The project aims to unlock Afghanistan's trade potential by improving quality and standards- setting, strengthening export/investment promotion capacities, facilitating cross border trade including through removing regulatory and procedural barriers, supporting specific value chains and women’s participation in international business and trade. As part of the trade facilitation activities, the project will provide transparency of trade-related information through enhancing the National Trade Facilitation Portal (NTFP) established under AAT Phase I. It will continue feeding the required information on the NTFP, including new products and procedures. The project will also provide advisory services to set up the institutional framework for sustainability of the NTFP. Once the Portal is officially launched, the project will focus on reviewing trade procedures/documentation to identify simplification and optimization options in order to streamline cross border procedures and reduce their number/com-plexity.
The project aims at strengthening institutional capacity to formulate and implement effective trade policies and strategies in Afghanistan, with a special focus on regional cooperation, engaging private sector to participate in trade policy reforms and dialogue. The trade facilitation component is focused on the institutional strenghtening of the NTFC to facilitate the implementation of the TFA, as well as on the capacity-building of SMEs to manage cross-border procedures and compliance with regional and global market requirements.
The project aims to unlock Afghanistan's trade potential by improving quality and standards- setting, strengthening export/investment promotion capacities, facilitating cross border trade including through removing regulatory and procedural barriers, supporting specific value chains and women’s participation in international business and trade. The specific objectives of the project are: a) strengthened business/investment environment to support regional economic integration and connectivity; b) improved competitiveness and economic, social and environmental responsibility in agri-business and manufactured products value chains; and c) improved competitiveness and economic, social and environmental responsibility in agri-business and manufactured products value chains.