NTFC Session 9: Role of the National Trade Facilitation Committees in mobilizing resources

Alina Monica Antoci, Senior Private Sector Specialist at the World Bank Group's Trade, Investment, and Competitiveness Global Practice since 2004, led the "Logistics Performance Indicators" project for the "Connecting to Compete - Trade logistics in the global economy" reports.

She authored the "Trade and Transport Facilitation Assessment - A Practical Guide for Country Implementation" and contributed to publications like the World Economic Forum's Global Enabling Trade Report and the World Bank Group "Border Management Modernization."

Currently, she co-leads a book on trade facilitation trends, contributes to high-level policy dialogues, and leads operational implementation of projects in Trade Facilitation, Border Management, and Customs Modernization across 70 countries.

Previously at Harvard, the European Commission, and the Romanian Ministry of Finance, she holds a Master's in Mathematics and Information Technology, a Certificate in International Tax Policy and Administration from Harvard Law School, and a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Since May 2021, Gabriela holds the position of Technical Secretariat of the National Trade Facilitation Committee of Ecuador.

She is a Foreign Trade, Integration, and Customs Engineer. With ten years of experience as a public servant, she has worked in the areas of regional integration and multilateral organizations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments, and Fisheries.

With over 35 years of experience in the Cambodian Customs Administration, Mr. BOU Bunnara is a distinguished legal professional specializing in customs law, trade facilitation, Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Program, customs brokerage, trade remedy law, and international trade regulations.

His impressive track record includes drafting Cambodian Customs Laws and Regulations. As a legal professional, he led expert teams to draft the 2007 Cambodia Customs Law, revise the Cambodia Customs Law, and establish the AEO Program in Cambodia. Mr. Bunnara is also a member of the Secretariat of the Cambodia National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF).

Mr. Bunnara holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Public Administration from the Royal University of Law and Economics, as well as a Senior Civil Servant Diploma, majoring in Economy and Finance, from the prestigious Royal School of Administration.

Ruari Bride joined the secretariat for the UK's National Trade Facilitation Committee in December 2022 and has been working to increase its profile and member engagement ever since.

Prior to starting at HM Revenue and Customs, Ruari worked for four years in agricultural trade at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, specialising in the rice and sugar sectors.

Mark Henderson is a project manager and trade negotiator with 15 years' experience working with and for WTO, European Commission and the Chinese government. Since August 2018 he has worked to support developing and LDC Members with Trade Facilitation Agreement implementation at the WTO Secretariat.

During his tenure at the European Commission's Directorate General for Trade, Mark led negotiations that integrated the Paris Agreement into the Japan EU Economic Partnership Agreement, pioneering climate change considerations in major trade deals. He also contributed to shaping the EU's trade strategy within UN Sustainable Development Goal negotiations and supported the EU's chief negotiator during UNCTAD XIV in Nairobi.

Mark has managed teams delivering global projects, conducting numerous training sessions, seminars, and conferences across three continents. His work convened international stakeholders from business, politics, and the judiciary to discuss critical topics such as trade facilitation, environmental sustainability, regulatory reform, and competition policy within WTO Membership.