A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed in December 2001/January 2002 between the Head of the then FICS, the Comptroller of Customs in Samoa, the Director of the Vanuatu Customs and Inland Revenue Department, and UNCTAD, for the setup and operations of the ASMP. PNGCS joined the ASMP framework through the signing of the 2008 and subsequent Joint Statements. SICED joined the ASMP from 2016.

Funding is provided by the participating countries through a cost sharing arrangement, and the objective of the MOA is taking full ownership of the modernized and automated Customs operations with ASYCUDA, including long term sustainability at both national and regional levels. The MOA calls for a yearly detailed review of the ASMP office operations during the fourth quarter of each year.