Summary
Location: Dili, Timor-Leste
Summary
Request for Proposal – AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) - Promoting AANZFTA through Communications and Business Engagement
About RT4D
The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Facility supports ASEAN Member States to maximise benefits from the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. Through the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) and the RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), RT4D provides tailored support to enhance the capabilities of ASEAN Member States by strengthening skills, building networks, facilitating policy options and ensuring that trade benefits everyone, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women and people with disabilities.
Also operating under RT4D is the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), an initiative funded by the Australian Government. The incubator tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising examples, that integrate gender in trade policy, technical cooperation, and development programming. The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28
Project Summary
This project will support a series of connected communications activities to promote AANZFTA throughout the Financial Year 2024-25 (until June 2025) under the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) to strengthen public and private sector stakeholders' awareness of its economic benefits.
Objectives:
(i) Increase understanding of AANZFTA, the AANZFTA Upgrade, and AISP activities.
(ii) Build on 2023 AISP-ECWP communications and business engagement initiatives, including:
- A Communications Package on AANZFTA Upgrade benefits.
- Regional and national business roundtables.
(iii) Develop business engagement resources to strengthen partnerships with diverse and potentially marginalised communities.
Key Outputs:
- Explainers for ASEAN businesses
- Business Roundtable Factsheets
- Four Case Studies on AISP success
- AEM-CER Communications Package and Video
Summary
Request for Proposal – Regional Trade for Development
Implementation Consultant and Event Organiser for Building Institutional Capacity for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) Implementation under RCEP
About RT4D
The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Facility supports ASEAN Member States to maximise benefits from the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. Through the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) and the RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), RT4D provides tailored support to enhance the capabilities of ASEAN Member States by strengthening skills, building networks, facilitating policy options and ensuring that trade benefits everyone, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women and people with disabilities.
Also operating under RT4D is the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), an initiative funded by the Australian Government. The incubator tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising examples, that integrate gender in trade policy, technical cooperation, and development programming. The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.
Project Summary
This project was created to implement activities that align with RCEP Chapter 5 on SPS. The objective is to enhance the practical application of SPS measures by promoting transparency and understanding of the development processes and applications among relevant stakeholders. The project seeks to strengthen coordination, communication, and consultation among the domestic parties involved in SPS measures, adhering to international standards, guidelines, and recommendations. With support from RCEP and the RT4D program, the fundamental goal of this project is to build the institutional capabilities of key stakeholders at the central and provincial levels under the leadership of FDD. This will set up a foundation to establish a modern, comprehensive, high-quality, and mutually beneficial economic partnership, facilitating regional trade and investment expansion and contributing to global economic growth.
Improving inter-departmental coordination is another crucial component of the project; it will establish a collaborative, dynamic platform for stakeholders such as the FDD, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DOLF), and Department of Planning (DOP) to monitor and evaluate the implementation of SPS chapters. This initiative aims to promote transparency, ensuring senior decision-makers and policy formulators have a unified understanding of the SPS chapter and the ASEAN Sectoral Mutual Recognition Arrangement for Inspection and Certification Systems on Food Hygiene for Prepared Foodstuff Products (MRA) guidelines, alongside developing implementation regulations that clarify procedural and operational parameters. This framework seeks to mitigate arbitrary decision-making while reinforcing compliance with national legal standards through stringent oversight and formalised inspection processes.
The specific objectives of this project are to:
- To provide capacity building on implementing the SPS measures and provisions, focusing on Chapter 5 of RCEP commitments
- To strengthen economic cooperation and dialogue that supports the implementation and utilisation of key provisions within the SPS agreement
- To increase public and stakeholders’ awareness of the benefits and impact of the RCEP and SPS Chapter to enhance access to information for businesses, especially Micro-Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), on the SPS requirements as well as MRA on import-export
- To strengthen cooperation and exchange experience with RCEP Parties in the SPS Chapter, particularly on the collective participation approach at the ASEAN SPS committee meeting.
Summary
Request for Proposal – Regional Trade for Development Program
Technical Consultant on AISP Project “Developing National Policies and Laws Related to GRTKTCE; and Empowering Ethnic Communities through strengthening capacity for GRTKTCE protection for Interested ASEAN Member States (AMSs)”
About RT4D
The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiative is funded by both the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. It assists ASEAN Member States (AMS) in meeting their commitments and realising the advantages offered by the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, or AANZFTA, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.
Through the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) and the RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), RT4D provides tailored support to enhance the capabilities of ASEAN Member States by strengthening skills, building networks, facilitating policy options and ensuring that trade benefits everyone, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women and people with disabilities.
Also operating under RT4D is the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), an initiative funded by the Australian Government. The incubator tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising examples, that integrate gender in trade policy, technical cooperation, and development programming.
The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.
Project Summary
The AISP Implementation Support Program (AISP), implemented RT4D Facility, aims to support AMS to realise the full benefits of AISP through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise.
The following project is approved under AISP.
- Project Name: Developing National Policies and Laws Related to GRTKTCE; and Empowering Ethnic Communities through strengthening capacity for GRTKTCE protection for Interested ASEAN Member States (AMSs)
- Project Objective:
- For communities: Increase awareness within indigenous communities of GRTKTCE protections and enhance their capacity to benefit from non-legal and legal frameworks.
- For institutions: Increase institutional capacity to strengthen non-legal and legal framework for the protection of GRTKTCE and the benefit of indigenous communities.
Summary
Location: Dili, Timor-Leste
Summary
Request for Proposal – Regional Trade for Development Program
Technical Consultant, Project “Advancing Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in Regional Economic Integration and Trade in ASEAN – From Learning to Policy Actions”
About RT4D
The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Facility supports ASEAN Member States to maximise benefits from the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. Under the operation of the RT4D, the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), with funding support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising practice to advance gender equality within trade-related policies, technical cooperation, and development programming.
Project Summary
GEDSI-responsive trade policy is important to ensure that all economic actors benefit from regional trade and economic integration. This regional project aims to build ASEAN Member State (AMS) capacity in gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) and trade, such that relevant officials are better able to design and implement GEDSI-responsive trade policy and trade facilitation programs in their countries. TGEI intends a partnership with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to:
1. Adapt existing training materials on gender and trade to the ASEAN context.
2. Deliver these trainings to ASEAN officials (online and in-person).
3. Provide technical assistance to select AMS to implement GEDSI-responsive trade policy.
4. Foster a community of practice to support policymakers in these endeavours.
Summary
The STTA Pool is a roster of vetted and qualified consultants from which Development Pathways can rapidly engage technical experts for DFAT-funded programs. The STTA Pool enables programs to effectively respond to emerging opportunities by drawing on exceptional external experts to deliver services.