Project profile — Aid for Trade Initiative - World Bank Trade Facilitation Facility

• Africa, regional (75.00%)
• America, regional (25.00%)

• Trade Policy And Regulations And Trade-Related Adjustment: Trade facilitation (33120) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (principal objective)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This grant is Canada’s contribution to the World Bank Trade Facilitation Facility (TFF) in support of the Aid for Trade Initiative. The Trade Facilitation Facility is a multi-donor trust fund launched in April 2009 to help developing countries take better advantage of global trade opportunities by reducing trade costs. The Facility enables the World Bank Group to respond to increased demands from developing countries, made within the context of their national development strategies, to overcome trade bottlenecks that stem from weaknesses in trade logistics, customs, testing and certification, and other aspects of trade facilitation. The Facility finances activities that help developing country governments to make more cost-effective investments in trade-related infrastructure and to help modernize trade facilitation institutions. Examples of activities include the implementation of regulatory and policy reforms, the development of new border management systems, and the modernization of standards and technical control systems. The Aid for Trade Initiative was launched in 2005, as a result of an agreement between World Trade Organization members to help developing countries use trade as an engine for growth and poverty reduction. The Aid for Trade Initiative helps developing countries build the production capacity and trade-related infrastructure needed to implement and benefit from trade agreements and to expand their trade. It also supports the implementation of trade facilitation measures and the improvement of trade standards.

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Results achieved as of September 2011 include: 1) The World Bank Trade Facilitation Facility provided technical assistance to help Cameroon’s customs authorities increase transparency and revenue collection. In Doula, customs reform increased revenue by 12% and the number of declarations assessed by officials in a day increased by 130%. A replication of the Doula program is underway in Togo. 2) In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Facility’s technical advisory services provided a strategic overview of the country’s trade facilitation and logistics issues. The results influenced follow-up activities that will help to open the large Congolese market to Eastern African producers. 3) In Central Asia, an assessment on constraints and barriers to trade prompted an investment in the port of Turkmenbashi, in Turkmenistan. By improving the efficiency of transport corridors and further facilitating trade and transportation in Turkemenistan, it will open up new markets and have important regional effects on surrounding countries in the region. 4) In Central Africa, the Facility’s technical assistance is simplifying import, export and transit processes through the implementation of a centralized electronic single window process to facilitate international trading, and by simplifying customs procedures by moving to a paperless system.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities:
• Aid for Trade Initiative - Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law
• Aid for Trade Initiative - African Development Bank
• Aid for Trade Initiative - Inter-American Development Bank
• Program Support to the World Trade Organization