Zambia to take part in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Kaylula Siamo, the secretary to the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, will be participating in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. 

This will be the seventh session of the Multi-year Expert Meeting on Transport, Trade Logistics and Trade Facilitation which will be held from 7th to 9th May, 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The meeting will be a Follow-up on the discussions at the 6th session that focused on trade logistics and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The seventh session will investigate in greater detail how trade facilitation and transit can contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.

Further, the meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss developments related to trade facilitation and transit issues, consider recent UNCTAD work aimed at assisting developing and least developed countries implementing trade facilitation reforms and share experiences, including by reviewing best practices associated with new and rapidly evolving technological developments.

Godfrida Chanda, the Ministry spokesperson says discussions will focus on general trade facilitation reforms and the implementation of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade Facilitation, which entered into force in February 2017.

Mrs. Chanda said more than 140 WTO members have ratified the Agreement on Trade Facilitation and are currently implementing its provisions, in many cases with the assistance of international organisations, including UNCTAD.

She said full implementation of the Agreement is expected to considerably boost international trade and contribute to the development of developing and least developed countries, including the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.