81274914-Consultant pool for project scoping missions of the "Alliances for Trade Facilitation" Programme

In 2013 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) concluded negotiations on the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). By signing the TFA, Germany and other donor countries have committed to support developing countries in the implementation of the agreement. For this purpose, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has commissioned the GIZ global programme "Alliances for Trade Facilitation" (hereinafter "A4TF" programme) on carrying out trade facilitation projects in developing and emerging markets in cooperation with businesses, associations and chambers of industry and commerce, as well as relevant ministries and border agencies. The goal is to streamline and lower the costs of customs and other trade-related processes within the framework of the WTO TFA. Following the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in 2019, BMZ has committed to support African countries in the implementation of this agreement. The AfCFTA contains trade facilitation measures tailored to the African context and aims to make import, export and transit procedures between countries more efficient. The advantage of the AfCFTA trade facilitation measures is that they are based on continentally harmonized rules and consider local context for application. Therefore, the A4TF programme has extended its regional and technical scope for projects in African countries from the implementation of the TFA to the TF-related annexes of the AfCFTA. At the core of the A4TF programme is a public-private partnership. It is vital to cooperate with the private sector and leverage the extensive expertise of companies if measures are to be successfully put into practice. Global efforts to mobilise the business community have so far often been fragmented, and awareness of trade facilitation measures remains weak. The A4TF programme is working with and on behalf of two multi-stakeholder partnerships, (1) Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, and (2) German Alliance for Trade Facilitation. The same approach is applied in countries where projects are designed and implemented. The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF) is a public-private partnership for trade-led growth, supporting governments in developing and least-developed countries in implementing the World Trade Organization"s Trade Facilitation Agreement. Alliance projects cut through red tape and end costly delays at borders by bringing together governments and businesses of all sizes as equal partners to deliver targeted trade reforms. The Global Alliance is led by the Center for International Private Enterprise, the International Chamber of Commerce, and the World Economic Forum, in cooperation with GIZ. It is funded by the governments of the United States, Canada, Germany, and Denmark. More information on www.tradefacilitation.org. The global level is complemented by the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation. The German Alliance is a public private partnership with the aim at making international trade faster and simpler. In its numerous trade facilitation projects, the Alliance engages where business and government interests match. It creates opportunities for economic development in emerging and developing countries. is funded by the German government. The Secretariat of the Alliance is hosted by GIZ. More information on www.tradefacilitation.de/en/ Across both Alliances, the A4TF programme has completed and currently implements trade facilitation reform projects in twenty-three countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Côte d"Ivoire, Ecuador, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nigeria, North-Macedonia, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia and Ukraine.