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- Renewed efforts by UNCTAD and its partners aim to help more countries strengthen their trade systems, benefit from international markets and prepare for emerging challenges.
SWITZERLAND / ENGLAND – The “Accelerate Trade Facilitation” programme is entering a new phase, with the United Kingdom committing £950,000 in funding for 2026–2029.
The programme is jointly implemented by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Customs Organization and UK Customs. For more than a decade, the programme has supported over 30 economies to speed up the movement of goods and strengthen cooperation between the public and private sectors.
“We will build on the strong and sustained impact achieved by partner countries over the last 11 years of the programme, strengthening national trade facilitation committees and driving practical, lasting reforms that make trade simpler, faster and more inclusive while supporting economic growth,” said Megan Shaw, deputy director of international customs and border engagement at UK Customs.
What’s next for the programme
The programme will continue to place national trade facilitation committees (NTFCs) at the core of its work.
NTFCs serve as coordination platforms where government agencies and businesses identify bottlenecks, agree on priorities and advance trade facilitation reforms.
UNCTAD has supported them through specialised training, including via its trade facilitation e-learning platform, and practical tools such as the Reform Tracker. The tool helps countries monitor progress on trade facilitation reforms and keep society-wide collaborators aligned.
“These reforms contribute to a trading environment that is faster, cheaper, more transparent and more predictable – conditions that help businesses compete and grow,” said Angel González Sanz, officer-in-charge of UNCTAD’s division on technology and logistics.
The 2026–2029 phase will expand the programme’s capacity-building activities and introduce the Reform Tracker to up to three additional countries.
These efforts will help deepen digitalisation and improve coordination between border agencies—measures crucial to reducing costs and processing times for traders.
Rosianna Manitra Andrianasolo, a senior official at Malagasy Customs and a member of the Madagascar NTFC secretariat, highlighted the programme’s results-oriented approach.
“UNCTAD helped us develop a roadmap, monitor reforms and strengthen the capacities of NTFC members through tools such as the Reform Tracker and business process analysis,” she said.
“Thanks to this support, the NTFC is now fully equipped to lead and advance trade facilitation reforms.”
