Even though Bhutan has not acceded to the World Trade Organization (WTO), a WTO reference centre was inaugurated in Thimphu, today.
The economic affairs ministry’s department of trade inaugurated the centre which is worth Nu 1 M.
It will enable government officials, private sector, institutions and the public access and utilize international trade-related information and resources.
WTO Secretariat’s counselor, Gerardo T. Thielen said the centre has a tariff analysis online instrument which allows users to quarry trade flows. It will provide information on trading partners, rankings of trading partners, main importers and main exporters of products.
“You have the full harmonized system of goods which is included in the database and it allows projections essentially to have a very good picture…of what you can export if you are an exporter.”
Reference centre also provides trade profiles of specific countries.
Currently, WTO has 124 member countries.
