Kathmandu: A two-day training on the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) was organized in Biratnagar on June 4-5.
The training was aimed at raising awareness on the provision and benefits of the WTO TFA for public and private sector stakeholders and advocating for the implementation of trade facilitation reforms and help boost Nepal’s trade and export.
Speaking at the occasion, Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies (MoICS) Dilendra Prasad Badu said that the government is committed to the timely implementation of the WTO TFA. “The partnership between the government, the EU, ITC, and FNCCI for sustainable capacity building of the private sector on this matter is very much appreciated. The government is eager to listen and address the constraints faced by the private sector for an improved business environment in the country. I hope that the training will yield useful results which will contribute to the trade development of Nepal,” he said.
Mim Hamal, the representative of the European Union (EU), stated that the EU has been a trusted development partner for the Nepal government for the socio-economic development of the country since 1973. He flagged that the EU-funded Trade and Investment (TIP) projects are aimed at sustainable development, inclusiveness, and prosperity of the country through concerted efforts of all stakeholders. He underscored that the training is a step towards sustainable capacity building of Nepali institutions for boosting international trade
Rajesh Aggarwal, Director at the division of market development of ITC, who addressed the attendees through video call shed light on the goals of TFA and how it can help for fair and hassle-free trade development. He vowed to provide sustained support to Nepali public and private sectors to address the issues concerning trade facilitation
According to Gokarna Awasthi, Director General at the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce (FNCCI), an umbrella organization of the private sector in Nepal, noted Nepali businesspersons and companies face trade-related hassles due to a lack of awareness and experience. “There is a great need to connect to such quality training and push our limits for swifter business activities. Furthermore, he urged the government to simplify the procedures to facilitate cross-border trade.
The training was organized by the International Trade Center (ITC) under EU funded Trade and Investment Project (TIP) in collaboration with the government of Nepal and FNCCI. Thirty-five representatives from the public and private sectors benefitted from the training where they learnt about WTO TFA which entered into force in February 2017.
The agreement promises a greater trade efficiency targeting administrative barriers to trade such as unnecessary border inspections, excessive document and data requirements, manual processes, lack of coordination among border authorities and complex and inefficient rules and procedures.
Comment