Colombia has been invited to join the Sub-Committee of Customs Procedures (SCCP) of the organization Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), financial publication La Republica reported Tuesday.
The main objective of the SCCP is to “simplify and harmonize regional customs procedures to ensure that goods and services move efficiently, effectively, and safely through the region, and to reconcile and facilitate border control.” APEC is an organization with the aim of supported sustainable growth within the Asian-Pacific region.
Trade Minister Sergio Diaz-Granados said that the decision was made during a meeting in San Francisco, California U.S. and added it is significant that Colombia will participate in the committee as an invited country for three years. Diaz-Granados also said this decision coincides with the good relations Colombia has right now with various Asian countries such as Japan and Korea.
For two years, Colombia has been part of the Investment Group of APEC, however Colombia is still not a member economy of the APEC organization as a whole.
The President of South Korea, Lee Myung-Bak, promised to help accelerate the admittance of Colombia into APEC, during President Juan Manuel Santos’ visit to the Asian nation, El Universal reported Thursday.