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1. Two Customs Projects
2. Map of Russia
3. Russia (SCC- effective) Loan Amount: $140.0 million
Project Amount: $187.2 million
Terms: 17-years, with 5-year grace period
Responsible Agency: RF State Customs Committee
Expected Closing Date: 30 June 2009
4. Afghanistan (ACD - preparation) Emergency Customs Modernization and Trade Facilitation
Project Amount: $30 million
Duration: 39 months
Implementation: UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
In addition to 7 different donors
5. Objectives Russia
Accede to the WTO
Promote best practice
Improve compliance
Integrity
Risk management
Afghanistan
Post conflict recovery
Secure revenue
Improve compliance
Integrity
Re-establish transit
…and security
6. Russian indicators
7. Afghan Indicators
8. Two different contexts with project similitude Approach
Organization
Design
9. Lessons learned from past experience Focus on objective rather than institution
Involve closely the private sector
Targets and performance indicators
Clear strategic approach
Minimal pre-requirements
10. Project - Russia Components
Customs control and clearance
Trade facilitation
Fiscal policy
Legal framework
Organizational structure and operational mngt
Financial management
HR management
Integrity
IT
Project management Investment
4.02
9.59
4.05
5.04
10.23
6.48
7.27
2.49
133.23
3
11. Integrity Customs inevitably are blamed for whatever goes wrong at the border
Customs are more vulnerable to corruption than other comparable agencies because they have immediate discrete control over tangible wealth
12. Russia – Strategy to promote integrity Motive
Elite ethos and esprit de corps
Positive career development
High skill oriented training
Incentives for high performance
Stronger supervision and controls
Sanctions for corruption
Stakeholder surveys
Opportunity
Valuation procedures
Automation
Inspection based on risk analysis
Reduction in discretionary authority
Transparent clearance requirements
Rotation of officers
Functional organization
Internal anti-corruption strategy
Audit unit
Stakeholder surveys
13. Russia - Risk Management Selectivity is at times misunderstood
“Greenn” can mean “Red”
Negative selectivity: “White lists”
Risk management is at the core of the project
Automation but not yet artificial intelligence
Feedback
It expands beyond cargo processing
Fully integrated in SCC management approach
Drives the business process and administration
14. What is important NEEDED:
Commitment
Understanding
IT supports, not an end
Job process re-assessment
Social pact
Performance measurement
Pilot sites
Regional?
RUSSIA:
Prepared
Risk management
IT system upgradeable
Mapping
Specificity factored
Indicators
Corridors
EVRAZES support
15. How does this apply to Afghanistan? Use Persuasion rather than Imposition
Respecting the Afghan Social Pacts
International performance standards may not be directly applicable without heeding the Afghan cultural context
Political and “informal” commercial realities cannot be ignored
16. Afghanistan - Building on efforts to-date New WB-supported staff policy
New Customs declaration (ACCD) implemented in Kabul
Changing role of Chambers of Commerce—valuation at Kabul now done by Customs
Decree for new tariff regime with rationalized exchange rate awaiting decree
Key Afghan Customs Managers being recruited
Provincial/Regional customs consultants in-place in Herat and Mazar
Overall decision to roll-out reforms to provinces/regions
17. Like everywhere, problems remain in Afghanistan Valuable but scattered assistance/inputs
Limited ACD recipient capacity (has been slow in emerging)--in HQ, DG, Directors; in regions, Directors, operations staff; under-resourced HQ administration (human, equipment, communications, environment)
Missing link between budget and policy—direct funding of TA by donors a problem
The strategic role of Afghan Customs still to be defined—both in terms of revenue and public administration and socio-economic (i.e., protecting society and promoting trade)
Under-developed synergies with Commerce, Transport, and Police (Interior)
18. Redefining the role of Afghan Customs which… Secure revenue
Help protect society
Facilitate trade and thus economic development and job creation
Hopefully, this will generate (i) interest, (ii) motivation, (iii) recognition, and even (iv) enthusiasm…
19. Reforming the Customs and Trade Regime—To build upon the good work to-date, we need…. Clear definition of, and an agreement on, the role of Customs in the development of Afghanistan
Empowered and supported Afghan leadership in Customs
Better Donor Coordination
Enhanced Communication and Trust between all stakeholders and change process enablers (MoCommerce, MoInterior, MoTransport, MoF/ACD)
Well targeted, coordinated, and enhanced resources
20. The donors DFID – HR, training, management advice, change management process
USAID – Implementation and Operations (Valuation and classification,Procedures and documentation, Customs code, Customs brokers) and Enforcement (Border control and management, Drugs/smuggling, Corruption)
EC – Transit development and facilities (preferably at borders)
And the Bank
21. The World Bank Customs
Policy and overall strategic framework
Performance based Budget management
Customs automation (ASYCUDA)
Implementation advisors (officers from various customs services to work with Afghan line-staff)
ACD HQ restructuring implementation and roll-out to regions
Infrastructure (preferably regional ICDs, HQ, and Regions)
Information and communications infrastructure
Incremental operating costs for the overall program
22. The World Bank (continued) Trade Facilitation
Policy and overall strategic framework for restructuring
Alignment of national trade documents (ASYCUDA related first)
Transit treaties (bringing reality into “political” agreements+corridor agreements)
Bureau of Standards (through UNIDO)
Measurement of trade and transport logistics costs and time
Incremental operating costs and some infrastructure and information and communications support to the above
WTO accession assistance through UNCTAD
Review role of state-owned enterprises
23. Some directions Why ASYCUDA?
What about infrastructure?
Staffing / redundancies
Legislation
24. The legislative critical path
25. A cautious approach There is control, but it does not look like what we are used to
Reporting mechanisms are different, but solid
Even without bank guarantees, trucks arrive at destination
Communication does not follow our standards
26. The chances of success Russia: Voluntarist, necessary steps taken, skills exist, private sector is on board, but hoist Customs to Western level
A case of transition Afghanistan: Coordinate, build on social factors, use society’s mechanisms, create incentives and build an image
A regional integration