The support programme strengthened the operations of the MSG Secretariat’s trade division to effectively monitor the intra-regional and international trade flows, identify air and shipping transport connectivity bottlenecks among the MSG member states and recommended suitable trade facilitation improvements and ultimately, improved access to trade-related tools and sharing of trade information.

The support programme delivered in-house / on-the-job training and capacity building to the targeted staff, carried out baseline studies on the shipping and air transport trade as well as operationalization of an on-line Business Directory platform.

Three-fold purposes: To strengthen the operations of the MSG Secretariat’s Trade Division to effectively monitor intra-regional and international trade flows; to identify air and shipping transport connectivity bottlenecks among the MSG member states and recommend suitable trade facilitation improvements; and to improve access to trade-related tools and sharing of trade information.

Four-fold project outputs: The Project contributes to:

1. Strengthening the capacity of the MSG Secretariat’s Trade Division to monitor intra-regional and international trade;
2. Assessment of the efficiency of air transport connectivity in the MSG region carried out and recommendations for improvement advanced;
3. An up to date and online MSG business directory is developed and disseminated;
4. Information on trade facilitation, trading opportunities and project results shared.

Intervention areas:

• Gap analyses for MSG Secretariat’s trade division’s capacity to monitor regional and international trade, plus training needs assessment based on the gap analysis;
• Develop a Manual Guide for strengthening the MSG Secretariat’s Trade Division;
• Deliver on-the-job training for key staff of the MSG Secretariat’s Trade Division;
• Undertake an operational and cost-effective assessment of the MSG air transportation sector, and recommend connectivity improvements;
• Consulting with stakeholders on the key elements of the assessment and the recommendations for improvements;
• Prepare implementable recommendations from the study on the Shipping Transportation on the establishment of and operational framework of the MSG Shipping Commission;
• Design, operationalize and disseminate the on-line Business Directory platform;
• Compile and disseminate the regional data on trading opportunities;
• Organisation and conduct of a regional training/validation/dissemination workshop for the key stakeholders.

Purpose 1: To strengthen the operations of the MSG Secretariat’s Trade Division to effectively monitor intra-regional and international trade flows

• Training Needs Assessment, by identifying Skills Gaps and Human Resource Capacity Needs at the level of MSG Member Countries and MSG Secretariat;
• Gap Assessment Report prepared;
• On the Job Training to MSG Secretariat and recommend/develop new procedures and systems to enhance the monitoring of data flows undertaken;
• Training Manual Guide to strengthen the capacity of MSG Member Countries Trade and related officials to monitor trade flows prepared.

Purpose 2: To identify air and shipping transport connectivity bottlenecks among the MSG member states and recommend suitable trade facilitation improvements

• Stakeholder consultations report on identified bottlenecks affecting the air trade transportation sector undertaken;
• Operational and Cost Effectiveness Assessment Report on connectivity bottlenecks affecting the Air trade transportation sector in the MSG region prepared;
• The Air Connectivity Operational Assessment Report with recommendations for transport connectivity improvements within the MSG region prepared;
• Consultation with shipping companies to look at existing inter-island connectivity operations and costs, in order to enable an assessment and make recommendations for improvements undertaken;
• Operational study for the establishment of the MSG Shipping Commission, addressing the modalities for the establishment of the Commission (i.e. Organization, Location, Mandate and Operations of the Commission and financing implications) undertaken;
• Recommendations on the establishment of and operational framework of the MSG Shipping Commission prepared;
• Successfully conducted a validation workshop to consider the practical recommendations on the improvement of the two trade facilitation networks.

Purpose 3: To improve access to trade-related tools and sharing of trade information

• Revision of the last MSG business directory undertaken;
• Gathering data of MSG business per country carried out;
• On-line Business Directory platform designed and installed (http://msgsec.info/businessdirectory/);
• Finalise and disseminate the business directory to the key stakeholders in the MSG member states;
• Procedural manual for the Business directory annual updating procedures prepared;
• Compiled and disseminated regional data on trading opportunities (at the regional validation workshop);
• Regional validation workshop successfully held.