The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (Art.23.2) requires that each country establishes a well-functioning national body – National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) - to coordinate the individual actions of a wide range of stakeholders.
Though many countries in the region have already established well functioning NTFCs, others are still facing multiple challenges. It appears that it is often easier to set up a body than to make sure it works well and that it continues its long-term operation through secure funding and firm political commitment.
In this session the NTFC representatives will share good practices and lessons learned in shaping sustainable national bodies, ensuring its inclusiveness and transparency, and the alignment of national trade development plans to the objectives and work of NTFCs.
Moderator: Maria Teresa Pisani, Economic Affairs Officer, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE
Speakers:
Ms Arantzazu Sanchez, Economic Affairs Officer, Trade Facilitation Section, UNCTAD
Mr Joseph Nguene Nteppe, Permanent Secretary of the NTFC, Cameroon
Mr. Tarik Maaouni, CIO, National Ports Agency, Morocco
Mr Said Maghraoui Hassani, Directeur de la Défense et de la Réglementation Commerciale au Ministère de l’Industrie, de l’Investissement du Commerce et de l’Economie Numérique
Mr Célestin Nzengue, Directeur du commerce extérieur, Ministère du Commerce, Gabon
