Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry [SICCI] has been given the opportunity to chair the National Trade Facilitation Committee [NTFC].

Chief Executive Officer of SICCI Mr. James Dolarii is sitting-in as the chair of committee.

Members of the committee consists of government border agencies and private sector representatives.

The main objectives of the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) are to facilitate both domestic coordination on trade facilitation issues and implementation of the provisions of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

Its mandates are but not limited to; facilitate implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, facilitate implementation of provisions related to trade facilitation in the agreements in which SIG is a contracting party/signatories, allow for cooperation and dialogue between all key national stakeholders, including private sector, in trade facilitation issues, provide a forum/platform where stakeholders can raise issues of concern and provide input on trade facilitation related policy decisions, provide a platform to discuss and address constraints related to trade facilitation, identify barriers/weaknesses in trade facilitation area and recommend appropriate actions to be taken to overcome those weaknesses, work closely with the NTDC to provide oversight and guidance on the implementation of WTO TFA and the mobilization of Technical Assistance/Aid for Trade to implement TFA, work closely with the National Trade Development Council (NTDC) to Coordinate and encourage linkages between existing trade-related activities and committees and provide a consolidated framework/platform for a formal national consultations and cooperation on trade-facilitation issues, work closely with the NTDC/DET and provide advices on trade facilitation issues under various trade negotiations in which Solomon Islands is a party (multilateral, regional and bi-lateral level) and provide advices on trade facilitation issues to Cabinet through NTDC Chair.

NTFC reflects its central role in national trade facilitation and coordination across government, private sector and other stakeholders.

It will provide appropriate mechanism for cooperation between key government stakeholders involved in trade facilitation (particularly Customs, border security, bio-security, SPS and standards, etc), private sector organizations and relevant civil society organizations.

Solomon Islands formally deposited its instruments of acceptance of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) on 22 April 2022.

The committee met this week and discussed the draft National Trade Facilitation road-map to support Solomon Islands in the WTO TFA implementation of commitments and trade facilitation reforms.