar expressed his gratitude to all attendees and committed to a second meeting to be held during the next World BASC Organization Congress in Lima, Peru, in September 2021.
