Facilitating trade in Democratic Republic of the Congo through development of a Trade Information Portal and capacity building for the National Trade Facilitation Committee

The primary objective of this project is to empower the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by establishing an operational Trade Information Portal (TIP) and strengthening the country’s National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC).

Funding will allow UNCTAD to gather initial data for the DRC’s TIP, train staff on TIP methodologies, educate the NTFC about the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA), and assess DRC’s compliance with its WTO TFA obligations.

Component 1: Development of the Trade Information Portal

• Conduct sensitization sessions for NTFC member institutions regarding the TIP approach, methodology, and requirements.
• Provide training on the TIP simplification methodology (both online and in-person) and the procedures documentation methodology.
• Document and publish information on the import and export procedures for two major product categories at two key border points: agricultural goods and mining goods.
• Promote the TIP to encourage wide usage among national and international traders.

Component 2: Capacity building for the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC)

• Train NTFC members to enhance their understanding and application of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.
• Enhance the capacity of NTFC members in utilizing the Reform Tracker, an online project management and monitoring tool.
• Monitor and evaluate DRC’s compliance with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement using the UNCTAD Reform Tracker.
• Strengthen the NTFC’s operations to ensure the sustainability of both the NTFC and the TIP.

Intended Outcomes

The establishment of the DRC’s TIP will improve transparency, reduce bureaucratic obstacles, and simplify import and export procedures for traders and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

A resilient NTFC with strong participation from the private sector will ensure that the TIP remains current (as outlined in article 1.2 of the WTO TFA) and relevant to the country’s trading activities.

The NTFC's use of the Reform Tracker will enhance communication across agencies, facilitate knowledge management, and ensure accountability in the implementation of the WTO TFA.

• Events & meetings