Customs Development Project

Summary

The project consists of four parts: Part I: Institutional Development, Governance, and Human Resource Management

• review the organizational structure of the Customs Control Committee (CCC);
• review strategic planning methodology of the CCC to assist the establishment of a strategic planning unit;
• develop service standards, review organizational performance, and establish a modern management information system;
• review, redesign, develop, and implement a national integrity development plan within an effective anticorruption framework;
• develop and implement a human resource management strategy;
• develop a comprehensive training strategy and curriculum;
• prepare a comprehensive change management and continuous improvement strategy; and
• implement a cost-based financial management framework to monitor the cost of customs services, and enhance current financial management processes and procedures relative to international best practice.

Part II: Customs Operations

• analyze legislation impacting the movements of vehicles and goods to align current laws with major international instruments and best practices and prepare legislative amendments to support new systems and procedures;
• analyze and introduce legislation and regulations to improve coordination between customs and other departments involved in international trade; establish a special unit staffed with tariff, legal and systems-design specialists to build and maintain an integrated tariff system; and develop e-document systems software;
• support implementation of a new cargo control and declaration processing regime;
• strengthen the back-end functions of post-clearance verification and audit;
• strengthen law enforcement and border control functions by training, procurement of equipment, capacity building in intelligence, investigations, and anti-smuggling; and improvement of information exchange; and
• develop a comprehensive control and enforcement strategy.

Part III: Information and Communication Technology

• strengthen the organizational capacity of the CCC to plan and manage information and communication technology (ICT) systems, and implement a strategy to recruit and retain information technology staff;
• develop and enhance an integrated ICT system; and
• strengthen the archiving, data warehousing, and security capacity of the CCC.

Part IV: Program Management

• Support project coordination, implementation, and management.

Expected Outcome

The project will reform and modernize the customs administration of Kazakhstan, by promoting internationally acceptable practices for processing of international trade flows, improving revenue collection, and reducing potential for corruption.

Expected Outputs

• An improved, better performing Customs Control Committee.
• Comprehensive and improved customs operations.
• Incorporated information and communication technology in CCC operations.
• Strengthened project coordination, implementation, and management.