SAARC trade portal to be launched

The launch of a regional portal to enhance trade in the SAARC region has been planned by July. The recent second Operations Committee (OC) meeting of the SAARC countries in Colombo has decided to form a five-member portal team soon. SAARC member countries including the SAARC Chamber of Commerce took part in the meeting.
Earlier, the first South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation -- Trade Information Project (SAARC-TIP) OC meeting was held in Kathmandu on February 16-17. The meeting was organised by the SAARC Information Centre (SIC) and GTZ for the Operations Committee members to expedite activities and verify all eight countries are at the same level in the matter of implementation as per the SAARC-TIP concept.
The OC constitutes the SAARC Information Center (Chair), GTZ, SAARC Chamber of Commerce, national chambers of commerce, government trade agencies and trade-related organisations.
SAARC-TIP intends to establish an easy accessible trade database for traders by connecting trade databases within the SAARC countries to a common SAARC entry point for trade information. In order to achieve this objective to facilitate and promote trade among SAARC member states, a common website has been established, which is awaiting its formal launch, to connect the different databases of the network partners and identified data sources in all the member countries to create an easy entry point for trade information.
Importers and exporters in the member states are expected to make use of the decision-support Business Information Service (BIS) that will be connected to a network of information providers in SAARC to promote inter-SAARC and intra-SAARC trade.
The OC meeting was an opportunity for its members to network with each other and to get to know each other's profile as well as the functions of the organisation. In the two-day meetingthe OC members agreed to support promotion and facilitation of trade in the region.
Earlier, an Advisory Committee meeting was held in January to formulate guidelines and suggestions for the Operations Committee that is composed of representatives of the SAARC presidency -- currently the representative of the president of Sri Lanka -- SAARC Secretary General and GTZ/SAARC-TIP Programme Manager. The committee is considered a forum for communication and cooperation between the GTZ and SAARC structures and meets twice a year.
GTZ on behalf of Germany has implemented the SAARC-TIP in recognition of efforts made by SAARC countries for regional economic integration. The project commenced following an exchange of notes between the German government and the SAARC Secretariat.
SIC has been operating since 2006 with the main objective of acting as an institution for collection and dissemination of information about activities to SAARC member nations. The ccentre aims to facilitate the development and promotion of the SAARC region through timely information dissemination.