Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation

The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation is a public-private partnership for trade-led growth, supporting governments in developing and least-developed countries in implementing the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement. By bringing together governments and businesses of all sizes as equal partners to deliver targeted trade reforms, the Alliance cuts through red tape and end costly delays at borders. 
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Swisscontact Bangladesh
23.8063002
90.4177182
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Swisscontact Uganda
0.3486775
32.6179063
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Swisscontact Cambodia
11.5437912
104.9215138
Project duration
2020 - 2023
Financed by
  • Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
  • USAID
  • Global Affairs Canada
  • Danish International Development Agency

The project

International trade has been recognised by the UN as an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction, and an important means to achieve the SDGs. Trade facilitation can reduce costs, increase opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and spark competitiveness and productivity.

Through the Alliance, Swisscontact supports the co-creation and implementation of trade facilitation projects in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Uganda.

By emphasising digitisation and delivering other best practices, the projects enable businesses to trade more easily thanks to streamlined and more predictable processes. Governments save time and resources by modernising trade procedures while still safeguarding their borders. Ultimately, the projects boost trade competitiveness and business conditions, which are key drivers of inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction.

The Alliance is led by the Center for International Private Enterprise, the International Chamber of Commerce, and the World Economic Forum, in cooperation with Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). It is funded by the governments of the United States, Canada, Germany, and Denmark. 

Approach

  • Establishing public-private dialogues on trade facilitation 
    Working with governments, businesses and international organisations to create the right environment for trade reforms that respond directly to business needs.
  • Delivering country trade facilitation projects
    This project is working on the ground in developing and least developed countries to make international trade simpler, faster and more cost-effective.
  • Tackling trade barriers with a business mindset to identify trade issues such as customs delays and unnecessary red-tape at borders, and design and implement targeted reforms. 

Expected results

  • Building on sustainable public-private partnerships and inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogues on trade facilitation reform
  • Delivering commercially measurable trade facilitation reforms
  • Capturing lessons learnt from trade facilitation reform through monitoring and evaluation and sharing best practices will encourage more governments and businesses to identify and pursue meaningful reforms.

News

Bangladesh
Trade
01.06.2023
Successful Launch of Digitalization Project at Bhomra Land Port Marks Major Milestone in Bangladesh's Trade Facilitation Efforts
The highly anticipated project launching ceremony for the "Digitalization of Border Procedures at Bhomra Land Port" was successfully held at the prestigious Ballroom of Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka on May 29, 2023.
Bangladesh
Trade
05.03.2023
‘Flagship’ e-Port management system to boost Bangladesh trade
The digitalisation of several key procedures at Bhomra Land Port is set to expedite shipments at this busy border crossing, lowering the time and cost of trade for businesses, while potentially enhancing the competitiveness of the Bangladeshi economy.  During a recent meeting with the project team members, the Chairman of BLPA, Mohammad Alamgir declared the project as a flagship project, stating that it is a significant step towards modernizing the trade and transportation industry in Bangladesh. He also expressed his interest in replicating the project model in other land ports in the country to further improve trade efficiency and transparency The project is implemented by the Alliance in collaboration with Swisscontact and Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA), an independent body under the Ministry of Shipping (MoS).
Uganda
Trade
22.12.2022
Insights from the Alliance team visit to Uganda in 2022
In August this year, a team from the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (the Alliance) visited the RUSH project to better understand the trade facilitation process, and work with the local implementation team on ensuring proper project alignment.