Regional Trade Facilitation and Transport Sector Review for the BBIN Countries - 2019 - 2022
Description of Project:
Gravity models showed that total goods trade within South Asia could be worth US$67 billion rather than the actual trade of only US23 billion. The deepening relationship between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN countries), cemented by several sub-regional and bilateral agreements, suggests there was momentum to advance the regional connectivity and trade agenda between these countries.
The objectives of this assignment were to (i) prepare a detailed assessment of multi-modal transport infrastructure, trade-supporting infrastructure, and the policy, institutional, and regulatory environment in the BBIN countries, and (ii) identify and prioritize hard (physical) and soft (institutional) interventions to facilitate the implementation of an efficient and effective multi-modal transport system along priority regional transport corridors.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
Mekong Economics is responsible for the following tasks and outputs:
Conducted a detailed review and comparison of the current level of transport costs for all relevant transport modes in the BBIN countries.
For key commodity groups relevant to BBIN trade, collected information on volume of movement, by mode, by time, through the logistics chain (including origin, points of transshipment, delivery to warehouses and the final consumption destination).
Examined and specified constraints in the movement of goods, including documentation, formalities, transit efficiency, port facilities and storage facilities along key corridors of movement.
Conducted primary data collection in BBIN countries through KIIs and surveys (online and face to face) to estimate transport costs and barriers to trade.
Provided technical expertise and inputs into the research plan, providing feedback on the research methodology, technical inputs, data collection tools, and overall objectives of the research.
Provided technical expertise into the final report.
Reviewed the final report before submission to the client, providing technical feedback and expert review.
Client: ECORYS India Private Limited
Funding Source: World Bank Group
Location: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal