Global Trade Facilitation Programme advancing in Nicaragua
By Guy José Bendaña-Guerrero & Asociados
The Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP), the first joint initiative between the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), is a 4-year comprehensive programme which overall objective is to contribute to fostering and facilitating international trade of selected beneficiary countries, in particular Customs Administrations, through the implementation and application of international standards and best practices for the importation, exportation and transit of commercial goods.
Additionally, the Programme supports the strengthening of the organizational and technical capacities of the beneficiaries, among them Nicaragua, which has successfully participated in a regional workshop aimed at developing national and regional Customs capacities for the implementation of international standards related to simplification and harmonization of Customs procedures.
The Global Trade Facilitation Programme has three specific outcomes:
-Organizational Development. Strengthening capacity through leadership and management development (strategic planning, human resources and stakeholder engagement).
-Trade Facilitation. Improving of compliance capacity for Customs and relevant stakeholders, as well as implementing international standards and best practices.
-Performance Measurement. Supporting the development of a comprehensive performance measurement tool for Customs performance.
