PRESENTATION OUTLINE

1. Regional Integration and Trade FacilitationJoseph Atta-MensahRegional Integration, Infrastructure and Trade Division (RITD)United Nations Economic Commission for AfricaEthiopia Commodity Exchange – UNDP Knowledge Forum24 February 2010, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2. PRESENTATIONOUTLINE • Evolving definition and scope of trade facilitation • Key issues of trade facilitation • Trade facilitation initiatives in Africa • Way forward UNECA

3. Evolving Definition and Scope of Trade Facilitation • Logistics of moving goods through ports or documentation associated with cross-border trade • Environment in which trade transaction takes place • Transparency of customs, regulatory agencies • Harmonization of standards, conformity with international and regional regulations • Natural barriers to trade • Non-tariff barriers UNECA

4. Regional Economic Communities (RECs) • Considered by the African Union as the building blocks of the African Economic Community within the context of an African Common Market • 8 are seen by the AU as the main pillars namely: • Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) • Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) • Community of the Sahel-Saharan States (CENSAD) • East African Community (EAC) • Economic Community for Central African States (ECCAS) • Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) • Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) • Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) UNECA

5. Evidence of weak Intra-African Trade UNECA 5

6. Volume of goods across borders has increased exponentially in recent years: 50 times higher in 1999 than in 1960 Africa has failed to benefit from steady increase in international trade In 1950, Africa delivered 10% of world exports, by 2000 this share had declined to <3% Situation worse in sub-Saharan Africa whose share of world exports of goods and services is < 1.5% Marginalisation in the Globalisation Process UNECA 6

7. KEY ISSUES OF TRADE FACILITATION • High transport costs • Complicated customs procedures • Inadequate usage of information and communication technology • Payments, insurance and other financial requirements • International trade standards UNECA

8. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO HIGH TRANSPORT COSTS IN AFRICA • Inadequate infrastructure network • Inefficient transport services • Multiplicity of rules governing international transportation of goods • Numerous roadblocks UNECA

9. CUMBERSOME CUSTOMS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES HAMPERS TRADE EXPANSION • Excessive documentary requirements • Insufficient use of automated systems • Lack of transparency, predictability and consistency • Lack of cooperation among customs and other governmental agencies • Separated border posts, differences in working hours, visa requirements for transport crew members • New maritime security measures UNECA

10. UNECA

11. INSUFFICIENT USE OF ICT INCREASES TRADE TRANSACTION COSTS • Telecommunication services are inadequate, inefficient and very expensive • Strong linkage between customs delays and telephone charges and internet distribution: • Botswana and Namibia: 4 days delay; $4.8 and $4.28 per 3 minutes international call respectively • Ethiopia and Cameroon: 30 and 20 day delays; $7.44 and $7.7 per 3 minutes international calls respectively • Low level of awareness of e-commerce • Insufficient physical infrastructure • Deficient electronic transaction infrastructure • Inadequate legal and regulatory framework UNECA

12. Mobile Telephone and Internet connectivity in African RECs UNECA

13. INEFFICIENT INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT MECHANISMS RESULT IN LONG DELAYS • Documentary credit is the most popular international payment system in Africa • Half of all payment requests are rejected because of documentary inconsistencies. • High insurance premiums for African countries • Customs guarantee payments represent a high cost for transport operators • Multiplicity of currencies and exchange rate arrangements UNECA

14. MULTIPLICITY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE STANDARDS CONSTITUTE A BARRIER TO TRADE • Standards have potential to substitute tariffs and quantitative restrictions • Standards impose higher production costs for firms in developing countries • EU standards on agricultural products are of great concern to Africa UNECA

15. ONGOING EFFORTS TO FACILITATE TRADE IN AFRICA • Efforts at sub regional level • Several RECS have trade facilitation programmes • Bilateralcooperation • Several bilateral agreements exist • Cameroon has signed conventions with Chad and CAR; special facilities provided to landlocked countries at seaports • Efforts at country level - One stop shops • Efforts by international organizations • Corridor management committees • Observatories of abnormal practices • Joint border posts UNECA

16. Probable and Unique Regional TF Activities : Creation of Knowledge Networks Questions that can be addressed through creation of Knowledge Networks as rightly stated amongst themes of this Knowledge Forum are: How can markets be appropriately developed to transform the African primary commodities sector? What are the prospects for commodity exchanges in Africa? How can commodity exchanges be regionalized or contribute to regional trade? Observatories could also play an important role in that regard UNECA 16

17. THE WAY FORWARD ON TRADE FACILITATION 1. Strengthen Africa’s infrastructure network to support international trade 2. Improve the efficiency of transport services 3. Remove illegal roadblocks 4. Speed up customs and border crossing procedures 5. Promote the use of new technology 6. Strengthen regional initiatives 7. Reduce negative impact of multiplicity of standards UNECA

18. Thank you! UNECA