The Department of Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs(MoEA), Royal Government of Bhutan in collaboration with the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Executive Secretariat, Geneva is launching the new Tier 2 project on Export Diversification under Brand Bhutan and the two sub-components: (i)People Data Hub and (ii) One Stop Information Centre under the ongoing project on E-infrastructure on Trade & Services Development(E4T) on 6 February 2020 at Hotel Taj Tashi, Thimphu. Honorable Lyonpo Loknath Sharma, Minister, MoEA, Dr. Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director, Executive Secretariat (ES) of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) and Mr. Shishir Priyadarshi, Director of the Development Division of the WTO (Board Member, EIF) are gracing the launch event. The launch event is also attended by the EIF National Steering Committee members, officials from the Department of Trade and relevant stakeholders from various agencies.
The Export Diversification under Brand Bhutan is a new Tier II project under the EIF initiative in Bhutan. The total cost of the project is USD 1.575 million and will be implemented by the Export Promotion Division, Department of Trade. In terms of funding, an amount of USD 1.500 million is met from the EIF Trust Fund and the Royal Government of Bhutan contributes USD 0.750million in kind. The duration of the project is for three years. The project is expected to diversify our exports both in terms of products and market through Brand Bhutan and enhance exports by volume and value and ultimately contribute towards expansion of industry base to create more jobs and help reduce poverty in the country.
The People Data Hub developed by the Department of Information Technology & Telecom,Ministry of Information and Communications and One Stop Information Centre system developed by MoEA that are also launched today is a successful and fruitful outcome of the first E4T Tier 2 project which started in 2017 with a funding of USD 1.5 million from EIF Trust Fund. These systems will have far reaching impact through timely information dissemination and improved service delivery for business, government agencies, individuals and the public at large.
The project, which is being launched today is also the outcome of the Diagnostic Trade Integration Study carried out in 2012 by the Department of Trade in collaboration with UNDP to achieve the intended objective of mainstreaming trade in the economy.
The EIF is an Aid for Trade multi-donor programme for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which supports LDCs to be more active players in the global trading system by helping them tackle supply-side constraints to trade. In this way, the programme works towards a wider goal of promoting economic growth and sustainable development and helping to lift more people out of poverty in the LDCs. So far, Bhutan as an EIF beneficiary received a support of USD 4.55. million from the EIF Trust Fund.
6 February 2020