Trade facilitation is an essential ingredient in facilitating the entry into global markets and improving international trade performances for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

SMEs often face barriers to global markets, such as language and culture, physical distance, access to business information, differing transaction and administrative practices. With the use of trade facilitation techniques, such as electronic commerce and EDI, many of the barriers to international trade for SMEs could be reduced. Since SMEs will be using transactions that are internationally accepted and in an open manner, possibilities for misinterpretation that arise through culture and language would be diminished. Similarly, as business and administrative processes get harmonized, the need to keep track of a number of practices is no longer a consideration. Finally, as data get transferred at a high speed, physical distance does not matter significantly.

The ESCAP Network on Trade Facilitation was set up with a view to contribute to the development and promotion of trade facilitation issues in the ESCAP region.

The attached is a list of the selected focal points of the ESCAP Network on Trade Facilitation.

The ESCAP Network on Trade Facilitation:

Bangladesh:
Ministry of Commerce Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Contact person:
Mr. Ahmed Mahmudur Raza Chowdhury
Joint Secretary (Export)
Tel: 880 2 831308
Fax: 880 2 865741

Hong Kong:
Trade Link
13/F Natwest Tower, Tomes Sq.
1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
Contact person:
Mr. Griff Griffth
Tel: 852 599 1630
Fax: 852 506 0188

India:
Ministry of Commerce
Government of india
Room 233, Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi, 110 011, India
Contact person:
Mr. Rentala Chandrashekhar
Joint Secretary
Tel: 301 2704
Fax: 301 3583

Islamic Republic of Iran:
Coordination of Statistics and Planning Bureau
Foreign Trade Department
Ministry of commerce
Bldg. # 2
3, Argang-Alley, Vali - Asr Sq.
14155 Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Contact person:
Dr. Dariush H. Talab
Director
Tel: 21 890 925
Fax: 21 893 945

Macau:
Department of Macau Economic Services
Cabinet of the Secretary for Economic and Financial Affairs
Government of Macau
Rua Dr. Pedro Jose Lobo
1-3, EDF. Luso Internacional, 19 Andar, Macau
Contact person:
Ms. Isabel Pires
Head of Com
merce
Tel: 336 964
Fax: 343 837

Republic of Maldives:
Ministry of Trade and Industries
Ghaazee Bldg, Male
Contact person:
Mr. Fazeel Najeeb
Assistant Director, Investment
Fax: 960 32 3756

Nepal:
Trade Promotion Centre
Ministry of Commerce
P.O. Box 825
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact person:
Mrs. Bijaya Vaidya
Chief officer
Trade Information Section
Tel: 977 1 478 144
Fax: 977 1 478 143

Papua New Guinea:
Domestic and International Trade
Trade and Economic
Affairs Branch
Trade and Multilateral Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
P.O.Box 422, Waigani, NCD, Papua New Guinea
Contact person:
Mr. Brian Wapi
Foreign Service Officer
Tel: 300 1151
Fax: 25 4886

Philippines:
Secretariat EDIFACT Committee
6th floor, Ayala Life Bldg 6788
Ayala Ave., Makati,
Metro Manila, Philippines
Contact person:
Mr. Francis Lopez
Tel: 632 894 3874
Fax: 632 894 5207

Republic of Korea:
Korea EDIFACT Board
Room 1003, Trade Tower
KWTC 159-1, Samsung-Dong
Kangnam-ku, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Contact person:
Mr. Wan-Soo Shon
President
Tel: 82 2 551 2140
Fax: 82 2 551 2144

Singapore:
Singapore EDI Committee (SEC)
Singapore Network Services Pte. Ltd.
75 Science Park Drive,
#B1-01/13 Cintech II Bldg.,
Singapore 0511
Contact person:
Ms. Sandra T-Y Lai
Manager
Tel: 65 772 8241
Fax: 65 772 5277

Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka Export Development Board
115 Sir Chittampalam A.
Gardiner Mawatha,
Colombo 2, Sri Lanka
Contact person:
Mr. Shantha de Silva
Director
Tel: 94 1 438 512
Fax: 94 1 438 404

Thailand:
Secretariat Thailand EDI Council
National Electronic and Computer Technology Centre (NECTEC)
Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment
Rama 6th street, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Contact person:
Mr. P. Thajchayapong
Tel: 662 248 8078
Fax: 662 247 1335

Tonga:
Ministry of Labour, Commerce & Industries
P.O.Box 110, Nukualofa, Tonga
Contact person:
Mr. James William Harris
Permanent Secretary
Tel: 676 23 688
Fax: 676 23 887

Viet Nam:
Department of Europe, America and International Economic Organizations
Ministry of Trade
31 Trang Tien, Hanoi, Viet Nam
Contact person:
Mr. Tran Van Suu
Senior Official, EDI for Trade Administration
Trade Facilitation Unit
Fax: 84 42 64696