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High-Level Meeting for the Euro-Asia Region on Improving Cooperation on Transit, Trade Facilitation and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
7 March, 2017 @ 12:00 am - 9 March, 2017 @ 11:59 pm
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BACKGROUND
Effective co-operation of the landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and transit developing countries is crucial for their effective participation in international and regional trade and coordinated development of transit transport infrastructure. UN resolutions emphasize the importance of cooperation between LLDCs and transit developing countries in particular on transit transport and trade related issues. The 32 LLDCs face development challenges owing to their geographical disadvantage of lacking direct territorial access to the sea and their remoteness and isolation from world markets. There are 34 transit developing countries that provide transit services to the LLDCs that also have the major seaports that are used by the LLDCs. At the same time the LLDCs are also very important to the transit countries as they provide transit corridors important for connecting the transit countries to other countries in the region.
The Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA) for the LLDCs for the decade 2014 to 2024 underscores the importance of partnerships between LLDCs and transit countries for the improvement and constant maintenance of their infrastructure connectivity and of technical and administrative arrangements in their transport, customs and logistic systems while also stressing the importance of promoting enabling legal environments and institutional arrangements. The VPoA stresses the need to promote harmonization, simplification and standardization of rules and documentation, including the full and effective implementation of international conventions on transport and transit and bilateral, sub-regional and regional agreements. The VPoA also underlines that it is important to promote free movement of people between LLDCs and their transit neighbours through development and implementation of simplified and harmonized visa systems for drivers involved in international transport (freight and passengers).
It is against this background that the Government of Vietnam, an important transit country in the Asian region, has offered to host a high-level meeting on Improving Cooperation between LLDCs and Transit Countries on Transit, Trade Facilitation and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The meeting will be organized by the Government of Vietnam in partnership with UN-OHRLLS, UNCTAD and UNESCAP in collaboration with other stakeholders.
MEETING PURPOSE
The Meeting aims to:
- Analyze and assess the key issues in transit cooperation, trade and trade facilitation in the Euro-Asia region;
- Share ideas, lessons, good practices, future policies, programmes and initiatives on how to improve transit cooperation, trade and trade facilitation between the transit countries and the LLDCs;
- Offer recommendations on how to improve transit issues for increased trade potential of both the LLDCs and the transit countries;
- Exchange views and identify recommendations for cooperation between the transit countries and the LLDCs for the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in particular on Poverty Reduction, Employment, Sustainable Agriculture and
PARTNERS AND PARTICIPANTS
The meeting will be organized jointly by the Government of Vietnam, and UN-OHRLLS, in close collaboration with WCO, IRU, UNCTAD, UNESCAP, WTO and UNECE and other stakeholders. The meeting is funded by the Government of Vietnam, UN-OHRLLS, WCO and IRU.
The meeting will bring together senior officials from: Landlocked developing countries; Transit developing countries; Development partners, including donor countries; UN system departments, agencies, funds and programmes; International organisations; Regional and sub-regional; Private sector; and NGOs.
The meeting will be held in English, with Russian and French interpretation.
Communication and Press
Press and Communication Committee has defined the services and activities for international and local press to develop media coverage of the meeting. Further details on registration for the media will be sent by the Press and Communication Committee.
The contact person of the Press and Communication Committee is Ms. Nguyen Hong Hai minhngoc.do@gmail.com
Foreign and media delegations are requiring to complete “Application From for Press Activities of Non-resident Correspondents in Viet Nam” and return to minhngoc.do@gmail.com
MEETING DOCUMENTS
Title Download
CONFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Report of the High-Level Euro-Asia Regional
Meeting on Improving Cooperation on Transit, Trade Facilitation and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development held in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, 9-7, March 2017.English
Summary of Key Recommendations English
Final Programme English
Concept Note English
Information Note English
ISSUES NOTES
Session 1 English
Session 2 English
Session 3 English
Session 4 English
Session 5 English
Session 6 English
STATEMENTS & PRESENTATIONS
| Title | Download |
|---|---|
| OPENING SESSION: | |
| Opening Statement by H.E. Mr. Pham Binh Minh, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the S.R. of Viet Nam | English |
| Opening Statement by Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative, UN-OHRLLS | English |
| Opening Statement by Mr. H.E. Mr. Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, President of UN Economic and Social Council | English |
| Message of H .E. Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, delivered by H.E. Mr. Macharia Kamau, Special Envoy on SDG implementation and Climate Change | English |
| Opening Statement by Mr. Hongbo Wu, United Nations Under - Secretary - General for Economic and Social Affairs | English |
| Opening Statement by Ms. Shamshad Akhtar, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific | English |
| Statement by Mr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice President for the 2030 Development Agenda, United Nations Relations, and Partnerships, World Bank Group | English |
| Statement by Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary - General of World Customs Organisation | English |
| Statement by Mr. Jin Liqun, President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank | English |
| Statement by Mr. Bambang Susantono, Vice President of Asian Development Bank for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development | English |
| Message of Mr. Umberto de Pretto, Secretary - General of International Road Transport Union | English |
| INITIATIVES TO IMPROVING COOPERATION ON TRANSIT, TRADE FACILITATION AND THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BY MEMBER STATES AND INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: | |
| Statement by H.E. Mr. Humayoon Rasaw, Minister of Commerce and Industries of Afghanistan | English |
| Statement by Mr. Hon Romi Gauchan Thakali, Minister of Commerce of Nepal | English |
| Statement by H.E. Dr. Kikeo Chanhthaboury, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Planning and Investment of Lao PDR | English |
| Statement by Mr. Samson Uridia, Head of the Department for International Relations, Georgia Revenue Service, Tax and Customs Administration-SPS Border Control Agency | English |
| Statement by H.E. Ambassador Michael B. Christides, Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat, BSECO | English |
| Statement by Mr. Mircea Ciopraga, Secretary General, Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission of TRACECA | English |
| Statement by Mr. Ho Quang Trung, Director of Market Integration Directorate, Economic Community Department, ASEAN | English |
| Statement by Mr. K. L. Thapar, Chairman, AITD | English |
| SESSION 1: ENHANCING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | |
| Talking Points by H.E. Mr. Macharia Kamau, Permanent Mission of Kenya to UN | English |
| Statement by Mr.Thangavel Palanivel, UNDP Chief Economist for Asia and the Pacific region | English |
| Statement by Ms. Nguyen Le Thuy, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Investment and Planning of the S.R. of Viet Nam | English |
| SESSION 2: COOPERATION ON TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSIT CORRIDORS: BEST PRACTICES, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES | |
| Statement by H.E. Ambassador Michael B. Christides, Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat, BSECO | English |
| Statement by Mr. Mircea Ciopraga, Secretary General, Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission of TRACECA | English |
| Statement by Mr. Ho Quang Trung, Director of Market Integration Directorate, Economic Community Department, ASEAN | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Jean Baptiste Mutabazi, Director of Infrastructure and Logistics, COMESA | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Ganbold Baasanjav, Asia Pacific Institute of Mongolia | English |
| Statement by Mr. Tran Viet Ha, Deputy Director General of Ministry of Transportation of the S.R. of Viet Nam | Vietnamese |
| SESSION 3: ENHANCING COOPERATION ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TRADE FACILITATION | |
| Statement by Mr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice President for the 2030 Development Agenda, United Nations Relations, and Partnerships, World Bank Group | English |
| Statement by Mr. Raul Torres, Counselor of WTO | English |
| Statement by Mr. Hon Romi Gauchan Thakali, Minister of Commerce of Nepal | English |
| SESSION 4: ENHANCING COOPERATION ON LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSIT AT BILATERAL, REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL LEVELS | |
| Presentation by Mr. André Sceia, TIR secretariat of Transport Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Toshihiko Osawa, Technical Officer of Compliance and Facilitation Directorate, World Customs Organization | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Jens Hugel, Head of Goods Transport and Sustainable Development, International Road Transport Union | English |
| SESSION 5: STRATEGIES AND EXPERIENCE SHARING ON PROMOTING CUSTOMS COOPERATION | |
| Statement by Mr. Toshihiko Osawa, Technical Officer of World Customs Organization | English |
| Statement by Mr. Nguyen Nhat Kha, Deputy Director of Customs Supervision and Control Department, General Department of Vietnam Customs | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Veselin Milosevic, Acting Deputy DG of the Customs Administration of Serbia | English |
| Statement by Permanent Mission of Kyrgyzstan to UN | Russian |
| Presentation by Mr. Vitalie Vrabie, Director General of Customs Service of Moldova, Moldova Customs | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Osman Nuri Beyhan, Deputy Director General for the EU and External Relations, Turkish Customs | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Shahin Baghirov, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee, Azerbaijan Customs | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Vongkhamhang Vongthachack, Lao Customs Department, MoF | English |
| Presentation by Mr. Poul Hansen, UNCTAD | English |
| SESSION 6: ENHANCING PARTNERSHIPS AND THE MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATION | |
| Statement by H.E. Mr. Katsuro Nagai, Minister of the Embassy of Japan to Vietnam | English |
| Statement by H.E. Vu Quang Minh, Assistant Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam | English |
| CLOSING SESSION: |
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
| BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS | |
|---|---|
| Vienna Programme of Action for the LLDCs for the Decade 2014-2024 | English |
| Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development | Link |
| Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing For Development, 13-16 July 2015 | Link |
| WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation | Link |
| UN-OHRLLS report - The Development Economics of Landlockedness: Understanding the development costs of being landlocked | English |
| UN-OHRLLS Global Report - Improving transit cooperation, trade and trade facilitation for the benefit of the LLDCs: Current status and policy implications | |
| UN-OHRLLS Regional Report - Improving transit cooperation, trade and trade facilitation for the benefit of the Asian LLDCs: Current status and policy implications | English |
| World Bank/UN-OHRLLS report - Improving Trade and Transport for Landlocked Developing Countries | English |