Opening Session

Chair: Mr. Diao Mingsheng, Permanent Representative of China to ESCAP

• Mr. Yu Ping, Vice Chairman, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)
  Welcome Speech
• Mr. Ravi Ratnayake, Director, Trade and Investment Division, ESCAP
  • Opening Statement 
• Mr. John S. Wilson, Lead Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank
  Opening Remarks

Session 1: Trade Facilitation and SMEs in Times of Crisis 
The Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy in the developing countries. However, they are facing many constraints in engaging in international trade, and these constraints may be exacerbated by the on-going global financial crisis. This session will discuss the impact of the crisis and the role of trade facilitation in promoting SME survival and development.

Trade Finance Infrastructure Development Handbook for Economies in Transition 

Chair: Mr. Ravi Ratnayake, Director, Trade and Investment Division, ESCAP or senior official

• Trade Facilitation: A Regional Perspective - Mr. Yann Duval, Trade and Investment Division, ESCAP
  • Presentation 
• Promoting the Development of SMEs in Times of Crisis: Trade Facilitation and Finance - Mr. Hamid Alavi, Senior Private Sector Development Specialist, East Asia and Pacific Region, World Bank
  • Presentation
• Impact of Crisis on SMEs in China - Mr. Zhang Yuli, Deputy Director General, Business School, Nankai University
  Presentation

Session 1 (cont’d): Trade Facilitation and SMEs in Times of Crisis

• Improving Trade Finance Environment for SMEs - Mr. Pipit Aneaknithi, First Senior Vice President, Kasikornbank Public Company Limited, Thailand
  • Presentation 
• Utilization of E-Commerce in Reducing Cost for Trade: Alibaba’s experience - Mr. Brian Li, Vice-President or Senior Manager, Alibaba Group, China
• Facilitating Landlocked and Least Developed Country SMEs participation in trade - Mr.Ousavanh Thiengthepvongsa, President, Young Entrepreneurs Association of Lao PDR
  • Speech | Presentation 

Session 2: Identifying Priorities and Monitoring Progress in Trade Facilitation

Progress to achieve development goals through trade facilitation requires understanding how country and regional operations operate and succeed in a broad economic context.  This is particularly true today.  Significant progress has been made in identifying priorities and monitoring progress in reform – but more is needed. This session will review best practice in trade facilitation operations, and indicators to identify key problem areas and measuring progress in trade facilitation operations.

Chair: John S. Wilson, Lead Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank

• Trade Facilitation: Expanding the Benefits of Trade - Evidence from Firm-level Data - Ms. Yue Li, East Asia and Pacific Region, World Bank
  • Background Paper | Presentation  
• WCO Time Release Study Methodology and other tools/applications -
  Mr. Shujie Zhang, World Customs Organization, Asia-Pacific Regional Office for Capacity Building (WCO/ROCBAP)
  • Presentation 
• China: Trade Facilitation Reform and Economic Development - Mr. Yangsheng Zhang, Director, International Economic Research Institute, National Development and Reform Commission, China
  • Presentation 

Session 2 (Cont’d): Identifying Priorities and Monitoring Progress in Trade Facilitation

• South Korean: Trade Facilitation Reform in an Overall Context - Mr. Junsok Yang, Professor, Catholic University of Korea
  Presentation
• Reform in ASEAN and the Philippine: Progress and Challenges in Reform - Josephine Nagallo, Director, Planning and Systems Development Service, Management Information Systems and Technology Group, Bureau of Customs, Philippines 
  • Presentation 
• Vietnam Experiences: Trade Facilitation and Country Competitiveness - Dr. Nguyen Thang, Director, Center for Economic Analysis and Forecast, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam
  • Presentation 

Session 3: Impact of IT-based Trade Facilitation Measures on SMEs
The application of information technology (IT) to trade procedures is seen as an essential element of trade facilitation. This session will review the impact of information technology on trade and explore to what extent SMEs have benefited from IT-based trade facilitation measures and initiatives implemented in various Asian countries and the challenges associated with implementing these measures.

• ARTNeT Policy Brief No. 16: Inclusive Growth and Trade Tacilitation: Insights from South Asia
• ARTNeT Policy Brief No. 19: Enhancing Export Diversification through Trade Facilitation 

Chair: Mr. Pushpa Raj Rajkarnikar, Coordinator, Industrial Policy Draft and Foreign Investment Policy Draft Taskforces, Nepal

• Information technology and trade facilitation: Linkages and emerging issues - Mr. Ravi Ratnayake, Director ,TID/ ESCAP
  • Presentation 
• IT-based trade facilitation in Developing Asia: Status, Impact on SMEs and Implications :
  • The Bangladesh Case - Mr. Syed Saifuddin Hossain, Center for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh
    • Presentation 
  • The  Sri Lankan Case - Ms. Suwendrani Jayaratne, Institute for Policy Studies, Sri Lanka
    • Presentation
  • The Indian Case - Mr. Sachin Chaturvedi, Fellow, RIS, India
    • Presentation 

Session 3 (Cont’d): Impact of IT-based Trade Facilitation Measures on SMEs

• The Impact of IT-based Trade Facilitation on Philippine SMEs - Ms. Loreli de Dios, Center for the Advancement of Trade Integration and Facilitation (CATIF), Philippines
  • Presentation 
• Synthesis and Implications of the Case Studies - Mr. Florian Alburo, Professor, CATIF, Philippines and ARTNeT Study Team Leader
  • Presentation 
• IT-based Trade Facilitation Initiatives in Thailand  - Mr. Somnuk Keretho, Director, Institute for IT Innovation, Kasetsart University
  • Presentation 

Session 4: Customs Procedures and Trade Logistics for SMEs
Cumbersome Customs procedures and inefficient trade logistics are major obstacles for SME participation in international trade. The session will discuss how to improve Customs administration and develop trade logistics systems to better serve SMEs.

Chair: Mr. Sambuu Demberel, Chairman, Mongolia National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mongolia

• Improving Customs Administration to Develop Modern Trade Logistics System - Mr. Gerard McLinden, Senior Trade Facilitation Specialist, World Bank
  • Presenation 
• Customs Modernization in China - Ms. Yin Liqun, Deputy Director General, Department of International Cooperation, General Administration of Customs, China
  Presentation
• Customs Modernization and SMEs Competitiveness - Mr. Lee Sang-Hyup, Professor, Korea Customs Service, Korea
  • Presentation 

Session 4 (Cont’d): Customs Procedures and Trade Logistics for SMEs

• Trade Logistics Services: Importance of Logistics for SME Competitiveness - Mr. James Goh, Regional Vice-President - Asia Pacific Region, International Trade Services, United Parcel Service
  • Presentation 
• DTTN’s experience on facilitating SME’s participation in trade - Mr. Kong Cheung, Vice President, Business Development, Digital Trade and Transportation Network, Hong Kong, China
  Presentation
• Facilitating SME trade through electronic exchange of document: the case of Australian Wine exports to Ireland - Mr. Ian Watt, Applied Electronic Commerce
  • Presentation 

WTO Trade Facilitation Negotiations and Aid for Trade

• Negotiations status and prospects - Ms. Nora Neufeld, WTO
  • Fact Sheet | Presentation 
• Trade facilitation in Aid for Trade (AfT) - Mr. Ravi Ratnayake, Director, Trade and Investment Division, ESCAP
  • Presentation 

The World Bank Group  Agenda in Trade Facilitation: Review of Priorities and Country Demand

• Mr. Hamid Alavi, Senior Private Sector Development Specialist, East Asia and Pacific Region, World Bank
  • Presentation 
• Mr. Gerard McLinden, Senior Trade Facilitation Specialist, World Bank
• Mr. John S. Wilson, Lead Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank
  • Presentation 

Plenary Discussion