The World Bank report emphasizes nations’ recognition of the link between quality logistics infrastructure and prosperity.

The recently released results of the World Bank’s fourth edition report of Connecting to Compete: Trade Logistics in a Global Economy reveals that among the one hundred and sixty nations whose supply chain efficiency was reviewed, Mexico ranked within the top thirty-three percent. Given the ever increasing recognition by governments and private sector entities alike of the importance that smoothly functional supply chains play in ensuring nations’ economic growth and prosperity, the World Bank has made it a point  to conduct the study on a regular, bi-annual basis since 2007.

In addition to reviewing Mexican logistics performance, infrastructure, services, border clearance capacity and overall supply chain reliability, each of one hundred and fifty-nine  additional countries examined was assessed a ranking on a scale from 1 to 5. While, the resulting Logistics Performance Index, or LPI demonstrated that Germany led the nations that were examined with an LPI of 4.12, Somalia finished last with a score of 1.7.  Last year’s results  saw Mexico break into the top fifty nations with its LPI score of 3.3, while the United States came in the ninth position with a score of 3.92.

According to the current president of the Confederacion de Asociaciones de Agentes Aduanales de la Republica Mexicana (CAAAREM), Victor Hugo Gamez, Mexican logistics performance ranked favorably, in part, when compared with other nations because of the work that has been done recently to professionalize the union that represents Mexico’s Customs personnel, as well as to provide education and training.to personnel involved in import-export operations for the purpose of ensuring better service, and smoother commercial flow of goods. These efforts have resulted in Mexican logistics performance and customs services that are on par with those of developed nations.

Gamas communicated that during his term as the head of Mexico’s Customs Broker’s Association, one of the organization’s main goals has been to “work hand in hand with both governmental authorities and private sector stakeholders for the purpose of implementing effective risk analysis systems to decrease the incidence of the undervaluation of imported merchandise.”

The current president of CAAAREM also stressed the attention that should be played to the critical and important role that Mexican customs brokers play in the conduct of international trade by acting as a necessary and essential link between private sector producers and government agencies.