Establishing Well Functioning National Trade Facilitation Bodies (NTFBs)
In the OIC Member States
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The directorate general of foreign trade chairs the working structure of the group, as a focal point for
WTO issues, assumes the role of secretariat.
For the National Committee, the secretariat is assumed by the directorate general of road transport.
The main objective of the Working Group is aims to assist Benin in better integrating into the
multilateral trading system and benefiting from international trade by trying to remove all obstacles
to the movement of goods involving both imports and exports.
The main objective of the National Committee aims to remove unnecessary non-tariff barriers to
facilitate the movement of goods (reducing checkpoints on the roads, problems related to the transit
of goods, discriminatory practices, etc.)
The working group´s operations are financed from the regular budget of the directorate general of
foreign trade.
Analysis
NTFB has performed the reduction of the clearance timeframe of goods at the Cotonou Port and the
decrease of incidental expenses, facilitation of transit.
The greatest obstacle for the NTFB in Benin is the lack of financial resources.
It is really important to guarantee the availability of enough material and financial resources in order
to support the Group's functions.
The main lesson learned is that the Working Group was set up and really energized from the
preparatory work and the national workshops on self-assessments of priority and needs on technical
assistance in trade facilitation
3.5.2. Burkina Faso
Description
The official name of the NTFB of Burkina Faso is WTO negotiations on trade facilitation support
group, created by Presidential Decree N° 2000-400/PRES/PM/MCIA of 13 September 2000.
The public sector participates through the following entities the Ministries responsible for trade,
agriculture, health, the environment and sustainable development, transport, foreign affairs, finance,
culture and animal resources, the trade support institutions: National Offices of Foreign trade,
Chamber of commerce and Industry, the Burkina Faso House of Enterprise, Burkina Shipper council,
Export Promotion Agency, Transit Association, Consumers Association of Burkina Faso, Exports and
Imports Union, The Carrier Union, and the Professional Industrial Group.
The participation of the private sector is through the following entities: Association and professional
associations, professional Association of Industrialists, importers/exporters trade union, National
council of Employers of Burkina Faso, Professional Association of Banks and Financial Institutions,
Services supplier and transport unions: SDV, Road Transport Union of Burkina Faso, Road Transport