WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/56 
22 July 2005 
 (05-3316) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP 
 
  The following communication, dated 21 July 2005, from the Delegation of Egypt, on behalf 
of the African Group, is being circulated in adva nce of the Negotiating Group meeting of 25-26 July 
2005. 
 
_______________ 
  
OPERATIONALIZING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND  
CAPACITY BUILDING IN TRADE FACILITATION 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. The modalities for Negotiations on Trade Facilitation
1 contain a strong commitment by 
members, in particular developed countries to provide technical assistance and support for capacity 
building to enable developing and least-developed countries to par ticipate in and benefit from the 
negotiations. 
2. Paragraphs 5 and 6 of Annex D of the July 2004 Framework envisage the following kinds of 
technical assistance and support for capac ity building in Trade Facilitation: 
(i) Technical assistance and capacity build ing in the course of the negotiations; 
and 
(ii) Technical assistance and capacity bu ilding beyond the negotiations phase. 
3. It is important to clarify that the above tw o broad areas of support are interlinked since 
support for some of the activities where commitmen ts are envisaged could be provided during the 
current phase of the negotiations.   
II. PROPOSAL 
A. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING IN THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS  
4. In order to operationalize support for technical  assistance and capacity building in line with 
Annex D of the July 2004 Framework, the Afri can Group proposes the following during the current 
phase of the negotiations: 
 
                                                      
1 Annex D of WT/L/579 (Decision Adopted by the General Council on 1 August 2004 or sometimes 
referred to as the July 2004 Framework) TN/TF/W/56 
Page 2  
 
 1. Identification of needs and priorities
2 
5. The process of identification of the needs and pr iorities of individual Members, particularly 
those of developing and least-developed countries is  provided for in paragra ph 4 of Annex D of the 
July 2004 Framework. This process has been pa rtially addressed by the WCO Self Assessment 
Checklist for GATT Articles V, VIII and X3, and other tools such as the WCO Time Release Study.  
However, the African Group would like to prop ose for a revision of the WCO Self Assessment 
Checklist that would be simpler and in conformity with the scope of the negotiations and that would 
cover not only Customs issues, but also all fo rmalities and procedures related to importation, 
exportation and transit in line with GATT Articles V, VIII and X.  This will assist Members in identifying their needs and priorities falli ng within the scope of the negotiations. 
2. Compilation of needs and priorities of individual Members 
6. In accordance with Annex D of th e July 2004 Framework, Memb ers are expected to identify 
their needs and priorities, particularly those of developing and least devel oped countries. The African 
Group would like to propose that the WTO Secretar iat undertakes to compile needs and priority put 
forward by different Members. The compilation of needs and priorities of individual Members which, 
should be continually updated as appropriate, would serve as a useful reference by those Members, 
organizations and other donors willi ng to provide targeted assistance during and after the negotiations.  
7. In this regard, those Members having difficultie s in identifying their needs and priorities 
should be assisted. 
3. Support for clarification and educative process including training 
8. The African Group welcomes the support so fa r extended by the WTO, individual Member 
countries, and other organizations for clarifica tion and educative process, including training of 
customs officials, with respect to GATT Articles V, VIII and X.  This type of support should be 
enhanced both at the national and re gional level in order to facilitat e the participation of developing 
and least-developed countries in the negotiations. I ndividual Members and organizations expected to 
support these activities should come forward and give th eir indications in order to trigger requests by 
those member countries in need.  Furthermore, cl arification and educative process should contribute 
to the negotiations through factual reporting of th e outcome of seminars/wor kshops by the relevant 
organization during the meetings of the Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation.  
B. T
ECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING BEYOND THE NEGOTIATIONS PHASE  
1. Implementation of the Outcome 
9. Annex D of the July 2004 Framework provides a strong commitment by Members, in 
particular developed countries, to provide tec hnical assistance and capacity building not only during 
negotiations but also in implementing the obligations  resulting from the negotiations.  It is also clear 
from the modalities on Trade Facilitation that developing or least-developed countries shall not be required to implement commitments if they lack implementation capacities and have not received the 
required technical assistance. Furthermore, internat ional organizations providing assistance within the 
area of trade facilitation are called upon to collaborate. 
                                                     
 
2 The importance of identification of needs and priorities has also been mentioned in the submissions 
TN/TF/W/29 and TN/TF/W/41. 
3 WCO Self Assessment Checklist for GATT Articles has been circulated as a WTO document 
(TN/TF/W/16).  TN/TF/W/56 
 Page 3 
 
 
 2. Coordination mechanism for implementation of  needs and priorities of Members as well 
as commitments  
10. The support required to implement trade fac ilitation commitments goes beyond the traditional 
technical assistance provided by the WTO Secretaria t.  For instance some trade facilitation measures 
require support for infrastructural development. 
11. Coordination among relevant international agenci es and donors in the provision of technical 
assistance and capacity building is therefore important  during and after the negotiations. This has also 
been mentioned in the Note by the WTO Secretariat on Technical A ssistance and Capacity Building 
on Trade Facilitation (TN/TF/W/5).   
12. While the modalities for negotiations on trad e facilitation alludes to coherence and a 
collaborative approach among international organiza tions providing technical assistance in this area, 
their specific role with regard to implementation of  the needs and priorities of developing and least-
developed countries need to be clarified in order to ensure complementarity. 
13. The African Group therefore urges Members to consider the idea of establishing a 
coordination/collaborative mechanism4 or building upon any existing mechanism involving various 
partners engaged in trade facilitation in order to  enhance synergies and ensure efficient use of 
available resources.  Such mechanis m should ensure that the needs and priorities with respect to trade 
facilitation identified by developing and least-developed countries are addressed effectively; that available resources will be efficiently used; and that  there will be long-term sustainability of technical 
assistance programmes.  
III. CONCLUSION 
14. The African Group believes that trade facilitation is  important in promoti ng their participation 
in the multilateral trading system. It is because of this realization that African countries at both the 
national and regional level conti nue to put in place measures mean t to enhance trade facilitation 
against the backdrop of limited resources. The current negotiations offer the opportunity in 
complimenting the efforts of individual countries in the area of trade facilitation.  The success or 
otherwise of trade facilitation negotiations is ther efore dependant on the provision of adequate and 
sustained technical assistance and capacity building for developing and least-developed countries. 
 
__________ 
 
                                                     
 
4  The WTO Secretariat note TN/TF/W/5 points out how some collaborative mechanisms have worked 
in the area of trade facilitation.