On 24 April 2015, a representative of the Director General of the Customs Authority of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) participated in Geneva at the signing of a project document that covers the implementation of the new ASYPM performance measurement module of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's (UNCTAD) Customs clearance system (ASYCUDA).

This is the first outcome of the Memorandum of Understanding on Performance Measurement signed in March 2013 between the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and UNCTAD. The WCO and UNCTAD developed the performance measurement module for usage under ASYCUDA based on the performance measurement contracts used by several Customs administrations in West Africa in partnership with the WCO and the World Bank.

More technical information on this approach is contained in the WCO guide "The Why and How of Performance Measurement and Contracting" that was published in 2014.

It is worth recalling that in this context, performance measurement means using data contained in an automated Customs clearance system to produce information on specific Customs procedures, including the actions of Customs officers and traders. Several Customs administrations have demonstrated interest in this approach that enables Customs leaders to have an overall and objective understanding of their administration in order to improve effectiveness and efficiency, as well as reducing practices that could be linked to corruption.

The DRC Customs Authority is spearheading, with other Customs administration users of the ASYCUDA system, this new approach to Customs reform and modernisation. The three year project will be launched in the coming weeks.