Trade facilitation - UNDP

Within the framework of the Aid for Trade Initiative for Arab States (AFTIAS), UNDP provides support to countries in the region to enhance connectivity and facilitate cross-border trade. Specific activities have been undertaken in cooperation with Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan under this initiative. Support by UNDP include the following:

• Technical advice for the formulation of a decree by Egypt to facilitate goods in transit from Sudan and to activate Customs office at the border post at Qustol (Egypt)

• Review of Customs Law of Egypt to align key provisions to international standards, instruments (Revised Kyoto Convention among others) and international commitments;

• Formulation of common operational procedures, technical models and common action plans to manage cross-border operations at Qustol (Egypt) and Askeit (Sudan);

• Facilitation of exchange of operational customs data exchange (between Egypt and Jordan);

• Formulation of Roadmap for the establishment of Egypt National Single Window (Egypt NSW) and support to Egyptian policy makers in the design of the governance model for implementation of Egypt NSW;

• Training of customs officials on strategic planning and data harmonization related to National Single Windows;

• Assessment of needs of trade-related infrastructure and trade-related technical assistance and development of three bankable projects for international financing;

• Facilitation of exchange of operational experiences within the South-South cooperation on design and implementation of National Single Window between Jordan and Indonesia.