Improving policy analysis and policy making in international trade in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam

Since September 2005 Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam have been working together with Australia to improve trade policy and analysis of trade-related issues under the AusAID-funded Trade Analysis and Reform Project (TARP) managed by Cardno ACIL and ITS Global. The Project will run until September 2008.

The TARP initiative aims to strengthen international trade opportunities for these four Mekong region countries by assisting each to meet the challenges of, and benefit from, global trade liberalisation and regional economic integration. In particular, the Project aims to enhance awareness of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreements and provide technical and advisory assistance on WTO accession and implementation issues in the region.

The Project will promote effective interaction with the WTO in the development of policies on economic integration that support economic growth and social development. The purpose of the Project is to raise the quality and utilisation of information and analysis going into trade policy development and engagement with the WTO through building demand for, and capacity to, supply high quality trade policy analysis.