STATE REVENUE COMMITTEE

OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN MINISTRY OF FINANCE

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary General of the World Customs Organization Kunio Mikuriya paid an official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan

         In the period from March 4 to 5, 2019, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization Kunio Mikuriya paid an official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

         The main purpose of the visit is to support and enhance the cooperation of the international organization with the Republic of Kazakhstan “to promote the agenda of customs and support the initiatives of Kazakhstan to improve the transit and transport potential”.

         During the visit K.Mikuria met with Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan A.U. Mamin.

         A.U. Mamin has congratulated Mr. Mikuriya on his victory in the last elections and re-election to the post of Secretary General of the World Customs Organization, held at the last meeting of the WCO Council in June 2018, and stressed that Kazakhstan pays great attention to cooperation with the World Customs Organization and appreciates the support of the national customs administration of Kazakhstan both in membership in WCO working bodies and in providing technical support.

         Kunio Mikuriya has emphasized the intensification of cooperation between the WCO and the Republic of Kazakhstan and assured of his strong support for the initiatives of Kazakhstan. In his opinion, relationship between Kazakhstan and the WCO can be called a “model” of fruitful cooperation between a member state and an international organization. K. Mikuria has also noted that the Secretariat monitors the dynamics and effectiveness of technical assistance to Kazakhstan and is ready to continue to send missions on institutional development in the field of customs.

         During the visit, K. Mikuriya has visited the checkpoint “Nur Zholy” - a new vehicle checkpoint with a customs clearance zone in the international transport and logistics centre, where the most comfortable conditions for participants of foreign economic activity (international carriers) are created in terms of automation of control processes, availability of equipped waiting areas, both for passengers and vehicles.

         “Nur Zholy” checkpoint is the main gate of the highway “Western Europe - Western China”, equipped with the most modern inspection and checking systems, automatic radiation monitoring systems, equipment for scanning passengers, weight and dimensional equipment for all types of vehicles.

         Secretary General of WCO has also visited the infrastructure facilities of the transport and logistics centre and the customs post “Astana - Customs Clearance Centre”, where all customs and logistics infrastructure is currently concentrated in a single point of service.

         Transport and logistics centre was established within the framework of the “Nurly Zhol” development programme and implementation of the 65th step of the “National Plan - 100 Concrete Steps”, involving the development of a multimodal transport corridor and modern logistics infrastructure in Kazakhstan.

         In order to ensure the transparency of customs operations in the waiting area for customers displays, which have the ability to monitor the process of goods customs inspection online. The main advantage of the new customs clearance centre is a single integrated infrastructure. All state bodies and organizations involved in the process of import and export of goods, such as veterinary, quarantine, phytosanitary services, certification centres, transport control units, Kazpost, insurance services and customs brokers are located in this centre.

         The issues of country’s transport infrastructure modernization in terms of customs regulation were also touched upon during the conversation of WCO Secretary General with the SRC MF RK Chairman Sultangaziyev M.Ye.     

K. Mikuriya has positively noted the ongoing reforms in the sphere of state revenue bodies activity in Kazakhstan, such as the introduction of electronic declaration, automation of business processes at customs and the introduction of the “single window”.

         It is noted that the previous visit of Mikuriya in Kazakhstan was held in May 2016, as part of the conference of Heads of customs services of the European WCO region.

Press Service

of the State Revenue Committee MF RK

(Zhenis Ave, 11)