WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/IFSC/W/8/Add.6
24 May 2002
(02-2873)
Integrated Framework Steering Committee
INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK PILOT SCHEME:
STATUS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOLLOW-UP
ACTIVITIES TO THE ROUND TABLES IN
BANGLADESH, THE GAMBIA, HAITI, TANZANIA AND UGANDA
Report by the International Trade Centre on 8 March 2002
Addendum
1. At the Third Session of the Integrated Fram ework Steering Committee held on 12 October
2001, the five projects to follow-up on Round Tables held under the old IF scheme were approved, in
principle.
2. Subsequently, project documents were submitted for formal approval to UNDP and the
concerned LDCs.  The five documents, with a budget of US$291,000 each, were all signed by
end 2001 and became operational upon receipt of the funds by ITC in January 2002.  Preparatory
activities to ensure a rapid kick-off were undertaken since November 2001 and the situation as of
today is as follows:
A. BANGLADESH
3. The project aims at raising awareness amongst leather sector entrepreneurs of global market
opportunities, customer preferences, quality standards and design requirements, in order to maximize
export revenue. Capacity building is at the core of project activities.  Access to market intelligence
and improved promotional skills are other building blocks.
4. The national team responsible for project implementation is being established and a review of
the leather sector was initiated.  A first ITC mission took place, as planned, in February to take stockof all available information materials, discuss priorities of sectoral requirements with all concerned
stakeholders and establish detailed implementation modalities.  The "IF" label of the project was a
facilitating factor during the mission in obtaining full support by the international agencies
represented in Bangladesh and for mobilizing synergies in project implementation.  A forthcoming
presentation of a project work plan with details of capacity building events is expected to consolidatethose synergies and create project momentum.
B. THE GAMBIA
5. The two main focus areas of the project are to assist in the preparation of sub-sector strategies
for products having good export potential and to strengthen the capacities of the Department of State
for Trade, Industry and Employment (DOSTIE) and of the Gambia Investment Promotion and Free
Zone Authority (GIPFZA) to provide efficient trade and invest promotion related services.
6. Detailed work plans have been prepared fo r the two project modules. Recruitment of two
national consultants is under way for the sub-sector analysis and it is expected that a first short-list of
sub-sectors having good export potential will be ready by end April 2002. The preparation ofWT/IFSC/W/8/Add.6
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diagnostic studies on the selected sub-sectors is expected to be completed by July 2002, which will be
followed by market orientation tours for selected exporters.
7. On the trade information module, initial consultations have been held with DOSTIE and
GIPFZA and a plan of work has been agreed upon. A first technical mission is planned for
April 2002.
8. It has been agreed with the Government of the Gambia that the activities being executed
under the IF project should result in the formulation of a full-fledged export development project in
the country with a special emphasis on poverty reduction. A multi-agency programming mission will
be proposed to this effect for the second half of 2002.
C. HAITI
9. The project objectives are to:
− Improve the legal framework for trade and build the capacity of lawyers to draw up
international contracts;
− Strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Commerce through the analysis of the institutional
restructuring plan and the development of human resource capacities in trade information and
trade negotiation; and
− Prepare a diagnostic study on the export supply potential to support the formulation of an
export promotion and development strategy.
10. Within the framework of the first objective a joint ITC/WTO mission was organized in
December 2001 to advise Government of Haiti on implementation issues and to review of the Code of
Commerce and arbitration procedures.  Two training seminars on international contracts for
40 lawyers are scheduled in April 2002 in Port-au-Prince.
11. A workshop on trade information for 12 participants, from public and private sectors, will be
held in mid-March under the second objective.
12. Other activities programmed in spring 2002 include the formulation of a road map aimed at
strengthening the Ministry of Commerce in the delivery of business advisory services and the
preparation of the diagnostic study on the export supply potential.
D. TANZANIA
13. The main focus of the project is to assist in the preparation of sectoral export strategies for
products having good export potential applying the "coaching" and "do it yourself" approach.  It also
aims at providing assistance for strengthening the Inter-Institutional Committees established under the
JITAP programme.
14. After a series of consultations with stakeholders it has been decided that sector strategies will
be prepared for the fish and horticulture sectors.  In particular, the focus will be on sub-sectors, which
have high impact on poverty reduction in rural areas.  Products that will receive particular attention
are mushrooms and green beans. A detailed work plan will be ready by mid-March which is expected
to cover activities for strategy formulation as well as activities which have a direct impact on the
export readiness of mushroom and green bean producers.  An international consultant has been
identified to provide assistance in mushroom production technology and group formation.WT/IFSC/W/8/Add.6
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15. Activities carried out under this project are expected to provide pilot examples of how trade
can help reduce poverty. This is expected to have two implications. Firstly, such pilot cases will help
to mainstream trade issues in future updates of the PRSP and second, it is expected that the IF project
will help attract further resources being made available to Tanzania under the HIPC initiative for the
purpose of funding export-led poverty reduction activities.
E. UGANDA
16. As in Tanzania, the main focus of the project is to assist in the preparation of sectoral export
strategies for products having good export potential, applying the "coaching" and "do it yourself"
approach, followed by the formulation of a national export strategy. it also aims at providing
assistance for strengthening the inter-institutional committees and the network of trainers established
under the JITAP programme.
17. The Government of Uganda is currently finalising  a plan of work for the preparation of export
strategies for two product sectors to be covered by the project namely silk and legumes (including
herbs and beans).  The focus of the activities will not only be on the preparation of the sector
strategies but also on executing activities which will provide tangible benefits to silk and legume
producers and thus help reduce poverty in rural areas. it is expected that the activity plan will befinalised by mid-March 2002.
18. In addition, comprehensive terms of reference have been prepared for the compilation of a
diagnostic trade study.  A suitable national consultant has been selected to undertake the study, which
is expected to be ready by June 2002.
19. A detailed concept paper has been prepared defining the approach, the scope and the
methodology for the formulation of the National Export Strategy (NES).  The launch workshop for
the NES process is planned for April 2002.  The NES process being proposed has its basis in the
Regional Executive Forum on Export Strategies organised by ITC on the occasion of the Africa Trade
Week in Nairobi in November 2001.
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