Press release Kazakhstan and WCO expand cooperation: digital customs, rapid transit and training

Kazakhstan is consistently strengthening the role of one of the key transit hubs in Eurasia. The growth of cargo flows requires two things from customs at the same time: faster to pass legal cargo and more accurately identify risks. It was these tasks that became the central topic of negotiations with the World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretary General Ian Saunders in Astana..

Within the framework of the visit, meetings were held at the highest state level with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.

Since June 1992, Kazakhstan has been a member of the WCO. During this time, cooperation has gone from joining international customs instruments to Kazakhstan's active participation in the work of the Organization's bodies and the implementation of regional programs.

This high-level engagement followed by the meeting of WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders with Finance Minister Madi Takiyev and Chairman of the State Revenue Committee Zhandos Duisembiev. At the working level, the parties discussed in detail practical issues of the development of customs administration, including digitalization, the development of transit corridors, simplification of procedures and further strengthening of Kazakhstan's cooperation with WCO.

The participation of the Minister of Finance gave the meeting a comprehensive interdepartmental character and made it possible to consider not only current issues of the activities of customs authorities, but also strategic directions for further interaction.

A separate block of negotiations was devoted to the information systems of the SRC. The Secretary General was presented with how digital solutions are used in declaration and transit, data exchange with government agencies and foreign customs services, risk management, big data analysis and the use of artificial intelligence.

The practical result of digitalization is already measured by specific indicators. According to the results of the first half of 2026, about 60.5% of declarations for goods were issued automatically. According to transit declarations, 80% was issued without the use of customs control forms. The SRC is testing technologies for recognizing X-ray images of inspection and inspection complexes using AI and digital tools for supporting customs decisions. Kazakhstan is interested in further development of these solutions taking into account international standards, expert assessment and WCO practices.

Ian Saunders highly praised the digital development of customs administration in Kazakhstan. The parties agreed to expand practical interaction on digital tools, risk management and the use of artificial intelligence. In this work, WCO is important for Kazakhstan not only as a platform for developing international rules, but also as a source of methodological and technical support: expertise, training, testing of international approaches and training of specialists.

For Kazakhstan, this is especially important in transit issues. In order to develop transit potential, the country simplifies customs procedures and builds direct digital exchange with other states. Such work is already underway with Uzbekistan, China and Azerbaijan. Electronic exchange of preliminary information allows you to receive information about the cargo before its arrival, assess risks in advance and reduce the time for customs formalities.

With Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan has begun to develop a pilot "Seamless Transit," which provides for direct interaction of information systems of customs services. Information interaction with China is developing on the basis of bilateral protocols. WCO provides methodological assistance to Kazakhstan in improving such procedures and applying international approaches to measuring and reducing the time it takes to cross the border.

A separate place in cooperation is occupied by the WCO Regional Training Center in Astana. It has been operating since 2009 on the basis of the SRC and is a platform where specialists from the customs services of Kazakhstan and other countries of the region are trained by WCO experts, exchange practice and train their own trainers. In fact, this is a regional school of modern customs competencies.

In 2024-2026 alone, 12 events were held at the Center's site: three in 2024, five in 2025 and four in 2026. The topics covered were control of container traffic, risk management, study of the timing of the release of goods, protection of intellectual property, security in Central Asia and the Caucasus, a harmonized system and control of trade in strategic goods. In 2024, Astana also launched a regional training program for master trainers in risk management with the participation of eight countries, and in April 2026, its final fifth meeting was held here.

Kazakhstan proposed to continue joint training of master trainers, develop special training courses on export control and dual-use goods, as well as use the potential of the Center to disseminate modern digital and risk-oriented approaches in the region.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed a common priority: customs should become faster for legal trade and more precisely for control. For Kazakhstan, cooperation with WCO is a practical mechanism for the development of transit potential, the introduction of international standards and digital solutions that allow moving goods across the border with lower costs and without reducing the level of security.