As global trade accelerates, customs efficiency has become a crucial factor in national competitiveness. To enhance Uzbekistan's position in international trade, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) have joined forces through the Global Trade Facilitation Program (GTFP) to help Uzbekistan Customs develop more effective strategic planning and performance management systems.
Successful Workshop on Strategic Planning and Performance Evaluation
From April 7-10, 2025, Tashkent hosted a significant workshop focused on strategic planning and performance evaluation. This event marked a key milestone in Phase II of the SECO-WCO GTFP initiative, designed to strengthen the capabilities of Uzbekistan's State Customs Committee (SCC) in strategic planning and performance management.
Workshop Objectives
The workshop pursued several concrete goals:
- Enhancing strategic planning: Building the SCC team's capacity to independently develop strategies aligned with Uzbekistan's national development needs
- Clarifying strategic objectives: Helping SCC define clear goals for its new strategic planning cycle
- Improving performance management: Strengthening understanding and application of WCO's Performance Measurement Mechanism (PMM)
- Developing KPIs: Assisting SCC in identifying and creating relevant Key Performance Indicators for its new strategic cycle
Notable Achievements
The four-day workshop brought together 19 senior SCC officials who significantly enhanced their strategic planning and evaluation skills. Participants gained expertise in essential strategic tools including SWOT analysis and Balanced Scorecard methodology, while deepening their understanding of WCO's performance measurement framework.
Under WCO guidance, participants accomplished several critical tasks:
- Conducted comprehensive SWOT analysis of Uzbekistan's customs operations
- Defined strategic objectives for the new planning cycle
- Initiated design of performance indicators aligned with strategic goals
Future Outlook for Uzbekistan Customs
With continued support from the GTFP program, the SCC plans to finalize its strategic objectives and complete its KPI framework in coming months. This will enable Uzbekistan to establish a robust performance management system that enhances customs efficiency and facilitates international trade.
About the Global Trade Facilitation Program
The SECO-WCO GTFP assists developing countries in implementing the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement by modernizing customs operations. Through technical assistance and capacity building, the program helps nations improve customs efficiency, reduce costs, and promote sustainable economic growth.
Key Methodologies Explained
SWOT Analysis: A strategic planning tool assessing internal Strengths and Weaknesses alongside external Opportunities and Threats, providing organizations with environmental awareness for better decision-making.
Balanced Scorecard: A strategic performance management framework measuring organizational success across financial, customer, internal process, and learning/growth dimensions.
WCO Performance Measurement Mechanism: A comprehensive framework helping customs administrations improve performance through standardized KPIs covering trade facilitation, revenue collection, and security.
The Importance of Strategic Planning
For critical government agencies like customs administrations, strategic planning provides essential benefits including clear direction, optimal resource allocation, operational efficiency, and enhanced capacity to address emerging challenges while improving international reputation.
Performance Management Value
Effective performance management enables customs administrations to track progress, motivate staff, streamline processes, increase transparency, and achieve sustainable improvements in service delivery.
The Power of International Cooperation
The GTFP initiative demonstrates how international collaboration facilitates customs modernization by enabling knowledge sharing, technical assistance, and joint solutions to global trade challenges. Through partnerships with SECO and WCO, Uzbekistan Customs is advancing toward greater efficiency and competitiveness, positioning itself as a potential regional leader in trade facilitation.