Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region agreed on Wednesday to advance a joint plan to implement the ASYCUDA customs system, aimed at linking border procedures under a unified digital framework and facilitating trade flows.
Widely used in international customs administration, the ASYCUDA platform is designed to streamline procedures, improve transparency, and standardize operations at border crossings nationwide.
The understanding followed a high-level meeting chaired by Finance Minister Taif Sami, where officials reviewed a draft plan to deploy the system in the Kurdistan Region in line with directives issued by the Council of Ministers for Economy on April 6, 2026.The discussions brought together representatives from Iraq’s General Commission of Customs, advisors from the Kurdish Ministry of Interior, technology specialists, and experts from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
At the core of the talks was the need to align legal and technical frameworks between Baghdad and Erbil, with participants underlining the importance of addressing regulatory differences and clearly defining responsibilities to ensure the system functions smoothly.
The two sides also agreed to form a joint ASYCUDA team tasked with completing the technical requirements through local companies, alongside launching a training program to prepare staff for the new system. In turn, Sami directed that the system include a Kurdish-language interface in addition to Arabic and English, stressing that the platform must be accessible across different regions.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Thamer Qasim Dawood, head of Iraq’s General Commission of Customs, described the initiative as part of a broader effort to establish a unified customs administration across the country based on modern and standardized practices. He explained that the system is expected to increase non-oil revenues, curb smuggling, and enhance the efficiency of customs operations, while supporting efforts to modernize Iraq’s trade infrastructure.