The South Asia Regional Trade Facilitation Program, or SARTFP, is administered by the World Bank and supported by Australia's .
The Program's goal is to identify and build consensus around priority investments, policy actions, and institutional arrangements to enhancecross-border trade and economic opportunities for people living in the Eastern Corridor of South Asia, particularly in the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (BBIN). It is one of several trust funds that work with the World Bank to build greater regional connectivity as highlighted on the #OneSouthAsia website. The program, which started in 2015, closed in 2024, with some of the key results below:
Gender inclusion is a key focus of the program, ensuring that all women stakeholders benefit equitably from regional integration efforts. With SARTFP funding, the World Bank led analyses and technical assistance work to improve cross-border trade and enhance economic participation of women in trade, transport, connectivity and regional networks. The program fostered inclusive development of roads, rail, and inland waterway infrastructure that connects local communities to regional markets. With special attention to women-owned and micro businesses, it achieved a first in mainstreaming gender in regional projects and programs across the entire South Asian region, including in distant communities.
Read stories of impact on ways World Bank projects supported women across South Asia in various sectors like transport, trade, tourism, and power and utility ¡ª sectors which are traditionally considered male dominated.
SARTFP Knowledge products and analysis reports, research papers, and other products:
- (2023)
- (Report, 2022)
- (2022)
- (2022)
- (2022)
- (2022)
- (2022)
- (2021) I Read )
- (202,1 Read , Watch #OneSouthAsia Conversation, and read:)
- (2021)
- (2021 report)
- (2020 report)
- (2020)
- (2020)
- (2019)
- (2019 report)
- (2019, working paper)
- (2019 report)
- (2019 report)
- (2019, working paper)
- (2019 working paper)
- (TF0A3512; 2019 video)
- (free online class)
- (2019, analysis)
- (2019 report)
- (2018 report)
- (2018 country summaries)
- (2018 report)
- (2017 report)
- (2016 report)
- (2016 research paper)
