Atwo-day OSCE-organized online seminar on digitalization of customs and transport procedures in compliance with the international standards, the UN conventions and agreements for representatives from the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations, transport agencies and other relevant institutions opened on 22 September 2020 in Ashgabat.
International experts from Georgia and the Russian Federation presented effective mechanisms and digital tools in the transport, transit and customs management. An online scoping meeting preceded the seminar on 4 September 2020, which discussed the current needs of national partner institutions and determined the areas of interest for further action and co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, to complement and support the ongoing national efforts in trade and transport area.
“The OSCE participating States recognize that promoting connectivity through facilitating transit and trade and measures undertaken at all management levels can intensify mutually beneficial economic co-operation, which contributes to good neighborly relations and strengthens trust and mutual understanding across the OSCE region,” said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
The seminar provided an overview of digital transport and transit documents, and best international practices and their implementation. Participants also discussed opportunities for the development of a seamless multimodal transport, a single window system and the related challenges and opportunities.
“The Centre organized this seminar to support the consistent steps of the Government of Turkmenistan aimed at the digitalization of customs procedures which are of particular importance for enhancing co-operation in the area of transport and communication with other countries,” added Drozd.
Experts shared experiences related to the electronic exchange of data and the introduction of the ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) World information system as well as on how to ensure secure transport management in emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions focused on the digital future of the regional transport corridors, trends and opportunities.
The seminar was organized within the framework of the project “Promoting regional economic connectivity and development of regional logistic and transport infrastructure”.
