Yesterday United Nations Development Programme  and International Trade Centre have launched the Central Asian Trade Intelligence Portal (CATI) to help exporters enhance their export potential and 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 CATI portal is the online intelligence tool aimed to enhance export potential and regional integration of Central Asian countries by providing users with essential trade-related information. All economic actors will benefit from up-to-date and free online data, which is particularly critical in light of the economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic 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 the Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan 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.

This unique regional 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 the Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, business and trade support organizations, the 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” said Mr. Eldar Alisherov, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic. “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”.

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

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.

For more information on the project, please follow this link.