In collaboration with other United Nations and international organisations

Offered in different languages

Available in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish
From 40 different nationalities

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Trade Facilitation Modules

Understanding Trade Facilitation

Identify key concepts of trade facilitation and why trade facilitation is increasingly important

Trade Facilitation
and Development

Discover the benefits of implementing trade facilitation reforms and how these reforms can contribute to a country’s development

Trade Facilitation
Indexes and Reports

Explore the most used trade facilitation Indexes and Reports and understand the importance of using trade facilitation indexes and reports

National Trade Facilitation Committees

Understand the concept of national trade facilitation committees and identify the key factors that contribute to the success and sustainability of the committee

Introduction to the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

Find out about the history, structure, nature of obligations and importance of the preferential and differential treatment provisions under the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

Understanding the Provisions of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

Explore the different provisions of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and learn what each provision requires, what is not included in each provision and what countries should check to make sure they are in compliance with the provision

Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures in the context of Trade Facilitation

Learn about the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and their relationship with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

Standards and recommendations by UN/CEFACT

Explore various international standards, recommendations and tools designed and published by organizations like the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT)

e-Coaching Modules

How to set up an effective NTFC

Focus on identifying the right stakeholders, drafting Terms of Reference and supporting legislation to set up an NTFC


How to run a successful NTFC

Learn effective tools and best practices to run the day-to-day work of the NTFC Secretariat

How to become the chairperson your NTFC needs

Focus on empowering NTFC chairpersons to become result-oriented but empathetic trade facilitation leaders

How to draft a communication strategy for NTFCs

Learn key concepts of communication and how to apply them to draft a communication strategy for the NTFC

Effective communications for NTFC members

Get coached on how to improve your presentation skills to become a driver of change in trade facilitation

How to develop
a National Trade Facilitation Roadmap

Learn what is a national trade facilitation roadmap, its benefits and how to draft it in an inclusive way


How to establish a Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy

Learn key concepts of monitoring and evaluation and how to apply those to the work of the NTFC


How to draft a Resource Mobilization Strategy

Learn what is a resource mobilization strategy for trade facilitation, its benefits and how to draft one

How to draft trade facilitation project proposals

Get trained in the process of drafting trade facilitation project proposals

How to draft a knowledge transfer strategy

Learn key concepts of knowledge transfer and how to apply them to draft a knowledge transfer strategy for the NTFC

How to do Business Process Analysis

Learn a specific methodology to undertake Business Process Analysis of trade procedures to be able to better identify bottlenecks and redundancies

How to
simplify trade procedures

Master the art of simplifying trade procedures making cross-border trade faster, simpler and cheaper

Emergent topics

Climate-smart Trade and Investment for Sustainable Development

Learn key concepts of knowledge transfer and how to apply them to draft a knowledge transfer strategy for the NTFC

Blockchain for trade facilitation

Dive into the world of blockchain and its game-changing role in trade facilitation

Transit Coordinators

Empowering national transit coordinators to fulfill their role as coordinators and promoters of transit facilitation across borders

Our platform with your own words

#practical | #interactive | #easy to understand | #informative | #easy to use

I enjoyed how the Trade
Facilitation issues were unpacked and how the different organizations
work together to ensure smooth trade across borders

Boipelo Gotlhe Baakanyang
Manager, Botswana Trade Portal at Botswana Investment and Trade Centre
You did a great job bringing in a good mix of experts to provide many great knowledge and practical insights. Overall, the course was very insightful. Thank you for running us through a variety of important topics

SOK Kha
Cambodia Trade Facilitation Advisor
of ARISE Plus
One of the interesting components that I enjoy the most is the final assignment. Please keep this module as it is for next participants from Timor-Leste

Decio Ribeiro Sarmento
Director  Investment and Export Promotion Agency TradeInvest Timor-Leste
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This course was one of the best online courses i have ever experienced. The material was well aligned and easy to follow

Bweupe Lombanya 
Metrology Engineer
Zambia Metrology Agency
The videos are interactive and easy to follow. It is a self-pace program, so it makes it easier for me to do the modules in my free time

Dávida Crescência de Fátima Mesquita
Marketing and Branding Specialist
Coordinator at the office of the Vice-Minister of Commerce and Industry of Timor-Leste
Every topic was unique in its own right and I appreciated how the topics interconnected. I would recommend the program to LNDC staff since they work with issues of trade daily

Mamoiloa Raphuthing
Planning and Research Manager at the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC)

Meet our experts

Arantzazu Sanchez Belastegui

Economic affairs officer, UNCTAD
Arántzazu studied Political Sciences in Spain and Germany and holds a Postgraduate Master on European Political and Administrative Studies of the College of Europe in Belgium. A Spanish national, she is fluent in English, French, German and Portuguese. She joined UNCTAD in 2012

Bismark Sitorus

Economic affairs officer, UNCTAD
Bismark is an Economist at UNCTAD with more than 20 years experience in trade facilitation reforms and standardization, trade policy, trade statistics, and related technical assistance and capacity building delivered in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean

Celine Bacrot

Economic affairs officer, UNCTAD
Celine Bacrot is a trade economist with a focus on regional integration and trade facilitation. She has more than 20 years’ experience in trade development strategies and was based for 10 years in East Africa (2008-2018). She has a Master degree in Economic Development as well as a Degree in Political Science, Development and Co-operation from the University of Paris-La Sorbonne

Clariesse Chan

Economic affairs officer, UNCTAD
Clariesse is an international trade lawyer from the Philippines. She has studied B.S. in Management and holds both a Juris Doctor degree from Ateneo de Manila University and a Master of Laws degree in International Economic Law and Policy from Universitat de Barcelona. Before joining UNCTAD in 2017, she has worked at the International Trade Center in Geneva, the International Energy Charter Secretariat in Brussels and in various law firms in the Philippines

Jan Hoffman

Chief, Trade Logistics Branch, UNCTAD
Jan joined UNCTAD in 2003 and became Chief of the organization’s Trade Logistics Branch in 2016. The Branch is implementing multilateral transport and trade facilitation capacity building programmes, as well as regional and national projects in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean

Julian Fraga-Campos

Economic affairs officer, UNCTAD
Julian Fraga-Campos is an Agricultural Engineer with more than 10 years’ experience in agribusiness and production systems. Chilean national, he holds a Master's in Marketing Management and Distribution Channels from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. Prior to joining UNCTAD in 2014, he worked in trade-related issues in the private sector

Lazar Ristic

trade facilitation consultant
Lazar Ristic is an International Expert for Trade Facilitation & Border Management. He has over 10 years of experience in project management roles with a focus on trade logistics, trade facilitation, border management and private sector development reform implementation in developing and conflict affected countries.  Lazar holds Master’s Degrees in State Management and Business Administration

Pamela Ugaz Ph.D.

Economic affairs officer, UNCTAD
Pamela is an international trade lawyer with over 14 years of experience in trade policy, trade facilitation, regional integration, and project management. She collaborates with the UNCTAD Trade Facilitation Section since 2013, conducting research and technical assistance projects towards the implementation of Trade Facilitation reforms in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

Poul Hansen

CHIEF OF SECTION, ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, unctad
Poul is responsible for issues relating to Trade Facilitation at UNCTAD and has experience from both UN and the private sector relating to transport facilitation and logistics. Poul holds a Master level degree in Business Administration and International Law from the Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

Roxana Cortina

Economic affairs officer, UNCTAD
Roxana Cortina Mendoza is an international lawyer from Peru. She collaborates with the UNCTAD Trade Facilitation Section since 2021, assisting countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia in the implementation of trade facilitation reforms and the empowerment of National Trade Facilitation Committees. She holds a master’s degree from Columbia Law School, a Juris Doctor degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and has studied Political Science in the Institut d’études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). She is fluent in English, French and Spanish

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