Trade facilitation has been recognised as a major contributor of economic growth. It deals with all physical, procedural and administrative steps involved in international trade transactions, particularly transport and cross-border operations. Trade facilitation opens access to new markets and opportunities, and enables the integration of local SMEs in international supply chains, thereby fostering export-led economic growth that can alleviate poverty on a significant scale.

The inclusion of trade facilitation in the WTO Doha Development Round raised its priority on the agenda of Member Countries. International financial institutions, donors, UN agencies, the World Customs Organization and NGOs are expressing interest to support programs that facilitate trade and transport, focusing particularly on practical approaches.

The Global Facilitation Partnership for Transportation and Trade (GFP) pulls together all interested parties, public and private, national and international, who want to help achieve significant improvements in transport facilitation and trade facilitation in World Bank member countries. Partners have together agreed to design and undertake specific programs towards meeting this objective, making use of their respective comparative advantage in the subject matter in a coordinated fashion.

The United Nations Trade Facilitation Network has been established as a common platform for UN agencies involved in trade facilitation activities. It has been launched in response to the request from the High Level Committee on Programs of the United Nations Chief Executives Board to identifying Trade Facilitation issues to be addressed in a coordinated manner within the United Nations system. Recognizing that these agencies have different approaches to trade facilitation, this platform concentrates information on each agency’s approach. It provides a doorway for users to investigate further the work carried out by one or another UN agency.

Further information about the GFP and the UN Trade Facilitation Network is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.gfptt.org/.

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