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Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP)

Facilitating Trade for Sustainable Growth

Efficient trade processes are essential for driving economic growth, creating jobs, and deepening integration into the global economy. Yet in many countries¡ªparticularly developing economies¡ªcomplex border procedures can delay shipments, raise costs, and create barriers for businesses.

The Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP), launched by the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Group in 2014, helps countries improve cross-border trade by supporting the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) (TFA). Through targeted technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge sharing, TFSP partners with countries to identify bottlenecks, design reforms, and implement solutions that make trade faster, more predictable, and less costly.

Since its launch, the program has supported 58 countries in implementing over 283 WTO TFA measures, helping to reduce border clearance times, improve efficiency, and generate tangible savings for the private sector.


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Approach

TFSP delivers practical, demand-driven technical assistance and capacity building to help countries identify trade bottlenecks, design effective reforms, and align border processes with international standards.

The program also supports knowledge creation and exchange, encouraging peer-to-peer learning and helping countries toward their trade facilitation goals.

Strategic Priorities

  • Whole-of-Government: Promoting coordinated action among all border agencies¡ªcustoms, standards, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS), food safety, and public health authorities¡ªto ensure comprehensive implementation and investment in trade facilitation reforms. 
  • Gender and Inclusivity: Contributing to the increasingly important dialogue on how to mainstream gender and inclusivity considerations into trade.
  • Digitalization: Helping client countries improve their digitalization and automation efforts to increase predictability and transparency. 
  • Coordination: Working alongside a broad network of partners to deliver well-coordinated technical assistance, capacity-building activities, and advocacy work. 

Partnerships & Collaboration

Working Together to Advance Trade Facilitation

TFSP is built on strong partnerships that bring together governments, the private sector, development organizations, and donors to improve border processes and support global trade.

The ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Group collaborates closely with the World Trade Organization (WTO), development partners, and other stakeholders to help countries implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). The program draws on the combined expertise of the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to provide practical, demand-driven assistance that strengthens trade systems and promotes private sector competitiveness.

Donor Partners

TFSP is funded by the generous contributions of our donor partners:

Logos of partners of Trade Facilitation Support Program
TFSP partners logos
 

Through these partnerships, TFSP helps countries create more transparent, efficient, and resilient trade environments that contribute to sustainable economic growth and development.


Results

TFSP has partnered with countries around the world to implement meaningful reforms that make trade faster, more transparent, and more inclusive. Key results to date include:

  • Stronger Trade Foundations: Support for the implementation of 283 WTO TFA measures in 58 countries, boosting transparency and predictability through a whole-of-government approach.
  • Faster Trade Processes: 21% reduction in time to comply with import/export clearance and control requirements.
  • Private Sector Savings: An estimated USD 109 million saved by businesses through reduced fees, streamlined procedures, and faster cargo clearance.
  • Mobilized Financing: Attracted more than USD 825 million in funding across 25 lending operations in 23 countries to scale up trade reforms.
  • Digital Trade Modernization: 27 digitalization initiatives supported, including Single Windows and Trade Information Portals.
  • Advancing Gender-Inclusive Trade: Gender-sensitive trade analysis supported in eight countries to better understand and address the barriers women face in cross-border trade.
  • Fostering Emergency Preparedness: Helped countries put in place expedited clearance procedures to keep critical goods moving during crises¡ªreducing vaccine release times from 3 days to 3 hours during COVID-19 and other emergencies.
  • Strengthening Regional Trade: Development of regional trade facilitation strategies in the Pacific and Caribbean to promote coordinated reform.

Resources

Explore the latest blogs, stories, publications, podcasts, and videos highlighting TFSP¡¯s work around the world.

These resources showcase lessons learned, country experiences, and expert perspectives on advancing trade facilitation and driving development impact.

Publications

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Blogs & Stories

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Videos

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Trade Tips Podcast

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Contact Us

Get in touch with the TFSP team.

For more information, please contact the TFSP Secretariat:
? TFSP@worldbank.org


PODCAST
Trade, Development, Nepal, Tonga, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, Trailer
Have you ever wondered how trade facilitation works? Welcome to the #TradeTipsPodcast.