Message from the Chair of the NCTF Secretariat

The National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) was established through Sub-Decree No. 18 ANKr. BK,dated February 26, 2020, held its first virtual meeting on October 11, 2021, to discuss the WTO-TFA’s implementation progress, effectiveness, and direction, and to launch the trade facilitation roadmap 2022-2025 to define the strategic direction of additional assignments. In the following steps, the NCTF Secretariat has been tasked with compiling and publishing a set of laws, regulations, and other documents related to the Trade Facilitation Agreement and disseminating them among NCTF members, relevant ministries, and the private sector. In the following steps, the NCTF Secretariat has been tasked with compiling and publishing a set of laws, regulations, and other documents related to the Trade Facilitation Agreement and disseminating them among NCTF members, relevant ministries, and the private sector. National Trade Facilitation Roadmap 2022-2025”, including the trade facilitation roadmap 2022-2025, the notification on the implementation of Cambodia’s WTO-TFA, several WTO-TFA articles, laws, regulations, sub-decrees and relevant decisions to assist in monitoring and coordinating the WTO-TFA’s implementation.

To date, Cambodia has reported overall compliance with the agreement’s provisions which are organized into three categories. 82.8% of the provisions are categorized in Category A and do not require external implementation assistance. Category B comprises 1.7% of the provisions that require additional time for their implementation. Finally, category C includes 15.5% of the provisions that require technical assistance and capacity building from financed member countries or development partners. At the same time, I would like to emphasize that the Trade Facilitation Roadmap 2022-2025 contributes to increased work efficiency and ensures adequate cooperation between relevant ministries-institutions, the private sector, and development partners, improving Cambodia’s compliance with implementing the WTO-TFA. The agreement’s implementation aligns with the efforts of the Ministry of Economy and Finance under the leadership of His Excellency Akak Bondith Sopheacha Aun Pornmoniroth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, in implementing the Strategic Framework and Rehabilitation Program and promoting Cambodia’s economic recently introduced by the Royal Government, this plan aims to improve Cambodia’s investment climate, increase the ease of doing business, and promote international trade growth.

Last, I would like to thank the ministries-institutions, members of the NCTF, and development partners, particularly ARISE Plus Cambodia, for their guidance and financial assistance in publishing the first edition of the “National Roadmap on Trade Facilitation 2022-2025“. Moreover, the NCTF Secretariat welcomes the cooperation of ministries-institutions, the private sector, and development partners who have contributed to fostering Cambodia’s compliance with the WTO-TFA implementation.

រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីប្រតិភូអមនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី

អគ្គនាយកគយនិងរដ្ឋាករកម្ពុជា

និងជាប្រធានលេខាធិការដ្ឋាន គ.ជ.ស.ព

Dr. Kun Nhem

Message from the NCTF Chair

As a World Trade Organization (WTO) member, Cambodia ratified the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO-TFA) on 12 February 2016, becoming the 69th country and the eighth least developed country on the list of implementing nations. The agreement entered into force on 22 February 2017 after two-thirds of the member states ratified Cambodia's participation. In compliance with Section 3 of Article 23 of the WTO-TFA, which requires each member state to establish or retain an existing National Trade Facilitation Committee to facilitate and monitor the implementation of the provisions of this Agreement, such a committee shall be introduced. The implementation of the provisions of the WTO-TFA contributes to promoting trade facilitation, an improved investment climate, and enhanced global economic competitiveness, in line with Cambodia's governmental policy direction under the exemplary leadership of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Rectangular Strategy and the National Strategic Development Plan form part of his administration's new and visionary strategies developed following the long-term vision to promote the country's economic growth. In this regard, the Royal Government has established the National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) with the Secretariat at the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) of Cambodia to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the provisions of the WTO-TFA. In this function, the NCTF and its Secretariat must ensure the effectiveness and its operation in full compliance with the implementation agreement and cooperation with ministries-institutions, private sectors, and development partners to enhance the trade policy and procedures implementation of the government. To assist in performing these roles and responsibilities, NCTF has developed and compiled relevant WTO-TFA documents like the National Trade Facilitation Roadmap 2022-2025 for NCTF members and disseminated them to development partners and the general public. I hope that “National Trade Facilitation Roadmap 2022-2025” will be a useful document for the NCTF members and the relevant private sector to understand in participating in WTO-TFA implementation. I would like to express my appreciation to NCTF members and development partners through technical assistance, capacity-building initiatives, and financial support during the trade facilitation roadmap development and the WTO-TFA's implementation phase. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the NCTF Secretariat for the outstanding work during the development of this critical document.

Message from the Chair of the NCTF Secretariat