The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce to co-host the

Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum 2012 in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is now well poised for rapid economic growth with many positive factors coming together. Recognizing the need to position Sri Lanka internationally in the area of trade facilitation, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce with the endorsement of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Sri Lanka Customs expressed their interest to co-host the Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum (APTFF) 2012 in Sri Lanka. Revealing its positive outcome Mr. Harin Malwatte, the Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce announced that the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will co-host the Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum 2012 in Sri Lanka with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Mr. Malwatte made this announcement at the Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum held in Seoul, Korea recently. Thus, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will be working closely with the Export Development Board and Sri Lanka Customs in organizing the event. It will be the first time this eminent forum will be hosted by a South Asian country. APTFF was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2009, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2010 and in Seoul, Republic of Korea early this month.

The Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum, launched jointly by the United Nations ESCAP and Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2009, is an annual open regional event to exchange information, experiences and practices for trade facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region. It identifies priority areas for regional cooperation and integration and participants learn new tools and services that will increase efficiency of cross-border transactions that will ultimately improve the competitiveness of firms in the region. Thus, the forum aims to promote trade facilitation as an important component of a comprehensive strategy for national and regional development. The forum also intends to strengthen regional cooperation and coordination of Aid for Trade and related technical assistance and capacity building in trade facilitation.

Every year 200-300 participants attend the forum from countries in the Asia Pacific Region. Participants include government officials, traders, public and private service providers from Central Asia, South, South-East and East Asia as well as the South Pacific. Hosting APTFF 2012 will bring many benefits and recognition for South Asia in general and Sri Lanka in particular.

Being a country vying to be the naval, aviation and commercial hub of Asia, this is an excellent opportunity to showcase the developments taking place in Sri Lanka to the world. Trade facilitation is key to make Sri Lanka the “Gateway to South Asia” and the commercial, naval and aviation hub in Asia as well as a key economic centre in the world. At a time when the Government is committed to take measures to further facilitate trade; having an event of this nature will provide a further boost to the Government’s efforts. A high profile UN event of this caliber will also help further uplift the image of Sri Lanka in the eyes of the world and it will be an opportunity for Sri Lanka to demonstrate the potential we have in becoming the “Wonder of Asia”.

Hosting APTFF 2012 in Sri Lanka is also important from a regional perspective. South Asia is a region that has many benefits to reap through improved trade facilitation. This region still remains one of the world’s least integrated in the world. Intra-regional trade has been stagnating around 4-5% in the past decade. Studies have revealed that that the South Asian region’s expansion of trade can be substantially advanced with programmes of concrete action in order to address barriers to trade facilitation and thereby advance regional goals. APTFF will provide a platform to create interest and publicity to issues related to trade facilitation in South Asia and highlight the benefits that other regions and countries have achieved through improved trade facilitation. It will bring together the key decision makers in South Asia and provide them an opportunity to share their ideas and views and find new ways to cooperate to improve trade facilitation among countries in the region.  The South Asian countries will also be able to share their experiences and learn from best practices of other countries.

Being the premier Chamber in Sri Lanka, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce which has been in the forefront in lobbying and working together with the Government for improved trade facilitation in Sri Lanka feels that an international event of this stature being held in Sri Lanka will create further interest and gain the commitment of all stakeholders to improve trade facilitation.