RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UK Aid funded “Revenue Mobilisation for Investment and Trade Programme” (ReMIT), has started conducting trainings with a special focus on promoting SMEs and “Women in Trade” in Pakistan.

One of the first events was conducted in collaboration with the Directorate General of Training & Research (Customs) in Karachi.

According to details, the ReMIT, being implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) has initiated a project to support Pakistan through a series of seminars and workshops on the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Women entrepreneurs from Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs), participated and benefitted from gaining comprehensive knowledge of the TFA with a view to identify obstacles to cross-border trade and advocate for their removal. Speeding up the movement, release and clearance of goods, the WTO TFA presents a viable option to resolve cross-border trade challenges in Pakistan, while strengthening trade facilitation reforms to make its business environment more conducive.

Explaining the FCDO funded ReMIT Project initiatives, Dr Jawwad Agha, the Advisor Trade Facilitation elaborated upon the global experiences of the ITC in being a WTO body for TFA accession, ratification and implementation reform. Stressing that the simplification, modernization and harmonization of export, import and transit procedures are a key to Pakistan’s economic progress, he informed that ITC/ReMIT programme will continue to support Pakistan and its trade stakeholders to derive benefits from the TFA, to implement trade facilitation reforms in the country.