Baghdad: Customs revenues in Iraq are predicted to exceed 4 trillion dinars by the end of this year, according to Samer Qasim, the Director General of Customs. He announced that the final stages of implementing the ASYCUDA global customs automation system have been reached with the Kurdistan Region.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Qasim shared insights on the recent customs revenue figures, revealing that 560 billion dinars were collected in July, with August figures reaching 480 billion dinars. He expects the cumulative revenue to reach 3 trillion dinars by the end of September, potentially surpassing 4 trillion dinars by year-end.

Qasim highlighted the importance of the Trebil border crossing with Jordan, which has become one of the busiest trade routes in Iraq following a decline in port revenues due to regional conflicts. Iraq boasts 22 official border crossings distributed across land, sea, and air.

The Director General also addressed the impact of regional tensions, noting a 50% decrease in customs revenues at the ports due to the war and the Strait of Hormuz crisis. He emphasized the strategic collaboration with the Kurdistan Regional Government, marked by a memorandum of understanding signed on June 18, 2026, to implement the ASYCUDA system at the region’s border crossings.

Qasim stated the partnership has reached advanced stages, with clear directives from the Council of Ministers and the Ministerial Council for the Economy to transition the region’s border crossings to an electronic system. He praised the cooperative efforts from Kurdistan Region officials and announced plans to begin practical steps and employee training for the system’s implementation in October.

He elaborated that these efforts are expected to yield significant strategic benefits, including increased financial revenues for both the Kurdistan Region and the federal government, the closure of illegal border crossings, and the unification of customs tariffs across Iraq.