From 10 to 13 September 2023, the WCO delivered a workshop on performance measurement in the Customs environment to the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority of Saudi Arabia (ZATCA).

The General Manager of the ZATCA Academy opened the workshop, underlining the importance of the strategic partnership between ZATCA and the WCO and the timely organization of the workshop, given the recent approval of the first version of the WCO Performance Measurement Mechanism (PMM).

The high level of interaction and immersive participation by ZATCA officials reflects the Authority’s commitment to enhancing the maturity level of the national performance measurement system and implementing an evidence-based assessment system that meets the need to measure the outcomes and impact of Customs activities and operations on the trade environment, in line with the approach taken by the WCO when developing the WCO PMM.

The workshop participants underlined the importance of international benchmarking in performance measurement to enable peer learning and evidence-based decision-making, thereby maintaining Customs effectiveness and governance. They recognized the importance of data in shaping the priorities for achieving sustainable development as part of the current reform process in Saudi Arabia under the umbrella of “Saudi Vision 2030”.

The discussions linked the lessons learned to specific expected outcomes and indicators to be considered during future review cycles of the national performance measurement system.

The General Manager of the ZATCA Academy welcomed the outcomes of the workshop discussions and the high level of interaction and stressed the importance of building up a pool of experts to enable peer learning and strengthen the capacities of WCO Members in performance measurement and evaluation.