Trade Development and Facilitation Consulting (TDAF Consulting) is passionate about helping developing and least developed countries to grow their economies, create employment and reduce poverty through international trade. We believe in an inclusive and collaborative approach where the partner country takes the lead role with regard to defining their trade related goals and aspirations; and we facilitate the realization of these goals through the provision of technical and managerial support to local counterparts. Our core objective is to engage and empower our counterparts to ensure the full ownership and sustainability of the reforms – and their longer term expansion.
TDAF Consulting has a particular expertise in trade facilitation strategic planning and implementation, particularly in relation to the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. This includes support for national institutions such as National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs), and assessment of the implementation status and requirements for specific measures under the Agreement.
TDAF also focuses on key areas such as process simplification and standardization, rationalization of information flows, and stakeholder development and support. We are currently focusing on supporting several countries in implementing the electronic Phytosanitary Certificate (ePhyto) developed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), and also the electronic Certificate of Origin (eCoO).
TDAF’s founding member and lead expert, Mr. Tom Butterly, has over 30 years’ experience in trade development and facilitation and has played a major role in developing many key global trade facilitation recommendations and standards through his former work as Deputy Director for Trade at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Specifically, he has supported the implementation of trade facilitation reform in UN member States, pioneered the development of UNECE Recommendation 33 and related work on Single Window for International Trade, supported trade facilitation implementation projects in many developing and LDC countries, and managed the development of the comprehensive United Nations Trade Facilitation Implementation Guide (TFIG) – see tfig.unece.org.
TDAF has a broad network of leading trade facilitation experts in international trade development and facilitation. Together, we can provide a highly experienced, focused and participative service to help countries realise the full potential of their trade facilitation programme.