"The ATO platform and the data it provides is incredibly relevant and valuable to us.", shared Mr. Osman Babikir, Director Economic Cooperation & Regional Integration Division from the IGAD Secretariat. He emphasized the platform's impact on policymaking and project planning, reflecting its potential to enrich decision-making processes with current data. Similarly, Ms. Wincate Muthini, Senior Programme Manager at PACCI, highlighted that “the ATO online platform provides a strong basis for policy advocacy, enriching the value we offer as Chambers of Commerce and Industry associations. By providing our members with a dynamic tool for market exploration, it significantly enhances trade opportunities”. |
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As the network continues to evolve, its focus on leveraging data-driven insights for policy advocacy and trade facilitation is paving the way for a more prosperous and interconnected Africa. In addition, on February 1st , two webinars were organized for African members of the European Business Network. |
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| Discover the platform |
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WEST AFRICAN COMPETITIVENESS OBSERVATORY Enhancements to the Observatory & official launch |
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The Observatory has recently undergone significant upgrades, providing stakeholders with an enriched understanding of West African trade dynamics. Here are the key enhancements:
Revamped Regional Value Chain Module: The regional value chain module now offers new features such as insightful charts identifying leading exporters of primary products and highlighting promising destination markets for processed goods. The selection of value chains has been finalized, encompassing a wide range of products from processed foods to beauty and personal care items. New Indices for Trade Competitiveness Performances: Redefined as the Global Export Competitiveness Index, Continental Export Competitiveness Index, and Regional Export Competitiveness Index, these measures allow for comprehensive assessment and comparison of West African countries' trade competitiveness on global, continental, and regional scales. Policymakers can evaluate competitiveness levels when exporting to various destinations worldwide, within Africa, and within the West African region. |
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Official Launch of the West African Competitiveness Observatory In addition to these enhancements, the West African Competitiveness Observatory will be launched in the 2nd quarter of 2024 during a two-day workshop. The primary objective will be to familiarize key stakeholders with the West African Competitiveness Observatory, elucidating its capabilities and benefits. |
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GLOBAL TRADE HELPDESK Expanding to new languages to better serve small businesses across regions |
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Did you know that last year the number of user sessions on the Global Trade Helpdesk (GTH) grew by over 60%? Did you know that the GTH is a key resource for women-led firms? Did you know that the GTH now has information to help you Go Digital with information on e-commerce marketplaces, digital payment methods, de minimis values and more? Check out the platform and help us spread the word! In the Jaipur Call for Action by the G20 in India last year, Trade and Investment Ministers requested that the Global Trade Helpdesk be made available in new languages to better serve small businesses across different markets. In response to in kind contributions and formal requests from agencies in Indonesia and China, the platform is being adapted for supporting market analysis in Bahasa and Mandarin. This year the Bahasa version of the Global Trade Helpdesk will be launched at the JCI International Business Solutions Expo in Yogyakarta on April 23rd in partnership with ICC Indonesia. The mandarin version of GTH in partnership with CCPIT is planned to be released in June. For agencies who are interested in having the GTH available in their local language and working with our team as national ambassadors of the platform in the future, please contact us at info@globaltradehelpdesk.org. The GTH, a multi-agency platform: |
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Upcoming webinars and trainings Please stay tuned and consult the Webinars tab for upcoming webinars and training events! |
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NON-TARIFF MEASURES PROGRAMME Eswatini and DRC join TOAM to report obstacles to trade in services |
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Companies in Eswatini and the Democratic Republic of the Congo can now report trade obstacles by connecting to the Trade Obstacles Alert Mechanism (TOAM). |
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In Eswatini, the platform was launched on the 29th of January in Mbabane with representatives from the public and private sectors participating. "This is in line with the government's ambition to enhance trade facilitation, promote inter-agency dialogue, and improve public-private sector discussions through further digitalisation", says the Director of the International Trade Department of the Ministry, Khetsiwe Dlamini. |
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In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the platform was launched on the 31st of January in Brazzaville. TOAM and its mobile application allow companies to report challenges encountered online and directly alert the responsible agencies, policymakers, and trade support institutions to have easy access to up-to-date information on obstacles faced by businesses. Signing up for the TOAM platform is free, and reporting obstacles is treated with confidentiality. More than 20 countries have adopted the platform. |
| Access TOAM here |
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New ITC report showcases recommendations to accelerate trade in Viet Nam |
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According to the ITC report 'Viet Nam: Invisible Barriers to Trade: Business Perspectives', nearly half of Vietnamese exporters face regulatory or procedural trade barriers. The report consulted around 1,800 companies to identify the trade obstacles in goods and services. The Public-private dialogues following the survey led to recommendations to tackle the challenges encountered by traders. Some key actions suggested are business environment reforms, implementing e-government solutions to reduce delays and improve transparency, and more international regulatory cooperation. |
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| Read the report here |
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TRADE MAP Trade Map redesign, latest global merchandise trade and company level information |
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Help us redesign Trade Map Please take 10 minutes of your time and help us create a better platform by answering a few questions regarding the content and portal features you look for. Your responses will be treated anonymously. Thank you very much for your feedback! |
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| Visit Trade Map |
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| Share your thoughts |
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Global merchandise trade data We are proud to highlight the recent updates of our database. Thanks to this initiative, we are excited to announce that trade in goods data for 2023 is now accessible for 65 countries, covering approximately 85% of global trade in goods. Additionally, monthly data for January 2024 is already available for 41 countries, representing around 65% of global trade in goods. The 2022 Global Trade Indicators have also been recently updated. Now, you can explore the latest trends for a product/country of your interest using the 2022 indicators. These indicators are based on data reported by 155 countries, providing comprehensive insights. This updated information is reflected in the time series analysis as well. |
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Zooming in on company-level information in Trade Map Thanks to the contribution of national sources, companies data coverage improved in Trade Map and the other Trade Helpdesks. Five countries have significantly more data on companies:
Armenia: check out for instance exporters of electrical machinery and equipment. Brazil: much more data on importers located in Brazil is now available. Canada: a large update for more than 62 000 importing companies located in Canada was made across all sectors. Sri Lanka: strong efforts were made in the sector of coconuts and related products. Paraguay: about 1 000 new companies were added, hundreds of which trading specific agricultural goods. Look for instance for Paraguay exporters of broken rice. Together with Dun and Bradstreet, as well as Kompass, our two major sources of companies data, you can find your business partners among the 2.2+ million companies engaged in international trade available in Trade Map and other integrated solutions. |
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EASTERN PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE Moldovan upcoming trainings & convening stakeholders in Armenia and Azerbaijan |
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Understanding the relevant barriers to trade, both domestically and across target markets, is crucial for firms as they formulate their export plans. As part of the process of the ITC Business Survey elaboration, the team organized national stakeholder meetings on non-tariff measures in Azerbaijan and Armenia. |
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In Azerbaijan the consultation was organized in collaboration with AZPROMO Azerbaijan Export and Investment Agency (AZPROMO) on 24 and 25 January 2024. More than 60 representatives from the public and private sectors convened to address key concerns and propose actionable solutions. Discussions on the first day centred on streamlining export procedures for goods, particularly focusing on quality-related requirements. The second day focused on enhancing the export of services, with an emphasis on diversifying tourism offerings and elevating the IT sector to international standards. |
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The meeting in Armenia was co-organized with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia on 7 and 8 February 2024. Discussions in the meeting focused on strategies to increase Armenian exports' value-added, support mechanisms required for the agricultural value chain, initiatives to improve tourism promotion, and strategies to attract talent to an already dynamic IT sector. Insights from the survey will contribute to evidence-based policy making in the region. Full survey results and insights from the stakeholder meetings will be incorporated in country reports for Azerbaijan and Armenia as part of ITC’s Invisible Barriers to Trade series. In Moldova, the EaP team is working with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to train businesses on exploring and comparing new opportunities using the EaP Trade Helpdesk. To help businesses expand their businesses to EU and EaP markets, trainings in the different regions across Moldova are scheduled between April and September. |
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| Explore the business matchmaking module |
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TRADE & INVESTMENT FACILITATION MECHANISM II & EUROMED TRADE HELPDESK Euromed: Providing trade and market intelligence
for enhanced integration |
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Euromed Trade Helpdesk capacity building programme In February, Tunisian representatives from different public and private institutions successfully completed their second "Training of Trainers" workshop. The 4-day session enhanced the future trainers’ skills and knowledge. With its completion, national stakeholders are now equipped to lead their own trainings on the regional tool. Since its launch in October 2023, the programme has received support from the Ministère du Commerce et du Développement des Exportations, the Centre de Promotion des Exportations (CEPEX), and the European Union. Simultaneously, a first training on the Euromed Trade Helpdesk took place in Egypt. The Ministry of Trade and Industry, through its unit Trade and Investment Promotion Unit (TIPU) at the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS), the European Union and the ITC, kicked off the event. Partners from different institutions enhanced their market analysis skills to find regional trade opportunities. Since October, Jordanian trainers have been sharing their expertise on the tool, collectively conducting informative sessions for approximately 70 national economic operators as of February. Additionally, a series of public webinars in three languages introduced the tool to economic operators in the Mediterranean region. Access all information now by creating your free account at euromed.tradehelpdesk.org. Raising awareness on the Euromed Trade Helpdesk Following the "Training of Trainers" workshop on the Euromed Trade Helpdesk in Tunisia, a public presentation of this EU-funded tool took place in Tunis. Co-organized by the Centre de Promotion des Exportations (CEPEX), the event opened with a welcome message from the European Union Delegation of Tunisia. Entrepreneurs and public sector representatives came together, encouraging interaction and knowledge exchange. |
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| Visit the Euromed Trade Helpdesk |
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Other activities under TIFM II project Enhancing trade in services statistics - zooming on transport services The International Trade Centre (ITC) organized a technical workshop on trade in transport services in Amman from January 15th to 17th, 2024. Jordanian stakeholders, including representatives from the Central Bank of Jordan, Department of Statistics, Jordan Customs, and Ministries of Trade and Transport, delved into the intricacies of transport data collection and compilation, with particular emphasis on identifying partner countries and potential publication of bilateral data. This workshop heralded a new phase of collaboration among key Jordanian institutions, fostering a more robust dialogue on leveraging administrative data for trade estimations. This event marked the fourth planned activity under the TIFM II trade in services component in Jordan. |
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CAPACITY BUILDING ON GLOBAL PUBLIC GOODS Annual trade intelligence public webinars: Bridging gaps for both beginners and experts |
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The recent series of webinars titled "Trade Intelligence with ITC Tools," conducted by the Trade & Market Intelligence TMI Section, serves as an annual event tailored to the distinct needs of two primary audience segments: Complete beginners aiming to acquaint themselves with ITC’s flagship tools and frequent users seeking to learn more. Conducted in English, Spanish, and French languages, these webinars, held between late February and early March 2024, attracted participants from approximately 40 countries worldwide. Among them were representatives from government bodies, trade support institutions, private sector associations, think-tanks, as well as students and professors keen on delving into modern desk-based market research. |
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For frequent users, these online events serve as a platform to explore new features, updates, and advanced functionalities of the ITC tools. These webinars are an opportunity to deepen their understanding and optimize their utilization of the tools. On the other hand, for beginners, the webinars offer an entry point into the world of trade intelligence. Tailored sessions and introductory presentations help them grasp the fundamentals and navigate through the tools with confidence, laying a solid foundation for their journey into global trade analysis. As an annual tradition, these webinars not only facilitate knowledge but also remind the business community that these tools are Global Public Goods and that are accessible for free to users in developing and least developed countries. In an era where information is crucial for business success, the ITC's efforts play a vital role in empowering businesses and fostering economic growth. By providing actionable insights and cutting-edge tools, ITC continues to contribute to the advancement of global trade and sustainable development. |
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UPCOMING SME TRADE ACADEMY COURSES |
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Do not miss next quarter's SME Trade Academy sessions on Trade Map and Market Access Map. Take a deep dive of 4 hours spread over 2 weeks, at your own pace, into our Market Analysis Tools and learn to apply them to real life analysis. 8 to 21 April 2024 - How to access international markets 8 to 21 April 2024 - How to analyze trade flows |
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