Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum has urged the countries of the region to reduce non-tariff trade barriers and strengthen regional connectivity for trade facilitation within the region.

Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Senior Minister, International Monetary Cooperation of Sri Lanka, inaugurated the two-day APTFF 2012 that ended on October 31. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) jointly organized it.

Dr. Sarath stressed the need for developing and expanding the regional connectivity for increased trade within the Asia Pacific Region in view of the continuous economic slow down in Europe and the USA.

ICC Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman, who attended the Forum at the invitation of UNESCAP and ADB, chaired a session on E-Trade for SME Integration in Regional or Global Value Chains, says a press release.

In his remarks, the ICCB President said the government of Bangladesh has taken various steps to simplify the trade as well as to cut down the time required for export and import clearance.