Somalia National Trade Facilitation Committee capacity building workshop for the implementation of the WTO trade facilitation agreement

In line with the East African Community (EAC) project on Capacity Building for EAC Trade Portals Connectivity and Trade Facilitation Support, funded by the African Development Bank, UNCTAD will host a five-day Capacity Building Workshop for the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) from 14 to 18 February 2026 in Mogadishu, Somalia. The workshop brings together key public and private sector stakeholders to strengthen national capacity for the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) as part of Somalia’s ongoing WTO accession process. 

The objective of the workshop is to 

• Enhance NTFC members’ understanding of trade facilitation concepts and WTO TFA provisions
• Strengthen institutional capacity for effective NTFC coordination and governance
• Build practical skills for categorising, notifying, and monitoring TFA commitments
• Introduce and operationalize the Reform Tracker for planning, monitoring, and reporting on trade facilitation reforms
• Launch the online specialized training programme for sustained capacity development 

The intended outcomes are: 

• NTFC members equipped with technical knowledge and practical skills to implement TFA provisions
• Effective use of the Reform Tracker to track and report trade facilitation reforms
• One-year NTFC work plan aligned with Somalia’s WTO accession and national trade priorities
• Strengthened coordination between public institutions and private sector stakeholders
• Sustained capacity building through the UNCTAD e-learning platform