Communiqués de presse

UNDP and International Trade Centre launch the first Central Asia Trade Intelligence portal (en)

25 février 2021
ITC Nouvelles
The Portal aims at helping exporters expand trade opportunities in the region and beyond.

Access to trade and market intelligence is critical to export success in regional and international markets. Greater availability of trade-related information and a better understanding of market access requirements are key to enhanced trade integration between Central Asian countries and the European Union.

The Central Asia Trade Intelligence (CATI) portal is an online tool aimed to enhance export potential and regional integration of Central Asian countries by providing users with essential trade intelligence information. All economic actors will benefit from up-to-date and free online information, which is particularly critical in light of the COVID-19 economic crisis and the need to respond to changes.

The CATI portal provides up-to-date market information that facilitates trade- and investment-related decisions of SMEs. The portal is a single-entry point to trade statistics, tariffs, export and import requirements and business contacts in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the countries of the European Union. Users can also find information pertaining to quality requirements for products that have great export potential for all four countries. It allows exporters, importers, investors, and business and trade support organizations from the Central Asian countries to search efficiently for business opportunities and supports government officials in their policy designs.

The new portal and its features were presented today at a special on-line launch event, co-hosted by UNDP and ITC and attended by over 150 representatives of the Governments of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, business and trade support organizations, private sector, as well as international partners active in regional economic integration and trade issues.

The portal represents the #NextGen of online services related to trade intelligence. It is accessible to companies, business ecosystems and governments in Central Asia and beyond. Access to cutting-edge trade and market intelligence allows companies to benefit from export opportunities, built strong economies, create jobs and remain ahead of the curve. Information on the portal is available in English and Russian through https://catiportal.org/en .

"We need to help our companies, in particular small and medium-sized businesses, to derive maximum benefit from our trade relationships and agreements. The main purpose of the new portal is to provide information support to our companies engaged in foreign economic activity so that they can navigate regional and international trade. This holistic approach will help our companies maximize the benefits of trade to expand their businesses and gain access to the most favorable markets, products and inputs they need to grow and to stay competitive" said  Mr. Eldar Alisherov, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Mr. Abdurahmonzoda A. S., Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan pointed that "The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the Nation H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon noted during his annual address to the Parliament of the Republic of Tajikistan about the vital effects for the economic development of Tajikistan of close cooperation with the global community, including the integration to the multilateral trade system. In this regard, Mr. Abdurahmonzoda A. S. stressed out that "the Central Asian Trade Intelligence Portal along with the Tajikistan Trade Portal and the Single Window System will fully contribute to further trade facilitation in the region by eliminating unnecessary documentation, payments and time for conducting relevant export, import and transit procedures."

"We are confident that that with the help of this portal we will be able to further scale up our cooperation, more actively interact and implement joint activities, and secure the fulfillment of all the goals and objectives. By working together, sharing experiences and pooling resources, we can reap the benefits of economies of scale that cannot be fully attained at the level of one country", said Mr Badriddin Abidov, Deputy Minister of Investments and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

"The Central Asian Trade Information Portal will undoubtedly serve as a very important tool for the enterprises of our region in the development of exports. I am sure that in the future the portal will turn into a comprehensive analytical and information data hub for the countries of Central Asia, specialized in international and regional trade, and we, for our part, will be glad to contribute to its further development", said  Mr  Nurlan Kulbatyrov, Deputy General Director of The QazTrade Center for Trade Policy Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The establishment of the CATI portal was made possible by ITC and UNDP in close cooperation with the governments of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan. The initiative  was funded by  the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.

For more information please contact:

UNDP - Kamoliddin Nuritdinov, kamoliddin.nuritdinov [at] undp.org

ITC - Elodie Robin, Project Manager, robin [at] intracen.org (robin[at]intracen[dot]org)

Note for Editors

The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP's regional project "Aid for Trade in Central Asia - Phase IV" is funded by the Government of Finland and focuses on supporting Central Asian countries in promoting inclusive and sustainable growth patterns in rural areas and within green productive sectors.

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.undp.org.