For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
LONDON — Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today visited London to meet with international colleagues to discuss ongoing collaboration between the United States, the United Kingdom and other international partners to strengthen the security of the global supply chain, including the implementation of a series of new initiatives — announced earlier this month in partnership with the World Customs Organization (WCO) — to make the system stronger, smarter and more resilient.
"Securing the global supply chain is part and parcel of securing both the lives of people around the world, and the stability of the global economy," said Secretary Napolitano. "The United States is committed to working closely with the United Kingdom and all of our global partners to prevent attacks on or disruptions of this powerful engine of jobs and prosperity."
In her meeting with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary General Efthimios Mitropoulos, Secretary Napolitano reiterated the Obama administration’s commitment to working closely with IMO — the United Nations agency responsible for the safety and security of global shipping — to leverage the best practices and expertise of IMO, in partnership with global organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and WCO to collectively strengthen the security and resilience of the global supply chain.
While in London, Secretary Napolitano also held meetings with Home Secretary Theresa May and UK Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond to discuss efforts to enhance the security of cyber networks and infrastructure, protect the global supply chain, and ensure the security of our global aviation system against threats of terrorism while protecting privacy and civil liberties.
Earlier this month, Secretary Napolitano traveled to Brussels to meet with top European officials and join WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya to announce a new partnership between DHS and the WCO to enlist other nations, international bodies and the private sector in increasing the security of the global supply chain. These initiatives are designed to prevent terrorists from exploiting the global supply chain to plan and execute attacks; protect the most critical elements of the supply chain system, such as transportation hubs and related critical infrastructure, from attacks and disruptions; and build the resilience of the global supply chain to ensure that if something does happen, the supply chain can recover quickly.
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