Trade Facilitation in Central Asia: A Donor

1
Trade Facilitation in Central Asia A Donors
Perspective
June 18, 2012
Jeremy Strauss Senior Economic Policy
Specialist jstrauss_at_usaid.gov
2

• Based in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
• Regional Mission Ashgabat, Astana, Bishkek,
  Dushanbe, Tashkent.
• Technical Assistance Programs in Civil Society,
  Economic Growth, Education and Health.
• Regional Economic Growth Activities Power and
  Trade
• Regional Trade Liberalization Project 2007-201.
• Regional Economic Cooperation Project 2011-2014.
• http//centralasia.usaid.gov

3
(No Transcript)
4
INSERT GRAPHIC TO ADD MAP MAP IS 6.17 TALL
5

• Why a focus on trade?
• Central Asian States and Afghanistan will not
  achieve sustainable economic development without
  increasing trade.
• ...the level of intra-regional cooperation
  after the break-up of the Soviet Union has
  proved insufficient to maintain the integrated
  regional systems of transportation, energy and
  natural resource management. Therefore, an
  enhanced level of regional cooperation will be
  required to establish a sustainable basis for
  transition and development in the long term.
• European Investment Bank, May 2012

6

• Not a lot of trucks moving across the Tajik
  border with Afghanistan today

7

• Past USAID activities The Regional Trade
  Liberalization and Customs Project (RTLC)
• 16 million in technical assistance from
  2007-2011.
• Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.
• Trade facilitation, trade policy, customs
  reengineering, WTO accession, transport corridor
  performance, intellectual property rights.
• Accession to and implementation of international
  conventions and agreements concerning trade.
• Helping Central Asian firms network and create
  linkages for trade.
• More details at www.rtlc.net

8

• Some Results
• WTO Accession Process for Tajikistan
• Assisting Kazakhstan with the WTO Accession Laws
  and Policy Documents
• Customs Modernization in Kazakhstan
• Customs Modernization in Tajikistan
• Regional Transportation Reform

9

• Results
• Reforms to Customs Regulations Save Kyrgyzstans
  Traders Over 2.1M

10

• Current Project The Regional Economic
  Cooperation Project
• 6.2 million October 2011- March 2015.
• Based in Almaty with partners in Tashkent.
• Central Asia and Afghanistan
• Helping Central Asian firms network and create
  linkages for trade.
• Creation of Export Partnership Groups.
• Helping Central Asian firms supply the
  International Security Assistance Force in
  Afghanistan.
• Central Asia Trade Forum in Almaty, September
  2012.

11

• What can be learned from our experiences in
  trade-related technical assistance?

12

• Align TA with CAREC or other, ongoing efforts.

Implementing the UAIS in Tajikistan
13

• Foster buy-in at the highest level.

Tajikistans Working Party Meeting September 2009
14

• Promote regional activities, learning and sharing.

Regional Customs Training on Risk Management in
Astana
15

• Significant involvement of the private sector.

Regional Economic Cooperation Partnership Event,
May 2012
16

• Thank You