Lars Karlsson: CapacityNow

I had the fortune to meet a lot of old friends in Asunción this seek.

Here with Enrique Canon, one of my best friends, Chairperson of the World Customs Organization and National Director of Uruguay Customs.

At the meeting woth Patricio Castro and Selvin Lemus from the International Monitary Fund (IMF).

A cocktail with my Brazilian friends, Marcus Vinicius Vidal Pontes Under Secretary and Head of Customs at the Federal Revenue Authority Brazil and his colleague Antonio Coelho, and the Chair of the World Customs Organization Private Sector Consultative Group, John Mein.

This week I was invited to give a Key Note Speech about Brexit, Border Processing and Trusted Trader Concepts at the XL Top Level meeting of COMALEP in Asunción, Paraguay.

I also moderated a panel and work group on Government-Business cooperation on the open session yesterday.

We had very interesting meetings this week with top level participants from Governments from more than twentyfive countries from South America, Central America, North America and the Caribbeans plus private sector and invited guests from various countries around the world.

I also had a number of positive bilateral meetings with participating delegations and private sector representatives.

It is always a pleasure to visit beautiful Paraguay.

Another week in the service of the global society, supporting nations and business with Customs, borders and trade challenges.

This week I am in South America having bilateral meetings for clients and with clients.

I am also participating with a Key Note Speech at the XI COMALEP meeting in Acunsion, Paraguay.

I have always enjoyed working in Latin America. I fell in love with the continent and its people already the first time I visited, decades ago.

There is something special with these societies, fostering open, warm and great people with the best hospitality.

Having said that there are also many challenges here, like in most countries, including a need for improved Customs, border and trade processing to get local business more involved in international trade. This is also why I have worked a lot in Central and South America over the years. And I and my team, we are always ready to contribute.