Policy Dialogue on Strengthening Transport Connectivity among the South

Policy Dialogue on Strengthening
Transport Connectivity among the South
and South-West Asian Countries
26-27 June 2013,
Dhaka, Bangladesh
ESCAP Regional Strategic Framework
for Facilitation of
International Road Transport
Sandeep Raj Jain,
Economic Affairs Officer
Transport Facilitation &Logistics Section
Transport Division
Outline
1.
About United Nations ESCAP
2.
ESCAP initiatives to enhance regional
connectivity
3.
Comprehensive approach is required to
address transit and transport barriers –
Regional Strategic Framework for
facilitation of international road transport
4.
Current and future work of ESCAP in
transport facilitation
1. About United Nations ESCAP
 One of the five regional commissions of United Nations
 Largest in terms of area and population 4 billion people
(56% of worlds population)
 Vision - to be most comprehensive multilateral platform
for promoting cooperation among member states to
achieve inclusive and sustainable economic and social
development
 Fastest growing region; had highest regional growth 5.6% in
2011;contributed 36 % to the World’s GDP and 34% of
world’s export
 The region touted as an engine of global growth as per
World Bank’s Global Development Horizons 2011 report it
will contribute 50% to global growth by 2025
 However, has 66% of World’s poor (43% south Asia); only
20% have access to health care; has low intra-regional trade
37% as compared to EU 68% and NAFTA 51%
2. ESCAP initiatives to enhance regional connectivity
 Inter Governmental Agreements on Asian Highway and
Trans-Asian Railway Networks and the proposed
agreement on Dry Ports
 In 2006 members adopted Busan Declaration on
Transport Development in Asia and the Pacific, 3 I’s
vision for transport and logistic system for the region
 3I’s are International, Inter-modal and Interconnected
 ESCAP resolution 48/11
 Transport facilitation is inherently challenging involves
numerous government agencies and countries with
different institutional environment and implementation
capacities
 Issues are varied and complex relate to vehicles,
drivers and crew, cargo, security, UNECE has 53
conventions/agreement on road transport

No intergovernmental organization unlike for air and
maritime
UIC estimates on Container Traffic in South Asia in 2025
2 2.5 million TEUs
in 2007
.io2233n TEU
13.8 million TEUs
in 2025
3.Comprehensive approach is required to address transit and
transport barriers
Regional Strategic Framework for Facilitation
of International Road Transport

Existence of non-physical barriers can
significantly impede transit transport adversely
affecting connectivity of countries to regional
and global markets

Developed by ESCAP in consultation with the
member countries and based on a
comprehensive study on non-physical barriers

Identifies main challenges to international road
transport and provides long term targets to
provide coherence and attain synergies in
instituting facilitation measures

Provides seven modalities to support
facilitation of international road transport
Regional Strategic Framework for Facilitation of International road Transport
Fundamental issues in
facilitation of international road transport
i.
Road transport permits and traffic
rights
ii.
Visa issues
iii.
Temporary importation of road
vehicles
iv.
Insurance of vehicles
v.
Vehicles weight and dimensions
vi.
Vehicle registration and inspection
certificate
Key modalities for facilitation international road transport
i.
Building an effective legal regime
ii.
Wider application of new technologies
iii.
Development of professional training
iv.
Establishment and strengthening of
national coordination mechanisms
v.
Promotion of joint controls at border
crossings
vi.
Promotion of economic zones at border
crossings
vii.
Application of facilitation tools
Building an effective legal regime for transport
Objectives:
 Exchange information and share
experience
Regional Network
of
Legal and Technical Experts
for
Transport Facilitation
 Pinpoint areas of legal conflicts while
implementing different
subregional/bilateral agreements
 Suggest solutions for legal conflicts
where a country is party to two or
more agreements
 Suggest ways to connect countries in
different subregions
Activities:
 Information and experience sharing,
seminars, expert meetings,
professional training, group studies
and individual studies
Inter-agency coordination mechanism for integrated approach to
trade and transport facilitation
 Transport facilitation is challenging due to
involvement of numerous stakeholders
 Each agency has a different mandate
regarding goods/vehicles/people crossing
the borders
 More often, the agencies work is silos
leading to duplication of inspections and
information
 Interagency coordination mechanisms
provide forum for agencies to come
together for common purpose
 While control measures are instituted
trade, transport and transit are facilitated
Guidelines for Establishing
and Strengthening National
Coordination Mechanisms for
Trade and Transport
Facilitation in the
ESCAP region
Joint Controls
Import Country
Export Country
DATA
Declaration
Control Measures
B
O
R
D
E
R
Declaration
Control measures
4. Current and future work of ESCAP in transport facilitation
 RSF adopted by member states during
Ministerial Conference on Transport held in
2012
 Action plan for implementation of RSF for
each of subregion of ESCAP will be
prepared along with indicators to measure
and monitor performance
 Framework to support facilitation of
international rail transport ongoing
 Study to build capacity of member states to
encourage paperless transit systems
 Promote and provide advisory services on
implementation of transit and transport
facilitation tools
South Asia is home to 43 per cent of World’s Poor
Thank you
for
your attention
Questions/Comments?
[email protected]