November 1: Briefing with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske

Nov 1 Briefing with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske to discuss his recent trip to the continent and efforts with African nations related to border security, trade facilitation and enforcement, combatting human and wildlife trafficking, and other areas of joint collaboration.

EVENT:

Please join us on Tuesday, Nov 1 at 11:00 (GMT) for a telephonic press conference with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. Commissioner Kerlikowske will discuss his recent trip to Africa and the CBP’s work with governments there, specifically Ghana and South Africa. Areas of focus will include border security, trade facilitation, and the partnerships that the U.S. has developed with these and other African countries. CBP will also be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ghana, showcasing how this partnership can further enhance the exchange of customs information and expertise between the two countries.‎

DETAILS:

Speaker: Commissioner Kerlikowske

Date: 1 November 2016

Time: 7:00 ET |11:00 GMT

* Please use Time Zone Converter to determine the start time of the event in your time zone.

Language: English. French and Portuguese interpretation will be offered.

Ground rules: On the record

Dial-in Info: To be provided once you RSVP

RSVP: RSVP to [email protected]. Please indicate if you will dial in (specify English/French/Portuguese line), or request that we dial out to you (provide the phone number and language to be used).

Twitter: We will use the hashtag #AfricanBorders for the call. Follow us on @AfricaMediaHub and @CustomsBorder.

LOGISTICS:

• Callers should dial-in to the conference call 10-15 minutes early.

• When an individual journalist dials-in, the operator will collect the caller’s name, press affiliation, and location. When an embassy dials in, the operator will ask the embassy’s name and location.

• The moderator will facilitate the Q and A among the connected callers. Journalists on the conference call will be instructed to press the “*” and “1” buttons on their phones in order to enter the question queue. NOTE: You can press “*1” at any time during the call to join the question queue, even before the moderator begins the Q and A portion. We ask that journalists limit themselves to one question and indicate to which speaker the question is directed. Journalists can also submit questions in English to [email protected] prior to or during the call.

BIO:

Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske

R. Gil Kerlikowske was nominated by President Obama and sworn in on March 7, 2014 as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection taking the helm of the 60,000-employee agency with a budget of $12.4 billion.

Mr. Kerlikowske oversees the dual U.S. Customs and Border Protection mission of protecting national security objectives while promoting economic prosperity and security. As Commissioner, he runs the largest federal law enforcement agency and second largest revenue collecting source in the federal government. Most recently, he served as Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Mr. Kerlikowske brings four decades of law enforcement and drug policy experience to the position. He formerly served nine years as the Chief of Police for Seattle, Washington. When he left, crime was at its lowest point in 40 years.

Previously, he was Deputy Director for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, where he was responsible for more than $6 billion in federal assets. Mr. Kerlikowske was also Police Commissioner of Buffalo, New York. The majority of his law enforcement career was in Florida where he served in the St. Petersburg Police Department.

He was elected twice to be President of the Major Cities Chiefs, which represents the largest city and county law enforcement agencies in the United States and Canada. He has received numerous awards and recognition for leadership, innovation, and community service. He served in the U.S. Army where he was awarded the Presidential Service Badge.

Mr. Kerlikowske holds a B.A. and a M.A. in criminal justice from the University of South Florida.