The World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the Government of the United Kingdom reached two new associations to advance the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in low- and middle-income countries by leveraging WCO instruments, tools, standards and implementation methodologies, the Brussels-based global body reported.
"TFA, now more than ever, remains key to inclusive sustainable economic prosperity. We see that the COVID-19 crisis has further strengthened the momentum for trade facilitation reforms," the Secretary General of the WCO, Kunio Mikuriya, according release.
Mikuriya further stressed that “it is the swift and ambitious implementation of border reforms that will build the required resilience in the system and help developing countries to be better prepared in similar situations, in order to ensure access to essential and humanitarian goods, preserve the safety of those working at the border and, as such, the wider society they serve, and provide more trade continuity, allowing global supply and value chains to continue as much as possible and limit the negative socio-economic impact of the crisis.”
First association
The first partnership, funded by the FCDO and supported by Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC), provides technical assistance and capacity building to developing countries and, in particular, to lower income countriesWorking in close synergy with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the £1,4 million programme is a continuation of the successful collaboration with HMRC, which began in 2015, to support efforts to effectively implement trade facilitation reforms.
The renewed partnership between HMRC, WCO and UNCTAD will be extended until April 2022The WCO is already working with countries, including Zambia, Eswatini and Lesotho, to understand the customs systems in place and see where technical support can be provided, for example in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
In this regard, William Williamson, International Director of Customs, HMRC He stated: “This joint programme is an illustration of the UK’s continued commitment and recognition of the vital role that Customs administrations play in fostering economic growth and sustainable development through the effective implementation of the TFA – driving transparency and predictability of Customs and border processes. The WCO-UK partnership benefits from the WCO’s unique Customs-to-Customs expertise and the network of accredited experts from the global Customs community, including those from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the UK Border Force.”
Second association
A second partnership with a budget of £1,5 million, the Trade Facilitation Programme in Middle Income Countries (TFMIC), is being Jointly implemented by the World Bank Group and WCO, with financial support from the intergovernmental Prosperity Fund launched by the FCDO.
After an initial preparatory phase, TFMIC is currently working with Brazil, India, Nigeria, Philippines and South Africa and it will spread until October of 2022. The program has a strong inclusive and gender-sensitive approach, building on the WCO’s existing work to promote gender equality and diversity in Customs administrations and the engagement of related stakeholders.
About the initiative, Lewis Neal, Director, Economic Diplomacy Directorate, FCDO He stressed: “Middle-income countries are home to a substantial share of the world's population and the world's poor. These economies are the main drivers of global growth and have great potential to become trading hubs, generating trade facilitation benefits for lower-income countries in their region. To achieve this, Reducing bureaucracy at borders is vital to minimize the costs, time and complexity of cross-border trade."
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