Establishing Well Functioning National Trade Facilitation Bodies (NTFBs)

In the OIC Member States

permanent secretariat; have enough financial resources; have regular involvement of the

private sector, the participation of all public agencies involved in TF and the certainty that all

participants have knowledge of trade facilitation including its importance; establish strong

political commitment; have strong leadership by the coordinating agency, with appropriate

monitoring and evaluation tools; have an efficient work structure and methodology (groups,

subgroups, etc.) based on trust and respect among stakeholders, who receive technical

assistance and training on a regular basis.

To incorporate into the structures individuals dedicated specifically to monitoring the

decisions made at meetings and their clear implementation.

To open the topics of the meetings up to different types of issues pertaining to all sectors that

are part of the TF.

In the flow of decisions and actions of the Task Force at the NTFB level, it is necessary for

representatives of institutions to answer to someone high-ranking who can make important

decisions, to thus reach agreements more quickly and ensure they are put into action.

Priorities of the program have to be established; the first two must be to obtain the

ratification of the TF agreement, and to set up the TF body which will consist of three

different primary stakeholders: public, private, and academic.

In addition to the above recommendations, the following steps should be taken in the particular case

of Indonesia:

Open up the topics of the meetings to different types of issues pertaining to all sectors that are part of

the TF. This point necessarily implies the greater involvement of the private sector. This requires

contact actors who have more influence and can benefit from the agreements reached in this NTFB. It

is recommended to involve the APINDO organization, which has strong leadership in the private

sphere.

In the flow of decisions and actions of the Task Force at the NTFB level, it is necessary for

representatives of institutions to answer to high-ranking officials who can make important decisions,

to thus reach agreements more quickly and ensure they are put into action.

Priorities of the program have to be established; the first two must be to obtain the ratification of the

TF agreement, and to set up the TF body which will consist of three different primary stakeholders:

public, private, and academic.

In conclusion, the strengths that exist in Indonesia and that will eventually facilitate the

implementation of an NTFB are that they have an institution with a strong leadership, which is the

Ministry of Coordinating Economic Affairs (KEMENKO), and also, that they have an organization that

is officially recognized by the government as a foundation that combines the basic elements for

creating an NTFB. In this context, Indonesia has a great platform on which to build an NTFB with the

required formalities.

Mr. Yehndo Adi, Senior Staff in Multilateral Cooperation Sub directorate in the International Affairs Directorate Customs, in charge

of Trade Facilitation Issues.