BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a724dc25fb75 DTSTART:20181128T050000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20181128T060000Z LOCATION:\, SUMMARY:Side Event 2 - Unleashing Africa'\;s economic integration poten tial: The case of Trade Facilitation-led Reforms under the African Contine ntal Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION: \n\nOrganized by UNCTAD African Regional Office and the Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (trapca)\n\n \n\nThe importance of trad e facilitation (TF) in fostering intra-African trade cannot be underscored . With the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and the African Continen tal Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in place\, fast-tracking TF measures is imper ative. It has been re-affirmed several times that the expected benefits of full implementation of the TFA and AfCFTA for African countries are immen se. This is evidenced by the pronouncements of the African ministers. Howe ver\, it is clear that most African countries are still struggling to fulf ill their commitments in terms of notified measures as per the TFA obligat ions with about 70 percent of the measures not notified[1]. What then expl ains the sluggish progress in the notification of measures? The answer mai nly lies in the lack of requisite capacity by these countries to conceptua lize\, categorise and implement the measures. Requisite competences in ter ms of human capital are seriously lacking in these countries and relevant interventions hold the key to harnessing the expected opportunities ushere d by the TFA and AfCFTA.\n\nA number of programs ranging from customs mode rnization reforms to TF needs assessment initiatives all reveal the centra l role of capacity building when it comes to TF reforms. In the same vein\ , trapca’s TF assessment reports that include comprehensive needs assess ments and post-training evaluation\, revealed that capacity building needs of African countries on TF are multi-dimensional. These range from policy \, institutional and implementation level capacity needs. A conceptualizat ion of the relevance of these needs in the implementation of TF reforms is therefore extremely important\, particularly because TF reforms extent to all sectors involved in cross border trade.\n\nAfrican countries have uni laterally\, bilaterally and plurilaterally pursued the above imperatives a t various degrees of reforms.  The adoption of AfCFTA and entry into forc e of WTO’s TFA are added drivers for further regulatory reforms. This no twithstanding\, the transition from adoption of international instruments to their implementation is usually not fully conceptualized hence a genera l underestimation of the role capacity building plays at implementation le vel of such instruments. More specifically\, TF reforms call for multi-dim ensional and cross-sectoral approach to the implementation of measures ari sing therefrom. Capacity building interventions are therefore critical to successful implementation of TF reforms within the context of AfCFTA.\n\nI n light of the above background\, the session will explore the nature\, sc ope and targeting of the capacity interventions with specific focus on tra ining to enhance the competences of the TF measures implementing instituti ons.\n\nObjectives of the session:\n\n\n\nDiscuss the challenges that must be overcome and opportunities presented by TF-led institutional and organ isational reforms through capacity interventions\n\n\nInterrogate the natu re\, scope and types of capacity building interventions required to implem ent TF reforms in view of the cross-sectoral nature of TF measures\n\n\nCo nsider the types and targeting of human resources capacity building interv entions required for the implementation of TF reforms given the mutli-sect oral nature of TF measures\n\n\nAssess how to fully exploit the nexus betw een TF specific capacity building measures and their sustainability across sectors involved in the implementation of TF measures\n\n\nDiscuss the di mensions in which capacity building interventions could fast-track the app roximation and/or harmonization of proliferous TF standards of African cou ntries arising from REC and bilateral arrangements.\n\n\n\nSpeakers: \n\n\ n\nH.E. Erastus Mwencha\, Former Deputy Chairperson of the African Union a nd Trapca and TMEA board member.\n\n\nDr. Joy Kategekwa\, Head of Africa O ffice\, UNCTAD Addis and board Trapca member.\n\n\nMs. Brenda Mundia\, WCO Deputy Director for Capacity Building.\n\n\nMr. Peter Kiuluku\, Executive Director trapca.\n\n\n\n\n[1] https://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/bridges- africa/news/africa-and-the-implementation-of-the-trade-facilitation-agreem ent\n#_ftnref1"\; name="\;_ftn1\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhtt ps://unctad.org/meeting/side-event-2-unleashing-africas-economic-integrati on-potential-case-trade-facilitation-led DTSTAMP:20260804T203826Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR