Addressing the Trade Facilitation Agreement in the context of regional trade integration and transit trade: Identifying a possible role for the Enhanced Integrated Framework

 

Addressing the Trade Facilitation Agreement in the context of regional trade integration and transit trade: Identifying a possible role for the Enhanced Integrated Framework                                                            Tuesday, 17 June 2014

 

08:00 - 9:00     Registration

 

Opening Session

 

09:00 - 09:10               Welcome statement by His Excellency, Mr. Minelik Alemu Getahun, Ambassador of Ethiopia, Chairman of EIF

 

09.10 - 09:20               Opening statement: Mr. Taffere Tesfachew, Director, UNCTAD Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes (ALDC)

 

09:20 - 09.30               Opening statement: Mr. Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director, EIF Executive Secretariat           

 

09:30 - 09:40               Opening remarks by the representative of the Ministry of Trade of the Gambia

 

09:40: - 10:00             Coffee Break

         

                               

Item 1:                  Setting the satge? 

Key challenges and implications for regional integration in West Africa                      

 

This session will review the transit and trade-facilitation related problems that are identified as key challenges during the DTIS update of selected West African countries and their implications for regional integration and regional trade. This will set the basis for further discussions on the role of EIF in the implementation of the recent trade facilitation agreement.

 

Moderator:      Representative of the Gambian government

 

10:00 - 10:20               Identifying Trade facilitation and transit issues in the DTIS updating process

Stefano Inama, UNCTAD

 

10.20 - 10:40               Transit issues in the Trade facilitation agreement

                                    Annet Blank, Counsellor WTO

 

10:40 - 11:00               The regional instrument for transit and the Interstate Road Transport Agreement: A regional viewpoint

ECOWAS/UEMOA

 

11:00 - 11:20               A practitioner’s viewpoint

Private sector representative

 

11:20 - 13:00               Interactive discussions

 

13:00 - 14.30               Lunch break

 

Item 2:                        Country experiences

Issues and challenges in regional integration and Trade facilitation: Lessons learned from the DTIS updating

                     

This session is intended to provide detailed information - from a national perspective - on the challenges identified in recent DTIS updates with a focus on trade facilitation and regional trade.

 

Moderator:                  Mr. Ashish Shah, Director, Division of Country Programmes – International Trade Center

 

14:30 - 14:50              The Senegalese experience: DTIS updating process on trade facilitation and transit trade

                                    EIF Focal point or coordinator

                                    Representative from Senegal Customs  

 

14:50 - 15:10              The Gambian experience: DTIS updating process on trade facilitation and transit trade

                                    EIF Focal point or coordinator

                                    Representative from Gambia Customs  

 

15:10 -15:30               The Malian perspective: trade facilitation, transit trade and the role of DTIS process

                                    Focal point or coordinator

                                    Representative from Mali Customs  

 

15:30 - 16:00              Interactive discussions and comments

 

Moderator:                 Mrs. Luisa Bernal, UNDP office, Geneva

 

16:00 - 16:20              The Nigerien perspective: trade facilitation, transit trade and the DTIS process

                                    EIF Focal point or Coordinator

                                    Representative from Niger Customs  

 

16:20 - 16:40              The Burkina Faso DTIS action matrix: issues on trade facilitation and transit trade

                                    Focal point or coordinator

                                    Representative from Burkina Faso Customs  

 

16:40 – 17:00              Coffee Break

 

Closing Session

 

Item 3:            Round table: Reflections on possible contributions of EIF to the implementation of the recent Trade Facilitation Agreement and implications for regional trade and integration.

This session will explore the various options and modalities on how the EIF could develop mechanisms to assist in the implementation of  initiatives on trade facilitation, including those  identified in the action matrices of the respective countries.

           

Moderator:                  Mr. Ratnakar Adhikari, Directeur Exécutif du CIR

 

17:00 -18:00                Interactive discussions     

       

• ·         UNCTAD
• ·         Donors
• ·         Country representatives  
• ·         Private sector representatives
• ·         Mr. Ashish Shah, Director, Division of Country Programmes – International Trade Center
• ·         Mrs. Luisa Bernal, UNDP office, Geneva.

 

 

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Reception hosted by UNCTAD