At a Glance

• Iraq's customs revenue reached 2.5 trillion dinars in the first seven months of the year, matching the total for all of last year.

• July alone generated 560 billion dinars, marking a 150 billion dinar increase compared to the same month last year.

• Officials project that total annual customs revenue will reach 3.5 trillion dinars by the end of the year.

• Digital automation and the implementation of the ASYCUDA electronic system served as the primary drivers for growth and anti-corruption efforts.

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In a statement, sources confirmed that Iraq's customs revenue surged to historic highs during the initial seven months of the year, driven by comprehensive digitalization initiatives across national border crossings.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• Record Growth: Samer Qassem al-Tai, Director General of the General Authority of Customs, stated that revenues have reached unprecedented levels since the establishment of the modern Iraqi state.

• Structural Reform: The integration of federal border checkpoints into the electronic ASYCUDA tracking framework has successfully curbed systemic corruption and minimized customs evasion.

• Infrastructure Scope: Iraq currently manages a vast logistical network comprising 19 international land border crossings—five of which are in the Kurdistan Region—alongside six maritime ports and five international airports.

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The revenue surge reflects a steady upward trajectory over recent years, growing from 1 trillion dinars in 2023 and 2 trillion dinars in 2024 to the current milestone. By streamlining tax collection and securing trade routes through automated customs procedures, federal authorities aim to strengthen non-oil state revenues and enhance financial transparency across all commercial entry points.

FYI

The ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) system is a computerized customs management system developed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It covers most foreign trade procedures, handles manifests and customs declarations, and computes duties and taxes while generating trade data statistics to improve fiscal governance.

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