WNAM MONITORING: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have carried out their first international cargo shipments using the eTIR system, marking a step toward the digitalization of transport and customs procedures in Central Asia
The move is part of a wider regional push to reduce paperwork at borders and speed up freight movement across Central Asia’s road transport corridors.
The International Road Transport Union announced the development on May 12. According to the organization, the first operations represent an important milestone in the region’s transition toward electronic customs data exchange and digital transit management.
One shipment involved the delivery of vehicles from Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan, while a second operation transported vehicle parts in the opposite direction.
Electronic eTIR guarantees were issued by the national international transport associations of both countries: the Association of the International Road Transport Operators of the Kyrgyz Republic, known as AIRTO KR, and the Association of International Road Carriers of Tajikistan, known as ABBAT.
Both operations were processed through the eTIR National Application developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The system allows countries to connect to digital international transit procedures without having to build complex IT infrastructure from scratch.
Before the launch of the pilot shipments, specialists from the IRU and UNECE conducted a series of training seminars for customs officials and representatives of the transport sector.
The training sessions were held in Osh, Kyzyl-Bel, and Khujand with support from transport associations and customs authorities in both countries. The IRU emphasized that the successful implementation of the first eTIR operations was the result of close cooperation among customs agencies, transport operators, international road transport associations, and United Nations structures.
IRU said it plans to continue working with national authorities and regional partners to expand eTIR use across Central Asia.
The traditional TIR system is widely used for international customs transit operations, allowing goods to move across borders in sealed cargo compartments under a unified guarantee and customs control mechanism.
The digital eTIR platform is considered the next stage in the system’s development. It is expected to simplify information exchange between customs authorities, transport operators, and guarantee associations, while also accelerating border crossing procedures and reducing paperwork.
