The Trade Facilitation Agreement may be new, but at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), we have promoted trade facilitation as an integral part of trade and development policies for half a century. It is in everyone’s interest to cut red tape, in particular in developing and least developed countries. Nonetheless, UNCTAD research reveals that trade facilitation reforms are more difficult to implement, yet also more important, for developing and least developed countries as compared to advanced economies.

Author: Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mukhisa-kituyi/cutting-red-tape-in-trade_b_6248562.html