Trade and Regional Integration in the Arab States

11 - 12 December 2018, Marrakech, Morocco

Agenda

Tuesday 11 December 2018, 8.30–17.30

08:30 Registration

09:00 Opening Ceremony

- Welcome address by ITFC and ITC

9:30 Item 1: Tackling NTMs and promoting regional integration: Where do we stand?

- ITC’s work and key achievements
- Efforts made by national governments

Questions and Answers
Open discussion

11:15 Item 2: Initiative of development partners in the region

12:30 Lunch

14:00 Item 2: Where do we go from here? Thematic roundtables to establish next steps to achieve greater trade integration

- Round table 1: NTMs and regional integration
- Round table 2: Customs procedures
- Round table 3: Quality requirements and management

17:00 Closing of Day 1

Wednesday 12 December 2018, 8.30–12.30

09:00 Item 4: Presentation of action plans and proposed projects to further enhance regional trade integration of each roundtable

- NTMs and regional integration
- Customs procedures
- Quality requirements and management

10:45 Open discussion

12:00 Closing

Overview

The International Trade Centre (ITC), with support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), is taking the initiative to organize an interactive High-Level Regional Workshop where delegates from the Arab countries and relevant regional organizations will have the opportunity to take stock of progress made over the past years in tackling impediments to regional trade integration and to define the next steps.

The workshop will allow exchanging views, learning from experiences, and sharing of ideas new initiatives at the national and regional level aimed at reducing trade cost. ITC will use the results of the workshop to inform its technical assistance and define its priorities for the region for the years to come.

This workshop is intended for high-level representatives from the Ministry of Trade, the Customs Authority and Standards and Quality Management institutions. The deliverables of the workshop include an action plan for further reducing NTM-related trade obstacles within the Arab region through concrete projects and implementation of such action at the regional level.

Objectives

1. Present the work undertaken by ITC and by national governments over the past years aimed at reducing trade cost and increasing regional integration;

2. Agree on the implementation of action plans for the way forward to address NTMs of mutual interest to the Arab countries, particularly with regard to quality requirements, customs procedures and the implementation of GAFTA.

Contact

For further information on the Roundtable event,
contact us at ntm@intracen.org.

Official Event Documents

Terms of reference: Trade and Regional Integration in the Arab States — EN ¦ FR ¦ AR

Agenda: EN 

Studies on Arab regional integration:

  • Making regional integration work — EN ¦ FR ¦ AR

          

  • Unlocking export opportunities for greater regional integration among Arab States — EN ¦ FR ¦ AR

            

Additional Resources and links

(Please check regularly for updates)

Non-tariff measures (General)

Export Quality Management reports

  • A Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Exporters — EN ¦ AR
  • Managing quality in Egypt — EN ¦ AR
  • Managing quality in Jordan — EN ¦ AR
  • Managing quality in State of Palestine - EN ¦ AR

Data Information Sources and Tools

Online learning

Presentations from the workshop

Press and Media

Venue:

Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carre Eden. 166, 176 Avenue Mohammed V, Marrakech 40000, Morocco