Botswana has in 2014 prepared, with assistance of UNCTAD, a National Trade Facilitation Implementation Plan, subsequently has notified its category A commitments to the WTO and on 8 June 2015 Botswana has become the eighth WTO member to ratify the TFA. At this stage, the country would need to work on the preparation for project proposals for category C measures and finalise work on Category B.
This workshop falls into the follow-up support stage provided by UNCTAD to developing countries and LLDCs in the implementation of trade, transport and transit facilitation reforms.
The workshop will gather relevant stakeholders — members of the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) — to plan the implementation of Botswana’s selected category B and C commitments and initiate building project proposals to request donors financial and technical assistance. Discussion will build on the UNCTAD implementation plan from December 2014 and self-assessment work undertaken in 2015.
Objectives of the workshop
Strengthen the capacity of the NTFC members on the preparation of project proposals for selected trade facilitation measures under category C.
It would include the revision of the obligation as per WTO TFA, the identification of the main challenges to implement the measure in the country, the identification of resources needed and main actions to follow according to international best practices.
Increase knowledge of the NTFC on transit issues faced by Botswana. Beside the fact that transit is a component of the WTO TFA, it can also be a field of expertise per se which requires analyzing the regional and national contexts, trade regulations and policies, surveillance and monitoring of goods transiting the country and the impact on the national productive capacities.
