KAZAKHSTAN STEPS CLOSER TO SUPPORT FOR A SINGLE-WINDOW FOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001428

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON SOCI KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN STEPS CLOSER TO SUPPORT FOR A SINGLE-WINDOW FOR
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS

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1. SUMMARY: Since 2007, the USAID Regional Trade Liberalization
and Customs Project, in cooperation with the German International
Development Agency (GTZ),has encouraged the Governments of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan to implement electronic
single-window systems to simplify the processes of obtaining the
necessary certificates, licenses, quotas, permissions, and other
documents required to import and export goods through Customs. On
August 11, Kazakhstan, through its Vice-Chairman of the Customs
Control Committee, announced its intention to implement the
single-window system at a major conference on transportation and
trade facilitation. Experiences from other countries with
single-window systems demonstrate that considerable savings in time
and financial cost can be achieved through the establishment of
single-windows. END SUMMARY.

BUILDING SUPPORT THROUGH EDUCATION


2. USAID and the German International Development Agency (GTZ) have
worked closely to promote the implementation of the single-window
system in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. USAID and GTZ
built support for the single-window through presentations by
commercial providers of single-window systems and conferences that
presented the concept to both government officials and the private
sector. USAID and GTZ organized study tours for Kazakhstani
officials to Hamburg, Brussels, and Amsterdam in 2008, to Senegal in
November 2008, and to the World Customs Organization (WCO)
Conference on Single-Window and Trade Facilitation in Morocco in
April 2009.


3. These study tours attracted senior government officials,
including Customs Control Committee Chairman Kozy-Korpesh Karbuzov,
who attended the World Customs Organization (WCO) Morocco conference
this year, as well as the Committee's deputy chairman, who
participated in a separate study tour to Sweden. These officials
acknowledged that their understanding of the concept and the
alternative ways of implementing single-window systems was greatly
influenced by the various events sponsored by USAID and GTZ.


4. During a conference organized by the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Ministry of Transport and
Communications regarding transportation and trade facilitation, the
Deputy Chairman of Customs Control Committee, Serzhan Duissebayev,
announced Kazakhstan's intention to implement a single-window system
for the import and export of goods in Kazakhstan. Based on various
factors, including the experiences gained from the professional
study tours, according to Duissebayev, Kazakhstan will adopt a model
that is derived from the experiences of Sweden and Singapore.


5. While the Government has not determined which agency will
oversee and implement the single-window, the Customs Control
Committee, based upon instructions from the Office of the Prime
Minister, appears to be the leading candidate. Instructions from
the Prime Minster to the Ministry of Finance and the Customs Control
Committee called for the establishment of a working group, to
include all relevant agencies. This working group is to be chaired
by the Customs Control Committee, and will analyze the potential for
integration of information systems of the relevant government
agencies with the information system of the Operative Management
Center of the Customs Control Committee, which will lead to the
introduction of the electronic single-window for customs
registration and control.

COMMITTING TO SINGLE-WINDOW - A BEGINNING


6. Kazakhstan's announcement that customs officials are ready to
develop the single-window system will require modification of the
Customs Modernization Project (CMP),currently underway with support
from the World Bank. This process will lead directly to a detailed
planning effort by the Government of Kazakhstan that will bring the
single-window on-line. USAID will continue to provide key technical
assistance to the Customs Control Committee on single-window through
the CMP, including project management training, assistance in
negotiating and entering contracts with commercial providers of

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single-window systems, and expertise on specific issues at the
request of the Customs Control Committee.

HOAGLAND