Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP)

The Program

The Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP) was launched in June 2014 to support countries to improve their cross-border trade environments and align their trade practices with the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA).

TFSP’s funding assists countries—particularly developing countries—achieve the full and effective implementation of the WTO TFA measures and related trade facilitation reforms. This includes:

  • Identifying existing constraints and bottlenecks to cross-border trade
  • Designing and planning practical reform strategies
  • Increasing the predictability, transparency, and harmonization of systems and procedures in line with international standards covering import, export, and transit activities

In recent years, TFSP has also expanded into cross-cutting topics, such as gender, digitalization, public health, food security, climate/the environment, and emergency response.

Key areas of assistance

  • Supporting the ratification of the WTO TFA and meeting the notification requirements
  • Undertaking WTO TFA Gap Assessments and/or other relevant diagnostics to identify needs and inform reform action plans
  • Supporting the establishment and strengthening of National Trade Facilitation Committees to lead reform efforts, promote coordination, and enhance public-private consultations
  • Assisting with the design of risk-based approaches for border clearance
  • Increasing digitalization and automation through implementation of Trade Information Portals and/or Single Windows 
  • Leveraging global and regional partnerships and knowledge

Progress

The TFSP currently partners with 58 countries worldwide, with the largest share of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Support is also provided to fragile and conflict-affected states. 

The program has a proven track record of helping countries to significantly improve their alignment with the WTO TFA. The TFA Tracking Tool helps countries to monitor and report on progress. 


Recognizing the important roles of both the public and private sectors in trade facilitation, the World Bank Group implements the TFSP by drawing on the unique expertise of both the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Donors

The program is funded by nine donor partners: Australia, Canada, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Partnerships & Collaboration

The World Bank Group works very closely with the WTO, and other partners and donors in supporting developing countries in improving border processes and procedures.

Blogs & Stories

November 7, 2024: Tonga trade — Building back stronger from emergencies and preparing for the future

July 19, 2024: How a new trade information portal is empowering Timor-Leste’s entrepreneurs

June 28, 2024: Developing countries need more support to navigate growing turbulence in global trade

October 30, 2023: How a digital platform for ports speeds delivery of goods to your local shopping mall

October 25, 2023: Fiji is digitalizing trade processes, helping firms expand in new markets and hire more workers

July 5, 2023: Toppling the barriers to Indian women’s participation in trade

June 30, 2023: Timor-Leste moves toward WTO membership with new biosecurity legislation

June 7, 2023: Tajikistan: Empowering women in cross-border trade

May 3, 2023: Timor-Leste sets its sights on regional and global trade integration

May 10, 2023: Digital certification makes cocoa traders in Côte d'Ivoire more competitive

April 28, 2023: Helping Lao businesses trade — the Authorized Economic Operator Program

April 1, 2023: Bananas and Blight – An Illustration In The Complexity of Global Trade

March 8, 2023: Transforming Economic Opportunities for Women Through Trade

January 30, 2023: How Innovation is Revolutionizing Global Trade

➡️View all Blogs and Stories >>

 

Publications

June 28, 2024: Pacific Regional Trade Facilitation Strategy and Roadmap

March 4, 2024: Unlocking Trade for Women: Trade Facilitation and Gender Surveys

December 11, 2023: Guideline on risk management systems for food safety organizations

November 1, 2023: Port Community Systems: Lessons From Global Experience

➡️View all Publications >>


Videos

11 October 2024: 

From Catch to Commerce: Growing the Economy in Tonga Through Trade Facilitation

Trade as a Lifeline: Lessons from Tonga During Times of Crisis

Tonga: Building Emergency Response and Preparedness

Tonga: Building Climate Resilience through Trade Facilitation Improvements | Virtual Reality 360° Video

September 15, 2024: 

Trade Is Transforming Agriculture and Lives in Zambia

Electronic Phytosanitary Certificates For Safe and Efficient Trade in Zambia

Zambia: Diversifying the Economy Through Trade Facilitation Reform | Virtual Reality 360° Video

August 14, 2024: TFSP: Streamlining Trade, Boosting Access to Markets

April 11, 2024: Empowering Trade, Empowering Timor-Leste

October 19, 2023: How is Fiji getting one step closer to automated trade?

October 31, 2022: Single Window: A Path to Paperless Trade

February 25, 2021: Unlocking Trade for Women in the Pacific

June 22, 2020: Managing Risk and Facilitating Trade During the COVID-19

June 27, 2019: 360 Video: Making trade faster, cheaper and easier in Sierra Leone

February 6, 2019: 360 Video: Trading Across Borders in Guatemala and Honduras

➡️View all Videos >>

 

Trade Tips Podcast

June 1, 2023: What Caribbean Rum Cake Teaches us About Trade

May 1, 2023: A (Digital) Window to the World of Trade

April 1, 2023: Bananas & Blight

March 1, 2023: Invisible Women

February 15, 2023: The Climate Conundrum

January 30, 2023: Around the World of Trade

January 15, 2023: Trade Tips Podcast: What You Can Expect

➡️View all Episodes >>

Select news articles about our work published in client countries

July 20, 2024: World Bank’s Sweden-funded program to unlock trade through economic growth in MENA region

June 25, 2024: Pacific Regional Trade Facilitation Strategy launched in Geneva

April 11, 2024: Launch of the Timor-Leste Trade Information Portal: Livestream

April 9, 2024: Timor-Leste Launches Information Portal to Boost Trade, Expand Market Access

December 4, 2023: Shaping the future of the digital economy: The role of trade facilitation and digitization

May 16, 2023: Western Balkan Economies Seek Faster, Safer Trade Together

May 16, 2023: Trade Facilitation Regional Maturity and Capacity Building Conference taking place in Belgrade Serbia

April 23, 2023: Peru: Government announces new measures to improve the competitiveness of exporting companies (Spanish)

March 30, 2023: Timor-Leste: World Bank and MTCI sign MOU to provide trade information portal to support import and export activities

March 23, 2023: Export of plant products from May 2023 – Cote D’Ivoire will officially issue ephyto certificates (French)

March 21, 2023: Bosnia: Final workshop held on the creation of a roadmap for the establishment of a national single window for cross-border trade (Bosnian)

March 20, 2023: Kosovo: Introducing the National Single Window Guide (Albanian)

March 15, 2023: Timor-Leste: New Biosecurity Laws Passed

March 9, 2023: Western Balkans: Towards a New Generation of Regional Cooperation through Digitalization (Macedonian)

February 8, 2023: Kick off meeting for Time Release Study in Uzbekistan


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