OREANDA-NEWS. September 08, 2015. Making trade easier has been a key priority for Afghanistan and its international partners, spearheaded by the reactivation two years ago of TIR – a unique Customs transit system and guarantee that uses one simple procedure to reduce waiting times at borders. 

IRU helped bring together Afghan authorities, national governments from neighbouring regions, the Asian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the European Union and business leaders last week in Kabul to discuss rebuilding Afghanistan’s economy through better trade and transport links. more...

The broad participation demonstrated the public-private partnership and international collaboration that form the basis for developing international transport and trade in the whole region. 

At a roundtable on “Facilitation of International Transport and Transit in Afghanistan", participants identified driver visas and road permits as key issues preventing the country from being able to fully benefit from TIR.

Organised by IRU together with the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, the roundtable looked at constructive solutions with clear deadlines for action. Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mr Jarullah Mansoori, and Director General of the Afghanistan Customs Department, Dr Najibullah Wardak, both attended.

IRU’s own efforts to help Afghanistan rebuild international trade continued with two national training workshops on TIR, as well as the CMR Convention and ADR Agreement that underpin TIR.

Afghan Minister of Commerce and Industries, Mr Humayoon Rasaw, opened the workshops, emphasising the importance of these trade facilitation tools for the successful development of Afghanistan’s economy.

Trade flows in the broader region were also on the agenda in Kabul. IRU joined the Customs Transit Committee of the regional Economic Cooperation Organization’s Transit Transport Coordination Council to brief governments on the eTIR pilot project between Turkey and Iran.

IRU also highlighted the benefits of new TIR services and solutions, including TIR+, iCarnet and TIR-EPD Green Lanes, to further streamline transport and boost trade in the region.