The purpose of this meeting is to review the recent progress relating to trade facilitation for the benefit of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries. The outcome of the meeting will contribute to further discussions on the review and implementation of the Almaty Plan of Action for the next five years.
In reviewing the steps taken during the past five years relating to the facilitation of transit operations for overseas trade to and from landlocked countries, it seems important to look at new approaches and solutions directly linked to transit as well as to those that, in the environment surrounding transit itself, have had or may have an impact on how transit is actually operating or may evolve.
Other developments in the transport sector may have important bearings on the way transit operations may be facilitated. A few of the most widely known among these are port developments, intermodal transport operators, and increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to programme and manage operations and check traffic at border control points.
In planning for future policy actions to be promoted in the framework of the Almaty Programme of Action, these recent operational developments will have to be taken into account. Other potential changes may be coming from the regulatory environment that will emerge at the regional and multilateral levels alike, such as, for example, customs transit regimes.
Finally, specific realities call for tailored solutions and therefore regional and national experiences will be an important part of the solutions and will be discussed and considered as part of the way forward.
