Regional Organizations Cooperation Mechanism for Trade Facilitation (ROC-TF) Annual Meeting
29 October 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka
[Galadari Hotel, Jasmine Room]
Background
The Regional Organizations Cooperation Mechanism for Trade Facilitation (ROC-TF) is a regional coordination mechanism for international organizations working in Trade Facilitation in Asia and the Pacific. The purpose of this mechanism is to bring together international organizations working in this field and facilitate dialogue, increase synergies and develop coherent strategies for effective project or programme implementation. Development of the ROC-TF mechanism was initiated in October 2011 following recommendations by participants during previous Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forums and an explicit recommendation by ESCAP Member States to create such mechanism in July 2011.[1]
The mechanism emerged from a ‘Dialogue on Regional Cooperation for Trade Facilitation’ held on the side of last year’s Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum 2011 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. At that meeting, Dialogue participants agreed on a number of recommendations including:
•Organizing an annual meeting among the organizations working on trade facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region should be continued. Consideration should be given to participation of new organizations.
•As a first step towards exchanging information, an electronic newsletter would be launched and circulated among the group every quarter.
•The development of a common trade facilitation performance monitoring framework across the wider region.[2]
More information on the ROC-TF mechanism and the quarterly ROC-TF Newsletter are available at:
This year’s ROC-TF meeting, to be held the day prior to the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum 2012,[3] will again provide an opportunity for participating organizations to discuss their trade facilitation programmes with each other, and to identify collaboration opportunities and synergies. Implementation of the recommendations made in the Dialogue will also be reviewed during the meeting.
Participants
The meeting is expected to bring together about 15 senior representatives or subject-matter experts from regional organizations active in trade facilitation, including ESCAP, ADB, ASEAN, APEC, ECO, WCO (Regional Office). A small number of other organizations and regional private sector associations or NGOs with regional/subregional trade facilitation related programmes may also participate. Participation in the meeting is on invitation only.[4]
Regional Organizations Cooperation Mechanism for Trade Facilitation (ROC-TF) Annual Meeting
29 October 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka
[Galadari Hotel, Jasmine Room]
Tentative Programme
Monday 29 October 2012
8:30-8:45Registration
8:45-8:55Opening Session
- Ravi Ratnayake, Trade and Investment Division, ESCAP
8:55-9:05Self-introduction of participants
9:05-9:20Update on ESCAP Work on Trade Facilitation and implementation of the ROC-TF mechanism
- Yann Duval, Acting Chief, Trade Facilitation Section, TID, ESCAP
9:20-10:15Update on regional organization’s trade facilitation initiatives and related action plans[5]
- Shintaro Hamanaka, Economist, Office of Regional Economic Integration, ADB
- Lu Zhi Wei, Programme Director, APEC Secretariat
- Lee Sang Hyup, Technical Attaché,WCO Asia-Pacific Regional Office for CapacityBuilding
10:15-10:30Coffee Break
10:30-11:30Update on regional organization’s trade facilitation initiatives and related action plans (cont’ed)
- Hussain Haider, Director, Trade and Investment, ECO Secretariat
- Amrit Lugun, Director (Economic, Trade, and Finance), SAARC Secretariat
- Mainaga Taape, Trade Facilitation Officer,OCO Secretariat
- Mahmood Zargar, General Secretary, AFACT
11:30-11:45Special Briefing:“Overview of ASEAN Trade Facilitation Initiatives”, by Florian Alburo, President, Center for the Advancement of Trade Integration and Facilitation, Univ. of the. Philippines.
11:45 – 12:00Global and other organizations’ trade facilitation initiatives and related actions plans in Asia and the Pacific
- Alina Mustra, GFP Coordinator,World Bank
- Markus Pikart, Global Trade Solution Section, UNECE
12:00-13:15Lunch Break
13:15-14:00Opportunities and modalities for strengthening inter-regional/subregional cooperation on trade facilitation in 2012 and beyond
Roundtable discussion (facilitated by ESCAP and ADB OREI)
14:00-14:45Towards a common regional trade facilitation performance monitoring framework
Roundtable discussion (facilitated by ESCAP and ADB OREI)
14:45-15:00Coffee Break
15:00-15:30Summary of agreed actions and conclusions
ESCAP and ADB OREI
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[1] Report of the ESCAP Committee on Trade and Investment, Second Session, Bangkok, 27-29 July 2011.
[2] More information on that first meeting and its outcome is available at:
[3] To find out more about the meeting, APTFF and other side events, please visit:
[4]While organizations are normally expected to participate on a self-financed basis, the ESCAP Secretariat in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank may provide partial coverage of travel expenses upon request.
[5] Each organization will be given 7-9 minutes to highlight its key initiatives and features of its TF programme/activities. Powerpoint presentations are not encouraged and should be no longer than 5-7 slides, with all relevant material to be shared electronically in advance of the meeting to maximize interactions. No paper copies of background notes or powerpoint slides will be circulated by the organizers of this “paperless” meeting. However, speakers that wish to circulate material in paper form to participants may please bring with them 15 copies for distribution.