Trade facilitation

Long waiting times at borders, inappropriate fees, cumbersome formalities, and inadequate or unclear rules and regulations, can all become serious obstacles to trade, and as a consequence adversely affect investment, employment and trade-led development.

UNCTAD assists developing countries in identifying their particular trade and transport facilitation needs and priorities, and helps them program the implementation of specific trade and transport facilitation measures.

UNCTAD organizes workshops and seminars at the regional and national levels, publishes relevant information and training material, and provides technical assistance through numerous projects.

News

UK funding boost to accelerate trade facilitation in Egypt

The funding will help further capacity-building, digitalization and reduce red tape in Egypt, where UNCTAD and its partners provide trade facilitation support.

10 Nov 2023

Sevice operations vessel next to offshore wind turbines

Bold global action needed to decarbonize shipping and ensure a just transition: UNCTAD report

The Review of Maritime Transport 2023 urges swift action and system-wide collaboration to decarbonize maritime transport amid growing carbon emissions and regulatory uncertainty.

27 Sep 2023

Cross-border paperless trade helps reduce transaction time and costs, increases regulatory compliance and promotes direct engagement of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Trade facilitation: Countries make steady but uneven progress

A new UN survey underlines the need for inclusive policies and greater international cooperation to ease trade for the benefit of all.

15 Sep 2023

Goods passing through the border between Cambodia and Thailand.

UNCTAD trains officials to become change agents in trade facilitation

Training equips 85 officials from 15 countries with skills to become trade facilitation ambassadors and influencers in their own countries, helping accelerate much-needed reforms.

23 Jun 2023

Programmes

Empowerment Programme for National Trade Facilitation Committees

Trade facilitation committees around the world

e-Learning for trade facilitation

Reform tracker

Transit coordinators

Rapid Scan

Trade Portals

Legal Support

Procedure analysis and simplification tool

Trade Facilitation tools implemented since 2015

Select a technical assistance product in the legend to display UNCTAD support worldwide

Empowerment Programme

Trade Portals

Reform Tracker

Trade Facilitation e-Learning

Transit Coordinators Empowerment Programme

Rapid Scan

List of countries that have benefited from this programme:

The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations and/or on the part of the countries mentioned on it, concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. (ST/AI/189/Add.25/Rev.1) The information shown is this map is for information purposes only and should be not be considered as any form of endorsement by the United Nations and does not create any legal rights or obligations for any Member State or any of the organs thereof.
Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.

Projects

Strengthening the capacity of national trade facilitation committees in the ECOWAS region

Blockchain for trade facilitation

Accelerate trade facilitation

Implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in Central Africa

PACER Plus transparency and trade portals

Implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in Asia and Latin America

Transport and trade connectivity in the age of pandemics

EU-UNCTAD joint programme for Angola: Train for Trade II

Recent publications

Global Report on Blockchain and its Implications on Trade Facilitation Performance

Compendium of Good Practices in Implementing the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement: Experiences from Developing and Least Developed Countries

Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation in Pacific Island Developing Economies (PIDEs) 2021 Report

National Trade Facilitation Committees in the quest for sustainability

Analysis of maritime connectivity in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and small island developing States in the Pacific

Roadmap for building a national trade information portal

Review of Maritime Transport 2023

Chapter 4 of the Review of Maritime Transport 2023 has four sections:

Port performance.
Facilitating maritime trade and transport.
Lessons learned from the trainfortrade port management programme.
Outlook and policy recommendations.

Download Chapter 4

Featured event

Global Supply Chain Forum 2024

21 - 24 May 2024

Events and meetings

Global Supply Chain Forum 2024

21 May 2024 - 24 May 2024

Bridgetown, Barbados

Closing ceremony of the UNCTAD trade facilitation e-learning course in Egypt

15 Jan 2024 - 15 Jan 2024

Online, Egypt

Webinar on how to use the reform tracker: For the National Trade Facilitation Committee of Egypt

18 Dec 2023 - 18 Dec 2023

Online, Egypt

Launch of Angola’s National Trade Facilitation Roadmap

15 Dec 2023 - 15 Dec 2023

Luanda, Angola

Training of Trainers workshop of the UNCTAD Empowerment Programme for National Trade Facilitation Committees

13 Dec 2023 - 14 Dec 2023

Luanda, Angola

Transport and trade facilitation newsletter

The UNCTAD Transport and Trade Facilitation Newsletter is a quarterly bulletin on current topics and projects in trade facilitation and international transport.

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