BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 19. Turkmenistan can strengthen its trade competitiveness by adopting international Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for customs performance, a source from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH told Trend.
“It is vivid that infrastructure and projects alone do not guarantee connectivity. Traders, the private sector, and investors judge corridors by reliability and predictability. In this context, the adoption of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for customs performance becomes essential for Turkmenistan as it seeks to modernize and become a more competitive player in regional and global trade,” the source said.
The source underscored the criticality of straightforward, implementable key performance indicators.
“The most effective KPIs are often the simplest and most actionable. These include metrics such as average customs clearance times, border crossing dwell times, the percentage of shipments processed electronically, and stakeholder satisfaction, especially from the private sector. Tracking and publishing these indicators helps not only with internal management and reform but also sends a strong signal of transparency and commitment to efficiency, highly valued by investors and trade partners,” the source notes.
Valuable models can be found in the experiences of different regions.
“Regional practices offer templates. Kazakhstan has conducted World Customs Organization time release studies; Uzbekistan has begun to publish performance data from its customs service to monitor and drive improvements. Kyrgyzstan has piloted corridor performance monitoring tools, including under the CAREC framework, offering insights into how delays and inefficiencies can be identified and resolved,” the GIZ representative added.
The source stressed the significance of regional support structures.
“Adopting similar practices is well within reach for Turkmenistan, especially by leveraging ongoing regional support mechanisms such as the TFCA project. We stand ready to support this process through technical assistance, training, and regional peer learning. In fact, Turkmenistan has already taken part in our recent online regional consultation on customs KPIs, which reflects a growing interest to move in this direction. Central Asia today is evolving into a more connected and interdependent trade region. Customs administrations can no longer operate in isolation. Through platforms like TFCA and more recently, there is a strong push for regional harmonization of customs performance. In this environment, each country’s performance directly impacts the region’s overall competitiveness.
For Turkmenistan, the opportunity is clear—but so is the responsibility. Aligning with regional and international best practices on customs KPIs will ensure the country is not left behind. On the contrary, by embracing performance-based customs management, Turkmenistan can position itself as a credible and efficient partner in the region’s growing network of trade corridors,” the GIZ source concluded.
