Barriers to customs entry at the time of disaster in developing countries: Mitigating the delay of life-saving materials

Abstract

When a disaster strikes and a request for international assistance is received, an increasing number of actors respond to the needs of the affected population, and one of the first governmental entities that they meet when they arrive in the disaster-stricken country is the customs administration. Unfortunately, very few customs administrations are adequately prepared for the possibility that they may, one day, receive a huge number of incoming flights in a short period of time. Furthermore, over-regulation leads to unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks, which slow the entry and distribution of relief. Aid providers are frustrated by unnecessary delays and higher costs. Unprepared customs administrations suffer countless administrative headaches. This research focuses on the causes for delay in the movement of life-saving materials through Customs and the associated barriers. The article includes a comprehensive qualitative analysis drawing from the literature and informant interviews and is coupled with a System Dynamics model. After reviewing the system inefficiencies discovered, recommendations for the way forward are made.