🇺🇳 The 32nd plenary session of the UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) is taking place in Geneva on November 2–3. The Elections for the UN/CEFACT Bureau have been held, and drafts of new recommendations, white papers, and standards have been presented. ❗ The delegation of the Russian Federation made the following comments during the meeting: 🔹 We congratulate Mr. Ibrahima Diagne, a renowned expert in trade facilitation and representative of Senegal, on his election as Chair of the UN/CEFACT Bureau for the 2026–2029 term. 🔹 We have no objections to the development of Recommendation No. 50, "Enhancing Digital Connectivity in Transit Corridors," and view it as an example of productive and balanced work, consistent with the organization’s mandate. 🔹 We emphasize that an important task for the UN/CEFACT Secretariat and Bureau is to ensure the continued viability of existing trade facilitation instruments, and updating them when necessary, rather than increasing the number of new initiatives at the expense of ongoing projects. 🔹 We are concerned by the potential shift of the working approaches of UN/CEFACT to suit a narrow group of countries, which, under the guise of innovation, seek to introduce new potential trade barriers. We urge the Secretariat and the Bureau to conduct their work in strict accordance with the organization’s mandate and terms of reference. 📑 Tomorrow, on November 4, we will continue discussions on trade facilitation, the use of electronic consignment notes, and ensuring connectivity within international transit corridors during the 45th UN/CEFACT Annual Forum. #RussiaUNCEFACT