The annual International Seminar on Trade Facilitation in Northeast Asia organised by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) was held on 13 December 2016. The seminar was scheduled back-to-back with the inaugural meetings of the GTI Trade and Investment Committee as well as the Customs Sub-Committee. The event serves as a platform for dialogues and cooperation on trade facilitation issues among relevant stakeholders in the Greater Tumen Region.
As a continuous partner of GTI, the GIZ SCSI programme was invited to contribute to the dialogue on standards in agricultural trade. Magnus Brod presented on GIZ experiences in regional cooperation addressing agricultural trade standards in the ASEAN region. The comprehensive list of speakers included private sector experts as well as representatives from other international organisations such as World Trade Organization (WTO), World Customs Organization (WCO), and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). As rigorously discussed after the seminar, the various contributions on international initiatives fostered the basis for knowledge sharing and created a stimulating environment for ideas on future cooperation between the GTI members.