International trade and transport play a vital role in the economic development of landlocked and transit countries in the environment of globalization. However, international trade and transport are hindered by complicated, lengthy and changing procedures, requirements and documentation, duplicated inspections, high charges, unnecessary transshipment at border control points, which create high costs for trade transactions and delays for cross-border movement of traded goods.

Facilitation of international trade and transport involves many government agencies dealing with issues like trade, transport, customs, immigration, security, health, veterinary and phytosanitary issues, and product quality, as well as the private sector. Efficient and effective coordination and cooperation among all the relevant agencies through proper inter-agency coordination institutions are crucial for facilitation of international trade and transport.

Although some countries have established coordinating institutions or mechanisms, they cannot function well due to insufficient capacity in operation. The countries lack proper tools to identify and quantify bottlenecks across entire international trade and transport chains.

In view of the above situations and problems there is a need to enhance national capacity in establishing effective coordination and cooperation among all stakeholders in trade and transport facilitation to reduce costs and delays in cross border movement of goods and services.

To assist governments to reduce nonphysical bottlenecks in international trade and transport through

• establishing and strengthening the coordination mechanisms amongst stake holders,
• analysis of transport routes utilizing UNESCAP guidelines and tools and
• enhancing the use of information and communication technology.

The following outputs would be discussed at national and regional workshops

• Exchange of good practices in the establishment and strengthening of national trade and transport facilitation committees;
• Analysis and guidelines on harmonization of legal regimes on trade and transport facilitation;
• An online data base on trade and transport facilitation conditions of selected landlocked and transit countries;
• Mapping of trade documents and information flows;
• Guidelines on the use of interoperable information and communication technology in simplifying and streamlining border -crossing formalities and procedures.

Also, the UNESCAP trade facilitation framework and the cost/time distance model would be applied to assist countries in identifying, assessing and reducing bottlenecks in international trade and transport.

Landlocked countries
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
Transit countries
China, Russian Federation, Thailand, Viet Nam.