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The Role of ESCWA in Promoting Trade Facilitation

The Role of ESCWA in Promoting Trade Facilitation. Nabil Safwat Chief, Transport and Trade Facilitation Team(TTF) Globalization and Regional Integration Division (GRID) Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). Trade Facilitation Issues in ESCWA.

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The Role of ESCWA in Promoting Trade Facilitation

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  1. The Role of ESCWA in Promoting Trade Facilitation Nabil Safwat Chief, Transport and Trade Facilitation Team(TTF) Globalization and Regional Integration Division (GRID) Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  2. Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  3. Trade Facilitation Issues in ESCWA • Intra-regional trade is less than 10% of international trade in the region • Major causes are complexities in • border formalities • Administrative procedures • Required documentation • Unpredictability of high costs and delays Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  4. Trade Facilitation Approach in ESCWA • Development of an integrated transport system (ITSAM) • Improvements in infrastructure • Improvements in trade flow operations, logistics and procedures throughout the supply chain • Institutionalization of public / private sector interactions • Legal and administrative reforms Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  5. Integrated Transport System in the Arab Mashreq (ITSAM) • An integrated transport network • An associated information system • A methodological framework for analysis and policy formulation Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  6. Improvement of Infrastructure in support of Trade Facilitation • Roads Agreement (1st UN treaty in ESCWA) • Adopted on 10 May 2001 • 11 Signatories by 31 Dec 2002 • 4 Ratifications by 1 May 2003 (5 required for entry into force) • Railways Agreement (2nd treaty) • Adopted on 14 April 2003 • 8 Signatories by 17 April 2003 Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  7. Improvements in operations, logistics and procedures • Trade Efficiency Study (1999) • Trade Facilitation Field Study (2000) (Five countries-Six volumes)(Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, UAE) • Studies on Application of EDI and ICT (1999, 2001 and 2003) Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  8. Institutionalization of public/private interactions • Guide to the establishment of National Transport and Trade Facilitation Committees (2003) • Four Countries issued Cabinet decrees to establish NTTFC • Two countries took positive steps towards establishing NTTFC Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  9. Factors for Success of Trade Facilitation measures • Political will • Long term commitment • Clear vision • Adequate resources • Close cooperation between public and private sectors • Capacity building • Technical assistance Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  10. Capacity Building Projects • Capacity building in developing inter-regional land and land-sea transport linkages • All five UN regional commissions; ESCWA coordinator • Five years ( 2002-2006) • USD 1.25 Million from UN Development Account • Capacity Building in trade facilitation and electronic business in the Mediterranean • Three UN regional commissions ECE,ESCWA and ECA; ECE coordinator • Two years (2002-2003) • USD 600,000 from UN Development Account • ESCWA countries are Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  11. E-Med Trade Facilitation Project Flowchart - ESCWA ESCWA main activities Activities by others National Studies (Spring 2003) E-business training tools National TTF workshops (Fall 2003) Regional e-business seminar for SMEs (Fall 2003) Regional seminar to review lessons learned and look ahead (Spring 2004) Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  12. National TTF Studies • Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria: • National consultants • Egypt: • Dutch Consultant thru’ World Bank • Regional Consultant thru’ ESCWA • National Experts thru’ Egyptian Government • Should complement previous ESCWA studies Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  13. Current Improvements in the region • New Customs Laws (Lebanon: April 2001; Egypt: underway) • Accessions to existing int’l conventions • EDI and ICT applications • New regional agreements • NTTFCs • Development of ITSAM Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  14. Role of regional commissions • Implementation of trade facilitation measures, standards and recommendations must be done at the regional and sub-regional levels. • Int’l and national implementation plans must include a regional dimension • Hence, involvement of regional commissions is a must Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  15. Recommendation to the 2nd Int’l Trade Facilitation Forum • CEFACT and the Int’l Trade Facilitation Forum should work together on making more resources available for capacity building and technical assistance activities in developing countries to be implemented in full coordination with the UN regional commissions in their respective regions. Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

  16. THANKS • Thank Trade Division of ECE • Thank you Nabil Safwat, Trade Facilitation Forum, 15 May 2003

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