The Inter-American Development Bank has a strong mandate to support trade and competitive global and regional integration of Latin America and the Caribbean, and possesses long-standing and recognized expertise and experience in the area of trade facilitation and cross-border integration. The Bank provides financial and technical assistance to Latin American and Caribbean countries to streamline and harmonize regulations and customs procedures, to enhance physical infrastructure and logistics so as to improve efficiency, lower trade costs, increase participation in global supply chains and better manage shared borders. Currently, the Bank has an active portfolio and pipeline in trade facilitation in Latin American and the Caribbean, including national and regional projects to support implementation of electronic single window systems, authorized economic operators, risk management, border coordination, institutional and policy reforms relating to trade facilitation / security and customs, and implementation of trade agreements, including the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation.

The IDB established the Capacity-Building Program on Integration and Trade in 2012 to provide specialized expertise to staff of public and private entities in charge of implementing trade agreements, trade facilitation and security, export promotion and investment attraction and infrastructure integration.  To date, more than 8000 foreign trade experts from the public and private sectors have been trained in over 200 courses.  In addition to virtual and face-to-face courses, the IDB offers Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) through the ConnectAmericas and edX platforms, such as Nuevas Tendencias en los Tratados Comerciales en América Latina and Inversión Extranjera como Motor del Desarrollo para América Latina y el Caribe.  The Program has also set up Communities of Practice for its graduates to enhance peer-to-peer learning and improve implementation of operational knowledge in trade entities in the region and to facilitate South-South Cooperation.

Courses are offered in five broad areas: Innovation in trade policy and implementation of trade agreements; Trade facilitation / security and customs; Export promotion and investment attraction; Physical integration; and Digital trade.  There has been particular demand for courses in the area of trade facilitation / security and customs, given the importance of institutional capacity strengthening in the Bali Agreement on Trade Facilitation.

More information on the IDB Capacity-Building Program on Integration and Trade can be found here

A listing of recent and upcoming course offerings is available here