Establishing Well Functioning National Trade Facilitation Bodies (NTFBs)
In the OIC Member States
82
4.2.5. Proposed solutions for OIC Member States with NTFB and other
coordination mechanisms that do not function properly
In order to have properly functioning NTFBs, OIC member states can first set up NTFBs with all the
elements mentioned above. In other words: a legal framework, a work plan, concrete objectives,
terms of reference, funds, an institutionalized and permanent secretariat, and a clear structure. In
addition to all these elements, countries should also ensure that the following elements are present:
 Political will at the first level of government (e.g. Prime Minister or President of the country)
and private sector (e.g. President of the Chamber of Commerce)
 Determined leadership of the representatives from public and private sector that will
coordinate the NTFB
 Even representation of both sectors, public and private
 Further participation and the voices of other representatives such as: scholars and NGOs,
which can support the NTFB in producing analyses and studies that public and/or private
sector entities do not have time to generate. NGOs can participate by providing consumer
perception and thereby increasing the transparency and governance of these meetings.
 Coordination among agencies and/or sectors which will lead the NTFB
 Trust among stakeholders
 Ability to reach consensus when making decisions
 Appointing two representatives
 An efficient communication system between the permanent secretariat and stakeholders.
This system has the objective of lending certainty and coherence to the NTFB’s activities. The
secretariat can create templates for:
- Invitations with the possibility of removing an institution’s representative in the
event that he or she does not attend three meetings in a row;
- Agendas;
- Attendance sheets;
- Coordination letters;
- Follow-up outlines marked according to compliance with the issues;
- Minutes/reports of the meetings, which ideally should be signed by each of the
participants.
 Decision-makers’ participation: Stakeholders who attend meetings should have a seniority
level that enables them to make decisions, in order to provide practical and qualitative
participation in the meetings.
 A transitional strategy for stakeholders: with a timeline that provides stakeholders with
sufficient time to adapt to the NTFB’s new methods. This strategy may encompass:
information about the NTFB, dissemination of information about its functioning and
expected results among stakeholders, and implementation of the project.
 Regular attendance at meetings: This lends certainty and trust, internally and externally. Not
only do stakeholders know that during a certain period each month, they will be provided a
space for discussing specific problems, externally, it also spawns trust in the trading
community and transmits a serious business-oriented image to users of the trading system.