Following an invitation from the Jordan Customs Authority, and with generous support from the Japan Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF Japan), the WCO delivered a diagnostic assessment of Jordan Customs’ risk management capabilities, structure, and functions.  The mission took place from 4 to 8 December 2016, and its core objective was to support Jordan Customs by identifying any significant gaps and challenges in the area of risk management needing to be addressed in view of increasing trade in an increasingly insecure surrounding environment.

The mission agenda contained meetings with Major General Dr. Wadhah Hmoud (Director General of Customs), and with his Deputy, Brigadier General of Customs Jihad Sawaqed (Assistant Director General for Administrative and Financial Affairs).  The Risk Management Department and the Intelligence Directorate, as well as senior management and key personnel from most Directorates and several Customs Houses, participated with their expertise and knowledge.  The excellent local arrangements facilitated the extensive meeting schedule.  The WCO team was thus able to gather information from all involved, including management and staff at three border points – Amman Customs House, the Umari border crossing with Saudi Arabia, and Queen Aalia International Airport Clearance Terminal.  Other cross-border regulatory agencies (CBRAs), engaged in Jordan Customs’ Single Window project, as well as representatives of the private sector, contributed with their experience and views.

At the debriefing meeting, the WCO team of accredited experts met with the Assistant Director General for Administrative and Financial Affairs, the Risk Management Directorate, the Human Resources Directorate, and other key internal stakeholders. The WCO team presented their main findings and put forward a number of recommendations for improvement under four main areas – risk management policy, strategic planning, intelligence, and compliance.

The outputs of this mission form the basis of an action plan, for which Jordan Customs plan to appoint a National Project Manager.  The WCO will continue to follow and support Jordan Customs’ modernization work in the area of organizational risk management.

The WCO hopes that the new Organizational Risk Management Diagnostic Tool, which was consulted and tested during the mission, will be useful for many other Customs agencies in their modernization efforts.