On July 21, the USAID Trade Facilitation Program and VCS signed an MOU to establish an e-Learning Management System (eLMS) aimed at building the long-term capacity of Vietnam Customs. Once established, VCS will be able to develop and offer e-learning courses to Vietnam Customs officials and private sector businesses such as brokers and freight forwarders on key customs topics such as risk management, rules of origin, integrity, among others. The MOU will enable VCS to simultaneously host more than 1,000 e-learning trainees. Further specialization and professional development of Vietnam Customs will support Customs efforts to facilitate trade and prevent issues such as illegal transshipment and origin fraud. Following the signing ceremony, USAID and VCS planted a tree to mark the 25th year of bilateral ties between the United States and Vietnam and serve as a symbol of USAID and GDVC/VCS commitment to education and human capital development. In the long-term, USAID’s capacity building support to GDVC will assist VCS to become a leading customs training institution in the region.

So What? Building the e-learning capacity of VCS assures training can continue, even in the face of COVID-19, and enables Customs officials to build a deeper knowledge base on an expanded array of topics. It also shows USAID’s commitment to support Vietnam Customs’ human resource development and Vietnam’s Financing Self-Reliance and countering unfair trade practices of malign actors. (To view photos of the event, click here)