UNCTAD Technical Assistance and Capacity Building in Trade Facilitation WTO, NGTF, 1 July 2009

How does UNCTAD operate As an executing agency for projects externally funded in partnership with government and business sectors in beneficiary countries. Often as a team player in joint technical assistance projects under a broader umbrella such as ONE UN and (E) Integrated Framework or Annex D Focusing on strengthening local capacities and designing trade facilitation policy actions based on international standards and best practices

TACB in Trade Facilitation Integrated country projects –Trade Facilitation + Customs Automation –Transport and Trade Facilitation ASYCUDA national and regional projects –Customs Automation, procedures and administarive reform, training of users Trust Fund on WTO negotiations on TF –Flexible facility in support of developing countries during the negotiations

Objectives of the Trust Fund To support developing countries in facing challenges stemming from trade facilitation negotiations and future implementation of their outcome: To develop a better capacity to take active part in the multilateral trade negotiations process on trade facilitation; And To take advantage of the opportunities offered by the implementation of the outcome of the trade facilitation negotiations.

Activities to support WTO and other Annex D organizations Awareness raising workshops Support to regional initiatives Preparation of Needs assessments workshops through development of support groups Reference library Provision of Needs Assessment facilitators … funds until around November 2009 …

Recent developments Special facility within the Trust Fund for African Group and SVE delegations in Geneva. Comparative legal study (to be released soon) on cross- cutting issues related to implementation and monitoring of the TF negotiation outcomes. New revision/update of the UNCTAD Technical Notes. New On-line Repository on national trade facilitation working groups (in collaboration with UNECE) –Cases studies on how to set up and maintain a national coordinating mechanism –Sharing Lessons Learned and Best Practices

…unfortunately no Mister TACB exists yet

Implementation Challenges Implementation of administrative reform is difficult irrespective of whether it relies on internal or external resources A good plan/project, including clear objectives, actions and responsibilities is necessary but not sufficient. Conducive institutional environment, high level support, human, technical and financial sustainable resources, motivated staff, co-operation with all stakeholders … are needed.

Implementation Opportunities To design effective trade facilitation reforms that would match foreign trade policy and national trading community needs. To adapt the level of ambition to national development and regional integration strategies. To benefit from a greater exchange of best practices, know how and support with WTO fellow Members. To build local capacities to design and execute reform projects. To improve the coordination of existing Technical Assistance at the diagnostic and implementation phases.

Thank you. WTO, NGTF, 1 July 2009