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The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has never intended to open source ASYCUDA (as the WCO recently did in June 2017 with their Cargo Targeting System). It seems clear that Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) should not be in the business of building and selling rudimentary software solutions, and donors should not be funding the development or deployment especially when there is an appearance of a kickback scheme for a select few...
The WCO professes the CTS to be a complete, efficient, and effective solution. Based on this scorecard I’d say that’s a bit of an exaggeration and taken from the UNCTAD ASYCUDA Playbook discussed in Part 1 of the WCO CTS Myth.
They further describe it as user-friendly, simple, powerful, affordable, and sustainable. They say everything is required to implement and sustain an effective cargo manifest risk assessment solution. Like a technology vendor, they state they will provide the hardware, data assistance, training, support, maintenance. The WCO is suddenly discovering that software development can be difficult. As one example, they’ve only obtained 40% of the cargo data in some countries. That goes a long way from the full visibility needed at the border. (Maybe goods aren’t being smuggled in the other 60%?) ....
A good discussion followed Part 1 of The WCO CTS Myth. Access the PART 1 blog here. Part 2 will focus on the functions and integration methodology for the system. It sounds like the WCO thinks it is doing the right thing by building an entry level targeting system for it’s members who want one. There’s nothing overly nefarious here. The problem is, it puts the WCO in direct competition with the technology vendors....
David Hamilton is an International Trade Facilitation Consultant at Xalgorithms Foundation. His latest blog provides interesting insight and compares closed and open source source options for UN developed Trade systems such as ASYCUDA World. Right now the current closed source method limits the level of participation in designing solutions ultimately meant to provide access. How can we foster this change?
Alibaba’s Jack Ma was named UNCTAD’s Special Adviser on trade this week. Mr. Ma was quoted as follows; "It is an honor to serve as UNCTAD’s Special Adviser on Youth Entrepreneurship and Small Business," said Mr. Ma. "I have spent my career working with entrepreneurs and know the positive social and economic impact when people are given the opportunity to participate in the global economy."
Mr. Ma, we have a problem. UNCTAD is actually preventing my fellow entrepreneurs, start-ups, and technology firms (who build solutions for border processing and trade facilitation) from the opportunity to participate. In short, they have created a barrier to market entry. The playing field is not level.
Stewart Jeacocke is the Customs Leader from the IBM Center of Competence. He's promoting what is likely the best idea yet for the future of ASYCUDA and the WCO's CTS.
Through our market analysis and customer engagements, we have learned that many Customs administrations are not entirely clear on what systems are indeed available in the market, or how to compare those applications. We believe it's necessary to create a common and fair playing ground to compare the options, and TTEK is certainly prepared to be considered in any cross functional comparison. As such we've prepared a checklist to assist those customs administrations who seek a leading edge operational risk management solution. Our list includes 55 functions that you should be measuring when considering a risk management solution.
Contact us for more info or visit www.ttekglobal.com
The Jamaica Minister of Finance, Audley Shaw expects to increase revenues from the Jamaica Customs Agency by up to 40 per cent with the implementation of new measures aimed at cutting down corruption and under-invoicing. He plans to hold the Commissioner of Customs Major Richard Reese responsible for hitting that target. First of all, that's a bit unfair. Why? Because the government is setting an expectation that 2 recent technologies funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) are going to help accomplish this, and that's likely not going to happen because....
