| Project Name | Better Customs for Better Client Services in Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Countries | ||||||||
| Project Number | 53159-001 | ||||||||
| Country | Regional Afghanistan Azerbaijan Georgia Kazakhstan Kyrgyz Republic Mongolia Pakistan China, People's Republic of Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan |
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| Project Status | Active | ||||||||
| Project Type / Modality of Assistance | Technical Assistance |
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| Source of Funding / Amount |
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| Strategic Agendas | Inclusive economic growth Regional integration |
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| Drivers of Change | Gender Equity and Mainstreaming Governance and capacity development Partnerships |
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| Sector / Subsector | Industry and trade / Industry and trade sector development |
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| Gender Equity and Mainstreaming | Some gender elements | ||||||||
| Description | |||||||||
| Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | |||||||||
| Impact | Trade and smooth flow of goods and people across the CAREC region increased. Trade from increased market access expanded. |
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| Project Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Description of Outcome | CAREC customs agencies and the CCC providing better services to its clients. |
| Progress Toward Outcome | The TA continues to initiate activities to enhance the capacity of customs agencies and the CAREC Customs Cooperation Committee (CCC) to better respond to (i) the rapidly changing trade environment in CAREC countries, and (ii) increasing private sector demand for better services. |
| Implementation Progress | |
| Description of Project Outputs | Scoping studies with actionable recommendations in customs infrastructure, facilities, use of technology and logistics support prepared. Initiatives in modern customs technologies and best practice supported. 3. Customs capacity improved. |
| Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues) | Oct 2019: International consultants were engaged to finalize the CAREC Advanced Transit System (CATS) Agreement and its supporting Information Common Exchange (ICE) IT system, a pilot initiative between customs agencies of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. Oct-Nov 2019: The KSTA supported the CAREC-SASEC Inter-Subregional Knowledge-Sharing Forum (31 Oct-02 Nov 2019; Tbilisi, Georgia), where customs authorities from CAREC and SASEC programs shared knowledge, experience, and best practice on challenging aspects of trade facilitation reform and modernization efforts, and identified critical success factors for effective trade facilitation measures for efficient trade flow, resource allocation, and improved regional cooperation. A study visit to the Red Bridge border-crossing point between Georgia and Azerbaijan was also organized to familiarize participants on efforts made in coordinated border management. Oct-Nov 2019: The KSTA supported an Intersessional Meeting of the CAREC Customs Cooperation Committee (CCC) (1 Nov 2019; Tbilisi, Georgia), attended by CCC senior officials to discuss follow-up actions to last CCC Meeting and priority projects and activities for 2019-2020; discuss mechanisms to update progress in CCC priority areas and to track progress in implementing the provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA); as well as brainstorm on how to showcase CCC achievements during the 20th anniversary of the CAREC Program in 2020. Feb 2020: A short-term international consultant was engaged in February 2020 to develop a trade facilitation tacking system for the CAREC CCC, specifically in CAREC member countries' progress in fulfilling their international commitments under the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. Feb 2020: A videoconference was held on 10 February 2020 between the three countries participating in the CATS/ICE initiative, to update current status and progress made in finalizing the Agreement. Participating countries shared outcomes of their respective domestic consultations with relevant agencies/ministries in securing the signing of the Agreement, and highlighted that there are pending issues for discussion. As a way forward, ADB requested participating countries to further work on the Agreement and submit final comments, with a view to finalizing the Agreement before the 19th CAREC Customs Cooperation Meeting. Mar 2020: Preparations for the 2020 Annual Meeting of the CCC, anticipated in May 2020, were postponed due to international travel restrictions and the COVID-19 public health situation. |
| Geographical Location | Afghanistan - Nation-wide; Azerbaijan - Nation-wide; China - Nation-wide; Georgia - Nation-wide; Kazakhstan - Nation-wide; Kyrgyz Republic - Nation-wide; Mongolia - Nation-wide; Pakistan - Nation-wide; Tajikistan - Nation-wide; Turkmenistan - Nation-wide; Uzbekistan - Nation-wide |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | |
| Involuntary Resettlement | |
| Indigenous Peoples | |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | |
| During Project Design | |
| During Project Implementation | |
| Business Opportunities | |
|---|---|
| Consulting Services | ADB will engage the consultants following the ADB Procurement Policy (2017, as amended from time to time) and its associated project administration instructions and/or staff instructions. The TA will require 24 person-months of international and 24 person-months of national consultant inputs. ADB will recruit consultants individually rather than through a firm because (i) the wide range of experience, expertise, and specific knowledge of the CAREC Program and countries required to complete all TA activities is not available in a single firm; and (ii) consultants and resource persons should be rapidly mobilized. EARD will manage all individual consultants. Where appropriate, output-based contracts will be considered for administrative efficiency and for a simplified disbursement process. |
| Responsible ADB Officer | McKenzie, Rosalind Y. |
| Responsible ADB Department | East Asia Department |
| Responsible ADB Division | Public Mgt, Financial Sector and Regional Coop Division, EARD |
| Executing Agencies |
Asian Development Bank 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550, Philippines |
| Timetable | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 29 Apr 2019 |
| Fact Finding | - |
| MRM | - |
| Approval | 14 Oct 2019 |
| Last Review Mission | - |
| Last PDS Update | 27 Mar 2020 |
TA 9824-REG
| Milestones | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
| Original | Revised | Actual | |||
| 14 Oct 2019 | - | 14 Oct 2019 | 30 Sep 2021 | - | - |
| Financing Plan/TA Utilization | Cumulative Disbursements | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADB | Cofinancing | Counterpart | Total | Date | Amount | |||
| Gov | Beneficiaries | Project Sponsor | Others | |||||
| 250,000.00 | 1,200,000.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,450,000.00 | 14 Oct 2019 | 57,849.18 |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.
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| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Better Customs for Better Client Services in Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Countries: Technical Assistance Report | Technical Assistance Reports | Oct 2019 |
Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
None currently available.
Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
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Related Publications
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Tenders
| Tender Title | Type | Status | Posting Date | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Facilitation Specialist | Individual - Consulting | Closed | 08 May 2020 | 14 May 2020 |
| Regional Cooperation and Integration Events Coordinator | Individual - Consulting | Closed | 08 Feb 2020 | 14 Feb 2020 |
| Senior Trade Facilitation Program Coordinator (National) | Individual - Consulting | Closed | 18 Jan 2020 | 24 Jan 2020 |
Contracts Awarded
No contracts awarded for this project were found
Procurement Plan
None currently available.