Establishing Well Functioning National Trade Facilitation Bodies (NTFBs)
In the OIC Member States
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• Establishment of an official webpage
• Creating technological tools providing access to the focal points of the stakeholders, in order
for them to solve problems in situ without the need of attending to a meeting
• Incorporate surveillance and compliance mechanisms for particular decisions
• Creating a mechanism that sanctions stakeholder that doesn’t comply with the decision taken
within the NTFB
• Development of reports with achievements and goals
• Including alternative dispute settlement means without the possibility of blocking the
establishment of a third authority for decisions that are highly important
• Involvement of the private sector in every field of activity
4.4. Conclusions and Recommendations for OIC Members
4.4.1. Conclusions
It is useful to recall at the outset that there is no golden rule with respect to what makes an NTFB
“good” or “bad”. NTFBs are “good” when they function well and well-functioning NTFBs come in
different forms.
Indicators can provide some insight as to which countries have well-functioning NTFBs but they are
not determinative. That is to say, there is a relationship between countries that are perceived to have
well-functioning NTFBs and countries that top the World Bank’s Doing Business index for trade
facilitation, as mentioned elsewhere in this study. In general (although not always), countries highly
ranked for the ease of trading across borders have NTFBs that function well.
If there is one constant across NTFBs, it is that there are no fixed, precise rules as to makes an NTFB
work and that flexibility is of paramount importance in order to ensure that NTFBs can respond to
actual needs as they arise/change and thus to render NTFBs sustainable in the long run. Moreover,
there is not a specific type of NTFB structure that can guarantee that an NTFB will function well and
provide effective coordination mechanism – NTFBs must be structured in accordance with the needs
and culture of the of the country at issue.
Despite the fact that there is no golden rule, the field studies provided an indication of the array of
factors required for an NTFB to function properly. Some factors can be more easily addressed than
others. For example, once they appreciate the importance that NTFBs play in coordinating and
prioritizing international trade, internal organization within the main stakeholders on trade
facilitation can be achieved. However, other factors influencing the degree to which an NTFB will
function effectively are more difficult to address: For example, the principal issue that may disturb
the functioning of a NTFB is political instability in the country itself or in its neighbouring countries.
However, there are certain elements that countries have included in their NTFBs, and as a result they
have functioned well and in a sustainable manner. These success factors are the following:
 Political commitment at a high level from public and private sectors
- NTFBs can only work if the hierarchies of the public and private sectors prioritise
this topic in their agendas and issue instructions accordingly.