Establishing Well Functioning National Trade Facilitation Bodies (NTFBs)
In the OIC Member States
68
encouraging and facilitating ongoing professional development in information technology, as well as
safeguarding community and public interests within the IT space.
The Chairman is Minister of Commerce and Trade and the Secretary General of the NTTFB is the
Directorate General of Land and Maritime Transport from the Ministry of Transport. This secretariat
and is responsible for the organization and coordination of meetings.70 It is important to mention
that this structure has officially changed overtime. 71
The three main objectives that have been defined for the management of the NTFB’s actions and
decisions are to deepen integration, further strengthen trade logistics, and streamline
administration.
The basic responsibilities of the committee are generated based on two visions:
 Trade facilitation, generating and monitoring national and international agreements related
to trade legislation, description, and management of the Lebanese industrial sector.
 Security, ranging from operating systems, data-based security, internet security, both
internal and external.
Once established, the NTTFB created thematic working groups, related to the boarders, maritime
transport, air transport, TBT, etc. These working groups did diagnosis of problems with regards to
trade and transporters problems.
With regards to financing, it does not have a formal budget for the operations of the TF.
4.2.1.3. Analysis
Although the NTFB from Lebanon was launched enthusiastically, however the last convening of the
committee took place in 2008. From 2006 until 2008 stakeholders met regularly on a monthly basis,
and sometimes even weekly. The regularity of organizing these meetings were due to political
situation within the country and in the region. However there is great willingness on the part of all
committee members to resume activities.72, 73, 74, 75, 76. Private and public sectors meet on an ad hoc
basis for specific issues.
A major obstacle is that, there is no clarity, neither legal nor factual of which Ministry plays the role
of the Permanent Secretariat of the NTTFBs. Thus, official meetings of NTFBs are not organized and
gatherings between Public and Private sectors are a reactively rather than a proactively.
One priority that must be set for this committee is to publish its work plan. Without a defined work
plan, the actions taken could in fact hinder each other. When setting goals, a plan is needed to
monitor development and progress made.
70 Decision 11/2015. Committee for eliminating barriers in Electronic Goods.
71 Although in 2006 the Director General of Land and Maritime Transport is appointed as the chairman, in 2007 was removed.
However 2015 in Decision 11/2015 it is mentioned that he is the Chairman of the NTTFB.
72 Mr. Zaher Azouri. Ministry of Economy and Trade in Lebanon.
73 Ms. Rafif Berro op. cit.
74 Expert Group Meeting on Transport and Trade Facilitation in the ESCWA Region (PDF) op. cit.
75 Mr. Fawzi Allam, op. cit.
76 Mr. Abdel Hafeez Al Kaissi, op. cit.