An important feature of the work we do here in SITPRO is known as capacity building. This is short-hand for helping developing countries build their own capacity to negotiate trade facilitation agreements of benefit to them, and to implement simplified trade procedures in their own countries to improve the flow of goods and increase revenue.
The recent approach from the World Customs Organisation to SITPRO to help them with the implementation of their Columbus programme for developing countries shows how far SITPRO has gained appreciation as having a core capacity building role. Initially through the Boksburg Group, which focuses on capacity building for the WTO negotiations, and then through BAFICAA (which builds on the Commission for Africa work on customs reform), SITPRO has consistently demonstrated its ability to use its experience to assist in this area, bringing together the public and private sectors in developing countries themselves to influence change locally. The East African Community project, reported on page 3, is just a start, on which SITPRO and the WCO hope to build.
Meanwhile, SITPRO continues to work with an increasing number of developing countries to help increase the use of paperless trading based on open international CEFACT standards. Indeed, the advice we give on how UNeDocs can be used to implement effective electronic data exchanges is yet another form of practical capacity building.
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 62, Autumn 2007
