OSCE needs assessment explores how to support Kazakhstan in facilitating regional trade

ASTANA, 14 July 2017 – A three-day needs assessment mission to explore how the OSCE can support Kazakhstan in facilitating regional trade concluded today in Astana.
As part of the mission, which was conducted by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, the assessment team met with representatives of the Ministry of National Economy, the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture in charge of phytosanitary controls and standards, the Ministry of Justice, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs as well as various transport authorities and logistics service providers.
“We are pleased to launch this regional economic connectivity project aimed at strengthening the capacity of public and private sector stakeholders to improve the co-ordination and the implementation of trade facilitation reforms in accordance with the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), OSCE commitments and relevant UN Conventions,” said Ermelinda Meksi, Deputy Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.
The assessment team exchanged views with national stakeholders on the country’s legal, regulatory and institutional framework for trade facilitation and identified a number of technical assistance needs to be addressed in the further course of the project, including with regard to the legal interpretation of certain WTO TFA provisions, analysing trade data, procedures surrounding expedited shipments and performance management . The team also took stock of ongoing efforts in information technology and automation as well as the creation of an integrated risk management and Single Window system for export and imports.
“Trade facilitation will be a key element in the implementation of the ‘Kazakhstan 2050’ economic development strategy,” said Zhanel Kushukova, Director of the Department of Foreign Trade Activity at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy. “We thus remain committed to the full implementation of the WTO TFA, including the establishment of an effective National Trade Facilitation Committee.”
Roel Janssens, Economic Adviser at the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and Project Manager, added: “The project, which will be implemented in Kazakhstan, Belarus and Moldova, will provide a platform for improved inter-agency co-operation, more effective public-private sector dialogue and the sharing of lessons learned at the sub-regional level on trade facilitation matters.”
This activity was the first in a series of trade facilitation needs assessment missions held as part of a regional OSCE extra-budgetary project entitled “Promoting Economic Connectivity in the OSCE region”. Funded by Germany, the project is being implemented by the OSCE with the support of the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the UN Conference on Trade and Development.