ESCAP transport facilitation models – a new paradigm for cooperative border management

Abstract

The paper considers significant issues of cooperative border management that has been in vogue for some time now under similar names such as coordinated border management, collaborative border management, comprehensive border management, and integrated border management. The author states that, despite the difference in letter, the spirit of all of these approaches is to facilitate trade and transport across the borders while instituting regulatory controls. However, as the author emphasizes, many years of experience in implementing these approaches particularly in the Asia and Pacific region, indicate that cooperative border management and its other variants though easy to conceptualize pose numerous challenges during execution. The findings of the study confirm that, as a result, there is a continual search for solutions that can address increasing and pressing concerns of control authorities on one hand, and rising and expanding trade and transport on the other. Further, the study describes the models developed by ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) which provide a result-based framework for cooperative border management as a means to achieve seamless transport across borders. To discuss fully the key subject, the author used the following scientific methods: analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization. By focusing on results and identification of bottlenecks en-route and at border crossings, coupled with technological solutions as well as flexible and practical arrangements for transport, in author’s view, the implementation of the systems based on the models will promote cooperation among agencies to reduce inordinate delays at the border crossings. The author concludes that cooperation among border agencies is inherently intractable due to multiple factors, but, nevertheless, with the result-based framework for cooperative border management as provided by ESCAP transport facilitation models the enhanced cooperation among border agencies is possible with attendant benefits to all the stakeholders.