The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC) has officially launched the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme.

This is to continue efforts to streamline trade processes and strengthen the country’s trade environment.

The launch, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on June 19, brought together key stakeholders from government ministries, trade and customs agencies, private-sector organisations, and international development partners.

The programme is aimed at supporting Jamaica’s efforts to simplify and modernise trade procedures, reduce trade costs, and increase the efficiency of cross-border transactions.

Delivering the main address at the hybrid launch, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Sancia Bennett Templer, welcomed the initiative as a timely intervention in the country’s ongoing trade reform efforts.

“As Jamaica’s Business Ministry and the lead ministry for trade facilitation coordination, the MIIC has and continues to champion strategic initiatives to improve the ease of doing business across our borders and within Government,” she said.

Bennett Templer noted that close to 100 public and private-sector companies have already committed to participating in the training component of the Programme, which begins on July 2.

“That level of interest is significant and shows the importance of what we are doing and launching here today,” she said, adding that the Ministry remains committed to making trading and other business transactions with the government more efficient.

The training, which will be delivered by UNCTAD, forms part of a comprehensive empowerment effort under the Accelerate Programme and will cover 10 core modules over a six-month period. The sessions will be self-paced and supported by webinars, providing practical knowledge on trade facilitation, particularly for border agencies and key stakeholders.

Chief of the Trade Facilitation Section at UNCTAD, Poul Hansen, praised Jamaica’s progress in implementing trade facilitation reforms and congratulated the country on its full implementation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement.

“Jamaica has completed all WTO trade facilitation obligations in very impressive fashion, and we’re pleased to launch our collaboration today and welcome Jamaica to the UNCTAD Trade Facilitation family,” Hansen said.

He announced the rollout of the Trade Facilitation Reform Tracker, which will support the monitoring, management, and coordination of trade-related reforms across government. The tool is currently being used in 34 countries worldwide and has proven to accelerate reform implementation.

Hansen also commended His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs of the United Kingdom for its support of the Programme through the Accelerate Trade Facilitation framework.

Meanwhile, UNCTAD Economic Affairs Officer, Arántzazu Sánchez, outlined the training programme’s objectives, emphasising the need for collaboration among all trade-related entities.

“In order to make trade facilitation work for traders, we need the involvement of all border agencies. This training will help ensure that even those who may not see themselves as trade actors understand their roles in this transformation,” she said.

Ms. Sanchez further noted that alongside the training, efforts will be made to populate the Reform Tracker with up-to-date information on Jamaica’s current and planned trade initiatives.

The Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme is one of several initiatives supported by the MIIC and UNCTAD to strengthen Jamaica’s trade infrastructure and align with international best practices.

It complements other ongoing reform efforts such as the review of the Trade Act and the operationalisation of the Jamaica Single Window For Trade (JSWIFT).