DIGITALIZATION OF CUSTOMS SERVICES:
PATHWAY TO PAPERLESS TRADE
October 12-13, 2022
Astana, Kazakhstan

Central Asia Trade Forum
ABOUT THE FORUM
ABOUT THE FORUM
The introduction and implementation of digital customs can significantly speed trade processes and prevent unnecessary delays at border crossings, while ensuring customs procedures are carried out with the greatest possible efficiency. The function of customs has evolved from revenue collection, to undertaking trade facilitation missions, and maintaining cooperation between the numerous government agencies involved in clearance processes along the supply chain. Despite achievements made in digital transformation, paper-based procedures still dominate cross-border trade transactions.
Regional cooperation plays a crucial role in ensuring contacts are maintained, supply chains are restored, and goods are delivered. The main focus of the 12th Central Asia Trade Forum will be reviewing efforts taken to digitalize Central Asian customs administrations, as a pathway to paperless trade. Initiatives around the globe aim to replace paper-based customs procedures with electronic operations, creating efficient and modern customs environments. The Forum will bring together Central Asian customs administrations to discuss ongoing efforts in developing digital solutions and services, adopting enabling technologies (such as the use of big data, telematics and Cloud services), increasing operational performance, and facilitating reinvention of how customs administrations operate.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will convene the 12th Central Asia Trade Forum on October 12-13, 2022, bringing together representatives from customs administrations of Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Singapore, the EU, and the United States. Beyond exploring the current level of digitalization among Central Asian customs administrations, the Forum will equip participants and involved government agencies with a wide range of best digital tools and technologies applied in other countries.
AGENDA
LIST OF THEMES
- Customs Digital Reform Agenda: Latest Innovations and the Role of ‘Digital’ Enforcement
- Accelerating Digitalization for Enhanced Transit and Trade Facilitation
- Workshop on Digitalization as an Anti-Corruption Strategy
- Regional Working Meeting of National Trade Facilitation Committees of Central Asia (Jointly with GIZ)
- Workshop on Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, and Exchanging Pre-arrival Information (PI) between Central Asian Countries (By invitation)
October 12th, 2022
8:30 – 9:30
Participants’ registration
9:30 – 10:00
BALLROOM
OPENING AND WELCOME REMARKS
Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Mr. Kairat Torebaev
USAID/Central Asia, Economic Development Office, Director
Ms. Laura Cizmo
10:00 -11:00
BALLROOM
Session 1: Customs Digital Reform Agenda: Latest Innovations and the Role of ‘Digital’ Enforcement
Digitalizing customs, through replacing paper-based procedures with electronic ones, creates a more efficient and modern customs environment in tune with global developments. By focusing on customs digitalization, we are signaling our aspirations to further develop digital solutions and services, making life easier for the trading community from the one hand, while also ensuring proper “behind the curtain” control by border agencies.
This session will be for discussing and exchanging ‘good practices’, specifically innovations, experience, and achievements of different countries around the globe, and learning about modern tools and instruments used to address these issues.
Moderator: Mr. Yermek Kozhabergenov, Head of International Cooperation Division of the State Revenue Committee, Kazakhstan
- Experiences of Central Asian countries:
- Zhanat Shaimov, Head of Customs Operations Division of the Department of Control, State Revenue Committee (Republic of Kazakhstan)
- Nursultan Salmorbekov, Senior Inspector of the State Customs Service (Kyrgyz Republic)
- Shukhrat Makhsudov, Senior Specilalist of the Digital Economy Division of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, (Republic of Tajikistan)
- Mr Muminov Shukurullo, Senior Inspector of the Division for Strategic Planning and Simplification of Customs Procedures of Uzbekistan’s State Customs Committee (Republic of Usbekistan)
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 -13:00
BALLROOM
Session 1 – continued
- Presentation by the WCO Directorate of Enforcement and Compliance Directorate
Mr. Juan Diego Chavarria Valverde -
WCO BACUDA project presentation and Virtual Reality.
Presentation by the WCO Capacity Building Directorate Mr. Sung Sig KIM - Electronic certificate of origin.
South Korea Customs Service, Ms. Sunhwa CHO (remotely) - Artificial Intelligence to full fill customs declarations in Georgia
Head of Customs Department of Georgia’s State Revenue Service Mr. Zurab Sitchinava
Head of International Relations Department of Georgia’s State Revenue Service Georgia Mr. Samson Uridia
Wrap-up
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch
14:30 – 15:45
Ballroom
Session 2: Accelerating Digitalization for Enhanced Transit and Trade Facilitation
This session will be for discussing and developing recommendations for increasing trade and export, increasing the use of digital tools, and enhancing the transit potential of Central Asian countries. These outcomes could be achieved through: 1) increasing the efficiency of transporting goods along the Trans Caspian Route; 2) improving transportation of fruit and vegetables; 3) developing mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of rail freight; 4) resolving border crossing issues; and 5) approbating new alternative routes.
Moderator: Mr. Asset Asavbayev, General Secretary, TRACECA
- Transit corridors development – the current status.
Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan, Director of the Department of Transit and Transport Logistics Development Mr. Sapar Bektasov - How to build digital interoperability in international supply chains using UN standards
UNECE Regional Adviser, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division Mr. Mario Apostolov (remotely) - EU Transit System NCTS
Latvian Customs, Head of NCTS Help-desk Ms. Gita Viksne - CAREC Program Transit and Trade Facilitation Initiatives
- Digital transportation solutions
National Company KTZ (Kazakhstan), Head of the Project “Single Digital Window” Ms. Zhumagul Kudyarova
15:45 – 16:15
Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:30
BALLROOM
Session 2 – continued
Moderator: Asset Asavbayev, General Secretary, TRACECA
- Trans-Caspian Corridor.
USAID Trade Central Asia, International Consultant Mr. Max Ee - Paperless trade readiness in Kazakhstan.
JSC “Center for Trade Policy development “QazTrade”, Deputy Сhairman Mr. Nurlan Kulbatyrov - Accelerating digitalization for trade facilitation and transit
Head of International Relations Department of Georgia’s State Revenue Service, Mr. Samson Uridia
USAID’s Trade Central Asia Activity, International Consultant
Mr. Bondo Bolkvadze (remotely)
Q&A
17:30 – 17:45
Wrap up
18:30 – 20:00
Reception dinner
October 13th, 2022
parallel sessions
10:00 – 13:00
(Parallel session)
Ballroom 2, 3
Coffee-break:
11.30 – 11.45
Workshop on Digitalization as an Anti-Corruption Strategy (by invitations)
Corruption in customs affects international trade and is, therefore, an issue that influences the global economy. Anti-Corruption measures can improve customs policy and its implementation, increase duty and tax collection while also supporting government anti-corruption efforts, and create a fair and healthy business environment. In many countries customs offices are equipped with powers enabling them to stop, investigate, control, and seize goods, as well as detain corrupted persons. This session will discuss how digitalization efforts help push anti-corruption measures.
Moderator: Gennadijs Maskovs, Customs Component Lead, USAID’s Trade Central Asia Activity- EU experience on anti-corruption
Riga Technical University, Assistant Professor Mr. Normunds Rudzitis - Georgia customs experience on anti-corruption
Head of Customs Audit Division of Customs Department of Georgia’s State Revenue Service Mr. Givi Nadiradze
USAID Trade Central Asia Activity, Customs Adviser Mr. Vakhtang Lashkaradze (remotely) - WCO recommendations and experience of Kazakhstan Customs on anti-corruption topic
State Revenue Committee under the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan, Head Transit Division of the Operational Control Department Mr. Arman Zhalitov
10:00 – 13:00
(Parallel session)
Ballroom 1
Coffee-break:
11.30 – 11.45
Regional Working Meeting of National Trade Facilitation Committees of the Central Asia (jointly with GIZ)
Moderator: Asel Uzagalieva, GIZ, Component Manager for Trade Facilitation in Central Asia Program, GIZ
The goal of the working meeting is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of regional cooperation between NTFCs. The participants of the meeting — representatives of the NTFCs from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan — will discuss mechanisms for ensuring sustainable cooperation within the framework of the Regional Platform of the National Committees for Trade Facilitation of the Central Asian countries. There will also be an opportunity to discuss the progress in the implementation of trade facilitation measures in the countries of the region with representatives of the private sector, and to present the results of the 3rd express-study on monitoring of costs, time and documents needed for export of perishable goods through the Central Asian countries.
- Presentation of the results of cooperation within the framework of the regional platform of the NTFCs (video)
- Presentation of the results of a rapid study on monitoring costs, time and documents required for the export of perishable goods through the countries of Central Asia in 2022 – Larisa Kislyakova, Chairperson of TLP
- Presentation of the status of the implementation of the informational resource of the customs authorities of the Central Asian countries – representatives of the customs services of the region
- Discussing the creation of an information resource for the regional platform of the NTFCs
- Discussion of the draft Memorandum of Cooperation between the NTFCs of Central Asia
10:00 – 13:00
(Parallel session)
Esil room
Coffee-break:
11.30 – 11.45
Workshop on Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, and Exchanging Pre-arrival Information (PI) between Central Asian Countries (by invitations)
Moderator: Medet Tursaliev, USAID Trade Central Asia, Deputy Customs Component Lead
In June 2022, USAID organized a meeting of high-level customs officials from Central Asian countries with the WCO Secretary General in Brussels, Belgium at the WCO HQ. One of the main topics for discussion was a Central Asian agreement on exchange of pre-arrival information by all signatories. It was then agreed to convene a Working Group consisting of representatives from customs agencies around the region.
This is the first meeting of that Working Group. The topic is development of a legal instrument for the exchange of pre-arrival information. It is expected that during this meeting modalities, timeframes, exact data to be shared, legal basis, confidentiality and mutual assistance will be discussed, and a path forward will be agreed upon.
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch
14:00 – 16:00
Ballroom 2, 3
TLP meeting
Workshop on “Mutual recognition of the institution of Authorized Economic Operators (AEO). Advantages” (by invitations)
Private sector representatives point out that mutual recognition is the most crucial trade facilitation measure. Despite the ongoing AEO programs in the countries of Central Asia, the mechanism has not been adequately developed. Where is the institute moving now? What are the priority tasks at the moment? During the seminar, it is planned to discuss in more detail the status of AEO recognition, the benefits for the private sector, and the experience of foreign countries that have agreements on the recognition of AEOs.
Moderator: Larisa Kislyakova, TLP Chairperson
- Advantages of mutual recognition of AEO programs
WCO Representative Ms. Lazzat Daniyarova (remotely) - UNECE presentation on AEO
UNECE Regional Adviser, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division Mr. Mario Apostolov (remotely) - Best Practice for AEO Institution Recognition
Crown Agents (UK) Mr. Jon Walden (remotely) - AEO status in SPECA countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan
Representatives of customs authorities of the Central Asian countries - Experiences of AEO companies: benefits obtained, and challenges faced
Representatives from the private sector
Q&A
TLP National Coordinators Working Meeting (by invitations)
Moderator: Larisa Kislyakova, TLP Chairperson
- KZ, KG, TJ, UZ National Coordinators