FACILITATING INTRA-OIC TRADE:
Improving the Efficiency of the Customs Procedures in the OIC Member States
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International donor community also has a special interest on trade facilitation in recent
years. In some countries, especially in the developing and least developed ones, trade
facilitation measures could not be implemented due to limited institutional capacities or
conflict of interest among the agencies. Strong political wills as well as the technical
and financial assistance to be secured from the relevant international institutions may
contribute solving these obstacles. Aid for trade in the area of trade facilitation reached
375 Million US Dollars in 2011 according to the OECD (see Figure 1 below). Besides,
aid in other areas which have close relation with trade facilitation such as transport,
information and communication technology etc. also increased dramatically since 2002.
Figure 1: Aid for Trade in the Area of Trade Facilitation
Source:
International Institutions are also providing technical assistance through seminars,
workshops, printed materials etc. For example Trade Facilitation Implementation
Guide, developed by the UNECE (2012), provides information on the practical
measures for trade facilitation. It describes the measures in four different domains:
 Purchasing
 Shipping and Transport
 Customs and Cross-Border Management and
 Payment
The Guide explains each of the domain and its components clearly and presents
recommendations, standards, relevant international conventions, case studies and best
practices for implementation.