VZCZCXRO3642
RR RUEHTRO
DE RUEHGV #0888/01 2921642
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191642Z OCT 09
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9706
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 1072
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0304
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA 0218
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0173
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0016
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0449
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE 0415
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 GENEVA 000888 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE for IO/GS, EEB/MTA, ELA/NEA, AND ISN/ECC 
PASS to USTR for DShackleford, USAID/EGAT, USAID/Asia Bureau, USAID 
Middle East Bureau 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAID UNCTAD
SUBJECT:  ASYCUDA customs software: aid catalyst 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: The UN Conference on Trade and Development 
(UNCTAD) is helping countries install the automated customs data 
software program (ASYCUDA), which the USG has supported in numerous 
countries, most recently Haiti, Jordan, and Sao Tome and Principe. 
Mission Officer participated in an UNCTAD evaluation of the ASYCUDA 
installation in Jordan in late May 2009.  Mission officer also 
facilitated meetings with the Government of Iraq for possible 
installation of ASYCUDA in Iraq.  By all accounts, the program has 
had a positive and catalyzing development impact, whatever else a 
country may say about good governance initiatives.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (U) ASYCUDA was founded in the early 1980s to automate the 
operations of Customs Administrations, and is now the core component 
of integrated customs information systems in more than 80 countries. 
 Since its introduction, ASYCUDA has pursued five objectives: 
 
-- a) Assist Customs Administrations to modernize and reform by 
facilitating legitimate trade, and improving the efficiency, 
transparency and accountability of customs clearance controls. 
 
-- b) Implement harmonized codes, international standards and 
transparent regulations, leading to increased collection of duties 
and taxes, and the availability of timely, accurate and comparable 
statistics. 
 
-- c) Fit the operations of all customs systems worldwide, and allow 
country specific tailoring and enhancements (provided those add-ons 
do not conflict with the second objective). 
 
-- d) Provide ASYCUDA for free, although installation requires 
funding of hardware, support activities and training through 
technical assistance. 
 
-- e) Match the highest quality standards of the industry and use 
the latest reliable technologies. 
 
¶3.  (U) To date, ASYCUDA has gone through four versions: 
 
  a) ASYCUDA version 1 (1981-1984) implemented in three countries; 
it allowed the production of trade balances and other statistical 
data. 
 
  b) ASYCUDA version 2 (1985-1995) implemented in more than 40 
countries; it allowed collection of increased customs revenue, 
production of statistics, and clear definition of the customs 
operations process. 
 
  c) ASYCUDA ++ (1992 - present) allowed processing of millions of 
customs declarations every year and implemented uniform procedures. 
 
 
  d) ASYCUDA World (2002 - present) expanded usage of ASYCUDA to 85 
countries and made the software internet based and easily compatible 
with add-on programs tailored for users' specific needs. 
 
ASYCUDA in Jordan 
----------------- 
 
¶4. (U) The ASYCUDA installation in Jordan was supported by USAID, 
the Millennium Challenge Corporation and investments by the Jordan 
Customs Administration itself. Mission Officer saw the two data 
centers funded by USAID.  There, each piece of computer hardware had 
a USAID donor label on it and the centers themselves had plaques 
commemorating the USAID donations.  The training rooms were clean, 
well lit and spacious and similarly bore USAID donor labels. 
 
¶5. (U) Mission Officer visited the renovated and expanded Customs 
facility at Amman Airport to see an example of improved 
infrastructure the GOJ was building to support the ASYCUDA system. 
The old Customs offices were decrepit, dark and dirty with old 
furniture and exposed wires.  The renovated offices were bright, 
clean, and built for computer users, so had drop down ceilings, 
hidden wires and necessary air conditioning to keep the equipment 
 
GENEVA 00000888  002 OF 003 
 
 
running well and staff comfortable.  The new offices demonstrated a 
commitment by the GOJ to create a work environment that was 
comfortable enough to attract and keep professional technical staff 
and customs officials. 
 
¶6. (U) At Jaber, Mission officer visited a "single window" customer 
service installation.  The single window allows shippers to present 
their import documents to a clerk who compares the hard documents 
with the electronic versions input to the ASYCUDA system at sources 
or origin.  Clerks from offices responsible for Food and Drugs, 
Standards, and Agriculture reviewed health and safety issues.  If an 
imported cargo needed inspection, the ASYCUDA system randomly 
assigned a customs officer to conduct the inspection; ASYCUDA 
tracked the amount of time taken by the inspection and its results. 
Digitizing documents, randomly assigning inspectors, tracking 
inspection results and limiting shippers face contact with customs 
officials dramatically reduced the potential for bribery. 
 
¶7. (U) UNCTAD ASYCUDA staff made a presentation to the Jordan's 
Custom's Administration in which UNCTAD analyzed time release data 
from seven Jordan Customs locations, asked questions of customs 
staff to understand why the times were better and worse in various 
locations and brainstormed how to improve clearance times.  For 
example, the time release study findings for Aquaba identified that 
there were too few inspectors in Aquaba, inspectors were 
unnecessarily checking shipments listed as green meaning that their 
declarations were all in order and came from known and reliable 
traders, and shippers were leaving their cargo at Aquaba Customs for 
too long a period after inspections were completed thereby 
cluttering the shipping areas.  As a result of this analysis, UNCTAD 
and Jordan Customs agreed upon the following improved procedures: 
elimination of inspections of cargo designated at green, hiring of 
six more customs inspectors, and increasing Aquaba Container 
Terminal storage fees. The ASYCUDA team benchmarked Jordan's 
performance against comparable countries using World Bank statistics 
and together set targets for improvement. 
 
¶8. (U) A senior Jordan Customs official proudly walked Mission 
officer and UNCTAD staff through the customs headquarters in Amman. 
He said that Customs Administrations from Syria, Yemen, United Arab 
Emirates, Palestine, Libya, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Iraq had all 
visited the Jordan Customs installation and purchased ASYCUDA or 
intended to do so. 
 
¶9.  (U) According to the official, Jordan's key issue for customs is 
not revenue collection but preventing terrorism and contraband. 
Jordan Customs established a control center where it monitors all 
crossing via video camera.  For containers that are transiting 
Jordan, Jordan Customs X-rays the contents of the container, 
installs a lock and a GPS device so that Customs will be immediately 
alerted if the truck diverts from its approved route, takes too long 
to cross Jordan, or if anyone tampers with the container locking 
device.  Once the truck has transited Jordan, the contents are again 
x-rayed, the initial and final x-rays compared and the locking 
device removed. This X-ray function and GPS tracking are add-ons to 
the ASYCUDA system.  The new border crossing process has allowed 
Jordan to eliminate convoys, which had previously taken from three 
hours to one day to assemble.  Instead the x-ray, locking device and 
GPS system takes seven minutes to install and remove on each end of 
the transit. 
 
ASYCUDA for Iraq 
---------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Iraq customs planned to visit the Jordan Customs 
Administration while the ASYCUDA team was in Amman in May 2009.  US 
Mission and Embassy Baghdad helped ASYCUDA identify the correct 
Iraqi official, Mr. Nawfal Sulaiman Mohammed, Director General, 
General Customs Commission, Ministry of Finance, and arrange the 
visit, which ultimately did not occur due to changes in the Iraqi 
minister's plans.  At an October 5 meeting with ASYCUDA in Geneva, 
UNCTAD said it is trying to reschedule a meeting with the Head of 
Iraqi Customs for November and reiterated its request for USG 
assistance in facilitating such a meeting.  UNCTAD said that it has 
a letter from the GOI requesting assistance with Customs, but to go 
forward, UNCTAD must have formal buy-in from the correct top Iraqi 
customs officials. Then UNCTAD must assess the situation in Iraq to 
determine the number of customs regions, the state of 
 
GENEVA 00000888  003 OF 003 
 
 
telecommunications, the level of capacity building required etc, so 
that it can make a formal offer of services to Iraq. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) The ASYCUDA installation in Jordan was an extremely 
successful development project.  Without the political overtones of 
demanding good governance, the ASYCUDA system necessitates it. 
ASYCUDA eliminates many opportunities for corruption through 
digitizing documents, randomly assigning inspections and tracking 
results by inspector.  It facilitates nation building since ASYCUDA 
requires all customs offices in a country to use a common system and 
exchange data.  By reducing corruption, it generates funds for 
governments to invest in their civil servants, in terms of training, 
higher salaries and modern offices, and necessitates that investment 
to keep those staff from working elsewhere.  AYSCUDA also 
accelerates computer literacy and innovation since business users 
and brokers must be trained to use the program and digitize their 
documents.  It spurs innovation since the technical experts required 
to maintain the system are problem solvers and come up with 
technical and process solutions to improve the customs 
administration. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Additionally, supporting ASYCUDA demonstrates US 
commitment to the multilateral process and the United Nations.  That 
ASYCUDA is used by more than 85 countries facilitates collection of 
comparable customs data, sharing of best practices and software 
add-ons, and greater cooperation among customs administrations 
worldwide. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Developing country appreciation for ASYCUDA is evidenced 
by its wide use and the fact that many developing countries, such as 
Sri Lanka, self-finance upgrades to ASYCUDA.  Financing of ASYCUDA 
installations does not appear to be a significant challenge. 
However, UNCTAD does no marketing of the ASYCUDA system, so 
countries that could benefit from it may not be aware of its 
existence or how to request its installation.  Mission recommends 
USG help build awareness of ASYCUDA in countries that could benefit 
from it. USG could also express verbal (and where requested and 
consistent with US priorities, financial) support for more 
installations of ASYCUDA, and upgrades to existing installations, as 
investment in ASYCUDA is cost effective development assistance that 
spurs good governance, modernization and innovation. 
 
¶14. (U) Finally, USG may wish to consider funding development of the 
next version of ASYCUDA, which will better integrate the single 
window functions and thus bring the ASYCUDA methodology of digitized 
documents and random inspections to other developing country 
ministries that interact with Customs Administrations.  UNCTAD 
estimates that it will need USD 3 million per year for three to four 
years to develop the next generation of ASYCUDA. 
 
GRIFFITHS#