The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation: Removing Barriers to Growth
The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation makes international trade simpler, faster and more cost-effective. Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto
- The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation is reshaping trade reform in developing and least-developed countries by simplifying cross-border trade, making it faster and more inclusive.
- As of January 2025 the Alliance has engaged 47 global business partners and over 1,000 local Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in its activities, resulting in $12 million in in-kind contributions from businesses.
- The Alliance has successfully delivered 25 projects addressing global challenges such as food security, public health, and disaster resilience.
At the crossroads between trade and development
Since the World Trade Organization’s creation in 1995, global trade has surged. Between that year and 2022, low- and middle-income economies grew their share of global exports from 17% to 32%. Meanwhile the population living on less than $2.15 per day in these countries fell from 40% to 10%, highlighting the role of global trade in reducing poverty and boosting development.
The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation works to remove obstacles to trade and streamline supply chains, mainly by supporting countries as they implement the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) – which simplifies export and import processes by cutting red tape.
By the end of 2024, Alliance initiatives had already saved $142 million in over 20 project countries, with expectations for continuous return on investment year-over-year as these projects live beyond the completion of activities.
Thanks to outsized benefits for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and women-led businesses, streamlining access to global markets can raise incomes while producing a multiplier effect that helps alleviate systemic poverty. The Alliance succeeds through support for this direct correlation between development and trade.
The Alliance is led by the World Economic Forum, the Centre for International Private Enterprise and the International Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the German development agency, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit. It is funded by the governments of the US, Canada, Germany and Sweden.
The Alliance has shown that targeted measures promoting cooperation between governments and businesses have great potential to create economic growth through increased trade in developing countries.
”Closing global trade gaps
Despite the broader progress made to date, significant disparities remain between developed and developing countries in terms of advancing TFA implementation. While WTO members are on track to fulfil 90% of their TFA commitments by 2030, many least-developed and landlocked countries lag behind. Urgent action is needed to bridge these gaps.
In certain poorer countries, outdated and cumbersome border processes continue to inflate business costs – stifling MSME growth and negatively affecting national economies.
These inefficiencies hinder the seamless movement of essential goods like food, medicine, and aid supplies across borders – exacerbating humanitarian challenges.
To date, the Alliance has successfully delivered 25 projects that support developing and least-developed countries – including Bangladesh, Guatemala, Malawi, Nigeria, and Togo – as they implement TFA measures and broader reforms that further UN Sustainable Development Goals. An additional 17 projects are currently underway.
Agile partnerships for real-world impact
In a world grappling with multiple crises, trade serves as a vital catalyst for economic resilience. The Alliance's proven public-private partnership model delivers tangible benefits for businesses, consumers, and governments.
Strategic collaboration with organizations like UNICEF and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization enable us to tackle global challenges such as food security, public health, and disaster resilience.
By streamlining cross-border processes we help ensure that essential goods reach vulnerable populations more quickly, while fostering economic growth and empowering MSMEs and women-led enterprises.
- In Guatemala, the Alliance supported the modernization and digitalization of the National Single Window, generating $4 million in annual savings.
- In Nigeria and Togo, implementing the IPPC ePhyto Solution – a system that replaces traditional paper certificates with electronic versions to confirm that plants and plant products meet health and safety standards for international trade. This has generated time and cost savings for traders, reducing the administrative burden on both the public and private sectors and boosting national competitiveness.
- In Malawi, upskilling customs clearing agents through training and examination has professionalized an entire industry, decreasing processing times by 16.9% and ultimately streamlining cross-border trade.
- In Bangladesh, a new e-Port management system at Bhomra Land Port is maximizing the port’s economic potential – boosting inclusive growth in the region and creating a blueprint for the country’s other land ports.
By pioneering full automation at Bhomra, we have set a precedent for the future of trade facilitation in Bangladesh, representing a fundamental shift towards efficiency, transparency, and accountability in our port operations.
”Championing inclusivity.
Recognizing that MSMEs and women-led businesses face additional barriers to accessing the benefits of global trade, activities in all Alliance projects are aimed at maximizing equal participation.
For example, in Malawi, the Alliance is supporting MSMEs to boost their export competitiveness by improving their access to global markets. Similarly, in North Macedonia, an initiative to speed up the delivery of small packages through streamlined postal and customs procedures is designed to unlock MSMEs’ potential to benefit from e-commerce trade. In Nigeria and Bangladesh, MSMEs spoke about the benefits of Alliance projects beyond time and cost savings to their businesses – citing increased trust between the public and private sector, and better national competitiveness.
It (the Alliance project) reduces turnaround times and is encouraging farmers to become more export-oriented (…). It is a solution that is long overdue – the positive response towards it has gladdened my heart.
”Get involved.
The Alliance is interested in hearing from corporate partners in emerging markets. We want to know if your business can bring a solutions-oriented approach to facilitating trade in a particular region.
The Alliance is part of the Forum’s Centre for Regions, Trade and Geopolitics, which brings over 130 leading global companies together with policymakers for action-oriented exchange on building resilient, sustainable, and inclusive trade and investment.
The Alliance provides a platform for businesses of all sizes to participate in trade facilitation initiatives, streamlining border processes for everyone's benefit.
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