The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the 12th annual Central Asia Trade Forum themed, «Digitalization of Customs Services. Pathway to Paperless Trade» in Astana, Kazakhstan. It is a flagship international two-day event for advancing connectivity and trade. The details were provided by the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek.
The forum brought 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 the reinvention of how customs administrations operate.
Over 200 representatives from customs administrations of Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Korea, Latvia, and the United States got together to learn a wide range of advanced digital tools and technologies.
Representatives of the State Customs Service and the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan will tell about the country’s efforts for digitalization and the state policy for the transition to paperless trade. They will take part in the work of the recently established working group on the exchange of preliminary customs information between the countries of Central Asia.
In her opening remarks, USAID Central Asia Regional Economic Development Office Director Laura Cizmo, noted, «This trade forum has been held every year since 2011. It continues a tradition of collaboration between the U.S. and the Central Asian nations that started back in the 20th century.»
Central Asia has undergone a radical transformation. Over the last five years alone, the volume of intra-regional trade has doubled. Central Asian countries’ trade with the outside world is also growing dynamically. It increased by 54 percent over five years, and now amounts to $167 billion. Trade is now a major driver of economic growth across the region.
