How Uzbekistan sped up customs through risk management

A new risk management system, launched in 2020 by the State Customs Committee (SCC) of Uzbekistan, gave exporters a major win by making their processes three times faster with better risk management.

The SCC has kept improving its risk management to meet international trade commitments. To do that, customs officials wanted to learn about the latest trends to optimize their work.

As part of its EU-funded Ready4Trade Central Asia project, the International Trade Centre (ITC), in collaboration with national partners, marshalled its expertise to conduct a Risk Management Workshop and Certification in Tashkent from 20-23 February 2023.

The first session covered basic training on risk management. A second session for key SCC officials laid out advanced risk targeting and profiling activities.

“The workshop was held to train the SCC workforce so that they're alert to risks, but also open to innovation,” said Alina Fetisova, ITC Trade Facilitation Officer. “What’s key is to find a balance between taking responsible risks and taking precautions to protect their mandates.”

The workshop covered a range of key topics including:

• Designing effective risk management frameworks;
• Applying risk techniques in using data analytics;
• Leveraging the use of modern technology, including artificial intelligence and the Internet of things;
• Learning best practices from China, the European Union, Indonesia, South Korea and the United States;
• Solving practical business case on risk profiling.

The workshop ensured transparency and measurable evaluation criteria. Eighteen officials received certification in advanced risk management.

"Both the basic and advanced parts of the seminar were very interesting and informative,” one participant said. “I already knew what the risks are in customs and trade. But the knowledge and materials provided by international experts helped me to understand more precisely the meaning and importance of the use and application of risk."

The workshop's success highlights how important continuous learning and innovation are in risk management, which can lead to greater trade.

About the project

Ready4Trade Central Asia is a four-year EU-funded project implemented by the International Trade Centre in close collaboration with national partners, designed to contribute to the overall sustainable and inclusive economic development of Central Asia by boosting intra-regional and international trade in the countries of the region. Beneficiaries of the Ready4Trade Central Asia project include governments, small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular women-led enterprises, and business support organizations.