A. M. 
El Salvador continues to be a key hub for large-scale international events. Three important events organized by the Organización Mundial de Aduanas (OMA), will take place from may 5 to 9, with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and sharing good practices in trade facilitation.
The opening ceremony was presided over by El Salvador’s Minister of Finance, Jerson Posada; SUNAT’s Deputy National Superintendent of Customs, Manuel Peralta; OMA Secretary General Ian Saunders; and Customs Director General Benjamin Mayorga.
The 27th Regional Conference of Directors General of Customs will feature various forums and training sessions addressing topics such as infrastructure development, economic projections, customs security, and the use of technology.
El Salvador is positioning itself as a regional benchmark in customs modernization and foreign trade facilitation. The event, attended by high-ranking national and international authorities, opened with a welcome address highlighting the country’s commitment to customs efficiency, supply chain security, and sustainable economic growth. The Minister of Finance, representing President Nayib Bukele, emphasized the importance of international cooperation, digital transformation, and sustainability as fundamental pillars of modern customs management. El Salvador’s leadership in adopting international regulations such as the Revised Kyoto Convention and implementing pioneering legislation to facilitate non-commercial online purchases was also highlighted, positioning the country as a strategic ally for e-commerce in the region.
This event represents an opportunity for El Salvador to strengthen its position in the international customs arena, encourage the signing of cooperation agreements, and promote its image as a reliable and modern destination for trade and investment.
The event will bring together approximately 33 customs directors from Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Curaçao, Ecuador, El Salvador, the United States of America, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela. They will share experiences, establish agreements, and exchange best practices that benefit the promotion of OMA standards and recommendations.
Furthermore, the event’s speech highlighted the salvadoran government’s efforts to strengthen customs infrastructure and combat smuggling, successfully recovering approximately $135 million for the public treasury through the anti-smuggling plan. These funds have been allocated to social programs, demonstrating that effective customs management directly impacts citizen well-being. The commitment to regional integration through the customs union process in the Northern Triangle of Central America was also reaffirmed, and the 53 participating countries were called upon to leverage the synergy of this meeting to generate concrete actions to strengthen trade, social protection, and tax collection. Finally, attendees were warmly invited to discover the “new El Salvador” internationally recognized as one of the safest countries in the world to travel to, and to enjoy its cuisine, culture, and hospitality.
