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WCO builds the first global pool of Diagnostic Facilitators on the WCO Performance Measurement Mechanism

• For the first time in its history, the World Customs Organization (WCO) has conducted a dedicated Global Pre-Accreditation Workshop for Diagnostic Facilitators on the Performance Measurement Mechanism (PMM), bringing together 13 candidates from across the world.

• The PMM enables Members to benchmark their performance against regional and global averages, generate evidence for national policy decisions, demonstrate progress to stakeholders and donors, and identify precisely where capacity-building investment is most needed.
• The Diagnostic Facilitators, upon full accreditation, will commit to making themselves available to the WCO for training, technical assistance and peer review support across the WCO’s membership.

• At the core of the WCO evidence-based approach to capacity delivery and in line with the WCO Capacity-Building Paradigm, this first Pre-Accreditation Workshop in the PMM field represents a key milestone. 

The WCO has concluded the first-ever Global Pre-Accreditation Workshop for Diagnostic Facilitators on the Performance Measurement Mechanism (PMM). Opened by the WCO Deputy Secretary General Ricardo Treviño Chapa, the event was held from 8 to 12 June 2026 at WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, with the support of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO)-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (Phase II). The five-day programme was aimed at assessing the diagnostic skills of the candidates through practical exercises covering the full spectrum of the PMM, from key performance indicator (KPI) analysis and peer review facilitation to evidence-based capacity-building design and in-country assessment interviews. 

Thirteen candidates from Member Customs administrations across all the WCO regions participated in this event, which marks a pivotal step in the WCO's capacity-building approach to building a global, qualified and diverse pool of PMM experts. Candidates who successfully complete the three-stage accreditation process will be deployed to assist Member Customs administrations in implementing the PMM, conducting peer reviews, and strengthening national performance measurement systems. 

The PMM - a strategic asset for Customs administrations

The WCO PMM is a comprehensive, evidence-based framework that measures Customs performance across four dimensions, against expected outcomes and against a set of KPIs.

The PMM also fosters institutional learning by encouraging cross-departmental coordination and improvements in data management within Customs administrations. With the second cycle of the PMM now underway, Members can track the impact of reforms over time and build on the lessons learned from the first cycle - making this inaugural pre-accreditation process for Diagnostic Facilitators particularly timely. 

A landmark step - pre-accrediting PMM Diagnostic Facilitators

Following the selection of candidates from Member Customs administrations across all the WCO regions (stage 1), the Workshop represented stage 2 of the accreditation process and was the first of its kind dedicated specifically to the PMM. It reflected the WCO's recognition of the key role played by the PMM in the new WCO Capacity-Building Paradigm, and of the fact that the PMM's scope requires a pool of specialized and accredited Diagnostic Facilitators to respond to Members’ capacity-building needs in this field.

The selection of candidates was highly competitive, with applicants assessed against a rigorous profile encompassing PMM expertise, experience in Customs administration and capacity-building, facilitation skills, and the ability to work across diverse cultural environments. 

Rigorous assessment across the full PMM cycle

Over the five-day Workshop, candidates were assessed by means of seven practical exercises replicating the real-world tasks of a PMM Diagnostic Facilitator: (i) critically reviewing PMM KPIs and proposing evidence-based improvements; (ii) analysing self-assessment data under time pressure; (iii) designing tailored pre-assessment interview tools; (iv) conducting peer review assessments by dimension; (v) building evidence-based Member Support Roadmaps aligned with the WCO Capacity-Building Paradigm; (vi) facilitating structured thematic discussions; and (vii) leading in-country group assessment interviews. 

Next steps - from assessment to deployment

The Workshop was designed in direct response to the new WCO Capacity-Building Paradigm, which places the PMM at the core of evidence-based capacity delivery. Accredited PMM Diagnostic Facilitators will support Members in completing the self-assessment phase, reporting through the PMM platform and conducting peer reviews upon request, thereby boosting the credibility and impact of the PMM throughout the WCO’s membership.

Candidates who have successfully completed stage 2 will progress to stage 3, where their skills will be assessed through practical activities on the ground and/or online, leading to full accreditation. Thanks to these new resources, the WCO will be able to support Members in building their capacity to implement the PMM more effectively and better serve society as a result.

(Source: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2026/june/wco-builds-the-first-global-pool-of-diagnostic-facilitators.aspx)