The World Customs Organization (WCO), established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC), is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.
Today, the WCO represents 186 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade. The WCO develops international standards, fosters cooperation and builds capacity to facilitate legitimate trade, to secure a fair revenue collection and to protect society, providing leadership, guidance and support to Customs administrations.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
- How does WCO’s work and activities specifically touch upon e-commerce and the digital economy?
The importance of technology is undisputed in today’s world and could still be further explored by the WCO at many levels. Considering the diversity of its membership, the Organization should focus on reducing the digital gap between Members and initiating concrete steps towards the full digitalization of procedures, the use of data analytics and the exchange of information in a dematerialized way.
WCO addresses the significant needs in this area through three main aspects:
- The provision of digital solutions to expand on trade facilitation, improve risks management and collect revenue in a more efficient way.
- The implementation of a dedicated data strategy within the entire Organization, to take the necessary steps towards the appropriate use of data collected by Customs, through data processing, analysis and support to decision-making.
- The exploration of potential ways of further promoting the exchange of information between administrations, bearing in mind the different legislation and the sensitivity of the information.
Gambia Revenue Authority’s (GRA) strategic plan had long focused on improving revenue collection, but things changed in 2025 when trade facilitation was selected as one of the central pillars of a new plan. As GRA embarked on an ambitious reform and digital transformation agenda, its focus shifted toward strengthening the Authority’s performance culture, regarded as key to ensuring successful implementation of the reforms. To establish a robust performance measurement system, GRA decided to use the WCO Performance Measurement Mechanism (PMM) indicators and measurement processes.
