The Expert Meeting on Efficient Transport and Trade Facilitation to Improve Participation by Developing Countries in International Trade: Problems and Potential for the Application of Current Trade Facilitation Measures by Developing Countries will be held from 25 to 27 November 2002 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva. It will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, 25 November. The provisional agenda, together with the secretariat’s annotations thereto, will be circulated as document TD/B/COM.3/EM.17/1. Documents concerning this Expert Meeting and other UNCTAD meetings can also be found on the UNCTAD website (www.unctad.org).

The meeting will address the impact of trade facilitation measures on the international trade of developing countries and their effect on effective capacity-building. In particular, it will consider (i) the implementation issues, covering the use of information technologies in customs and transport management systems as well as the potential consequences for trade of recent security initiatives; the required environment for trade facilitation, including logistics, transport services and infrastructure; and the legal framework; and (ii) the development dimension issue, including the role of regional and local partnerships in formulating trade facilitation needs and priorities; and the stakes and alternative positions regarding the potential adoption of multilateral binding rules on trade facilitation.

The UNCTAD secretariat has prepared a background document to facilitate the discussion, which will be circulated as document TD/B/COM.3/EM.17/2. Experts participating in the meeting are encouraged to make written contributions with respect to their specific experiences in the area of the subject matter. The contributions will be made available at the meeting in the form and language in which they are received.

Member States of UNCTAD are requested to nominate experts at an early date and not later than 25 October 2002. Experts, who will participate in the meeting in their personal capacities, are expected to have proven expertise in the subject, and may be selected from Governments, the academic world, the public and private sectors, and non-governmental organizations. Experts may include representatives from various sectors of trade and transport services, including shipowners, port officials, terminal operators, intermediaries, traders, customs officials and trade negotiators.

With regard to financing the participation of developing country experts in UNCTAD Expert Meetings, in accordance with Trade and Development Board decision 456 (XLV), Governments of developing countries are requested to nominate one expert as a possible beneficiary of financing for this Expert Meeting. Nominations should be received at least one month before the meeting, and they should be accompanied by a curriculum vitae of the nominee, his/her address, telephone and fax numbers or e-mail address, and the name of a contact person at the Permanent Mission in Geneva. The Secretary-General of UNCTAD will base his decision as to which experts should receive financing on the principle of equitable geographical representation, beneficiary needs and the expertise of the experts concerned. It should be noted, in this connection, that the limited funds available will make it possible to finance the participation of only a few experts. Once the list of experts has been finalized, the Secretary-General will have all travel arrangements made in accordance with the United Nations financial rules and regulations; in order to cover as many experts as possible, use of the least costly travel fare will be authorized.

Upon arrival, participants are requested, before entering the Palais des Nations, to collect their badge at the UN Security Service, Villa Les Feuillantines, 13 avenue de la Paix (close to the main entrance to the Palais on the Place des Nations, on the opposite side of the road). The Security Service is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (non-stop). It is advisable to arrive by 9 a.m. to complete procedures and reach the meeting in good time. Walking from Villa Les Feuillantines to the E-Building (Bâtiment E) of the Palais takes about 10 minutes. Participants are advised to carry a passport or similar identification document with them.

Specialized agencies and intergovernmental bodies wishing to participate in the session, as well as non-governmental organizations in the General Category and those in the Special Category wishing to participate as observers, are requested to inform the UNCTAD secretariat of the names of their representatives by 25 October 2002.

All communications concerning representation at the meeting should be sent to UNCTAD secretariat, Intergovernmental Support Service, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10 (fax: +41 (0)22 917 0056; e-mail: correspondence@unctad.org).

All other inquiries should be addressed to Mr. Maxence Orthlieb, Division for Services Infrastructure for Development and Trade Efficiency (tel.: +41 (0)22 917 2001; fax: +41 (0)22 917 0050; e-mail: maxence.orthlieb@unctad.org).

(signed)
Rubens Ricupero
Secretary-General of UNCTAD
4 September 2002