AD Ports Group and the International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on trade, logistics, and transport.
The deal was signed on 28 June by Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, and Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of ITC.
The two entities will deploy a variety of solutions under the MoU to streamline commerce and improve the efficiency of the UAE’s transport, marine, ports, and logistics sectors, as well as those of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and developing nations.
Both parties will examine frameworks and policies in these areas to assess their efficacy, as well as create and improve border services in accordance with worldwide best practices.
AD Ports and ITC will provide technical support to developing and least developed countries (LDCs), including implementation of the WTO Commerce Facilitation Agreement (TFA) for quicker and smoother cross-border commerce.
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The cooperation will also see AD Ports and ITC make trade more inclusive and conducive to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) while fostering dialogue and consensus-building.
Both sides said they will provide advisory support to design SMEs-led trade strategies and business solutions and promote women traders’ role in trade facilitation with empowerment programmes and initiatives. The parties will then promote joint services and solutions and jointly participate in events, conferences and workshops in customs digitalisation, trade facilitation, ports, maritime and logistics.
Furthermore, the signatories will share experiences, networks, capacity building and training on key areas of trade facilitation and customs excellence.
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Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO – AD Ports Group, said: “Our cooperation with ITC in the area of trade facilitation services and solutions will make transactions smoother, enabling us to integrate more small businesses into value chains and improve our overall efficiency. ITC shares our value and stance regarding sustainability and we’re fully confident that by working together we can help each other reach our environmental goals.”
Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of ITC, added “Through our new partnership with AD Ports Group, we look forward to leveraging their technology and advanced trade facilitation solutions to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs in international trade and create a more efficient, inclusive and sustainable trading environment in the region and beyond.”
