INF/TE/IDP/RD/45  
* 
7 July 2022 
(22-5253)  Page: 1/2 
 Original: English, anglais, inglés  
 
  
UNOFFICIAL ROOM DOCUMENT1 
 
STATEMENT BY WTO SECRETARIAT  
QUESTIONAIRE CIRCULATED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE 2022 AFT MONITORING & 
EVALUATION EXERCISE  
 IDP meeting – 24 May 2022  
 
 
DOCUMENT DE S ÉANCE NON OFFICIEL1 
 
STATEMENT BY WTO SECRETARIAT  
QUESTIONAIRE CIRCULATED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE 2022 AFT MONITORING & 
EVALUATION EXERCISE  
 IDP meeting – 24 May 2022  
 
 
DOCUMENTO DE SALA NO OF ICIAL1 
 
STATEMENT BY WTO SECRETARIAT  
QUESTIONAIRE CIRCULATED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE 2022 AFT MONITORING & 
EVALUATION EXERCISE  
 IDP meeting – 24 May 2022  
 
_______________  
  
 
* In Original language only/En langue originale seulement/En el idioma original solamente.  
1 Documents issued in the RD series are not official WTO documents. They usually appear in their 
language of submission and will not be translated systematically into the working languages of the WTO. They 
are intended for use in WTO meeting rooms and are a ttributed an unofficial symbol for archiving purposes only.  
Les documents de la série RD ne sont pas des documents officiels de l 'OMC. Ils ne paraissent 
généralement que dans la langue dans laquelle ils ont été communiqués et ne seront pas systématiquemen t 
traduits dans les langues de travail de l'OMC. Ils sont destinés aux salles de réunion de l'OMC et une cote non 
officielle leur est attribuée à des fins d'archivage.  
Los documentos de la serie RD no son documentos oficiales de la OMC. Por lo general se d istribuyen en 
el idioma en que han sido presentados y no se traduce n sistemáticamente a los idiomas de trabajo de la 
Organización. Se distribuyen para su uso en las salas de reunión de la OMC y se les asigna una signatura no 
oficial a efectos de archivo ún icamente.  INF/TE/IDP/RD/45  
 
- 2 - 
 
  AID FOR TRADE UNIT, WTO SECRETARIAT  
 
INTERVENTION BY VISHVA SUBRAMANIAM, ECONOMIC AFFAIRS OFFICER  
 
Thank you Chair for the opportunity to provide an update  on recent developments related to the aid 
for trade initiative.  
 
You may recall that during the IDP regular meeting on 30 March, we presented some of the key 
messages emanating from the 2022 AfT Monitoring & Evalua tion exercise. This exercise was framed 
under our current work programme, titled "Empowering, Connected, Sustainable Trade".  
 
The questionnaire accompanying this exercise received 96 responses, of which 53 were from 
developing Members. In short, r esponses  suggest that the environmental dimension is being 
mainstreamed in national, regional and donor strategies, though at different speeds and tracks.  
Similar  trends are observable when examining focussed responses regarding the circular economy. 
Circular economy principles appear to be gaining a foothold in partner and donor priorities. However, 
the process remains in a formative stage, and mostly honed toward s a waste management 
perspective.   
 
Chair, our questionnaire did not specifically address the plastic dimension. However, 11 respondents 
took the time to provide additional information on their initiatives related to this topic. I wish to note 
that this i ncludes several Members of the IDP as well.  
 
All replies to our questionnaire, including the plastic -related responses, have been collated into a 
single document and released under the symbol WT/COMTD/AFT/W/92. I strongly encourage those 
interested to consult this searchable document for further refe rences.  
 
Moving forward, I wish to bring Members' attention to the Aid for Trade Global Review, which will be 
held over 27 -29 July. Environmental sustainability will be one of the key themes of the Review. While 
we are still in the process of finalizing th e structure of the Review, we are pleased to confirm that a 
session requested by IDP convenors, titled "Plastics, the circular economy and options to mainstream 
trade related cooperation to tackle plastic pollution in aid for trade" will be held. The full slate of 
Global Review events will be confirmed by the CTD Chair, Ambassador Usha Chandnee Dwarka -
Canabady of Mauritius, on 31 May.  
 
Looking ahead, we also welcome the IDP's commitment to aligning Aid for Trade with 
environmentally sustainable objectives,  including sustainable plastics trade. We look forward to 
supporting Members, and colleagues from the Secretariat, draft an "Aid for Trade review and needs 
assessment survey". We hope that this survey will help us understand how IDP Members wish to 
sculpt sustainable plastics priorities within the Aid for Trade initiative.  
 
This completes my update.  
Thank you Chair.  
 
 
__________