RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/53  
 
1 Febru ary 2022 
(22-0775) Page: 1/7 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Fifty-Third Session on Aid for Trade    
 
  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF  8 AND  27 OCTOBER  2021 
Chair person s: Amb. Mujtaba Piracha (Pakistan) and Amb. Chad Blackman (Barbados ) 
Contents  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. MONITORING AND EVALUATION EXERCISE FOR THE AID -FOR-TRADE GLOBAL 
REVIEW (2022) – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON  ................................ .....................  1 
C. IMPLEMENTATION OF AID -FOR-TRADE WORK ACTIVITIES  ................................ ..... 2 
I. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities  ................................ ......................  2 
II. Mainstreaming  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  5 
III. Regional Di mension  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 7 
IV. Private Sector  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  7 
V. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation and Development Effectiveness  ...................  7 
D. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 7 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Agenda, as circulated in WTO/AIR/COMTD/AFT/ 21/Rev.1 , was adopted  without 
amendments . 
B. MONITORING AND EVALUATION EXERCISE FOR THE AID -FOR-TRADE GLOBAL 
REVIEW (2022) – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON1 
2. The Chair recalled  that two informal  open-ended C ommittee on Trade and Development (CTD)  
Aid-for-Trade (AfT)  sessions were held on 6 July and 13  September to discuss the Monitoring and 
Evaluation (M&E) exercise.  The suggestions made  by Members  during these sessions  had been  
incorporated into the questionnaires by the Secretariat . Draft  formats had then been  circulated  on 
23 September for Member s' consultation. Questionnaires were circulated with the following symbols: 
(i) the partner country questionnaire as JOB/DEV/64/Add.1/Rev.1; (ii) the Regional Economic 
Community questionnaire as JOB/DEV/64/Add.2./Rev.1; (iii) the Donor questionnaire as 
JOB/DEV/64/Add.3/Rev.1; and (iv) the South -South questionnaire as JOB/DEV/64/Add.4/Rev.1.  
Members had then been requested to provide any additional comments on the revised 
questionnaires. In response, the Secretariat had received written comments from one Member 
requesting drafting edits.  The Chai r indicated where changes had been  requested and  opened the 
floor for any additional comments on these suggestions . No further comments were received from 
Members.  
3. The Chair noted Memb ers' agreement to proceed with the M&E exercise  and requested that 
the Secretariat formally launch the M&E exercise with a news item on the WTO website and a 
 
1 The agenda point was chaired by Ambassador Mujtaba Piracha of Pakistan during the initial CTD A fT 
held on 8 October 2021 . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/53  
 
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  document circulated to the Committee. He observed that the Secretariat would  engage in outreach 
activities with Members to help them complete the M&E exercise. A series of zoom webinars in 
November would  be communicated to Members.  
4. At the reconvened sessio n on 27 October, t he Secretariat  provided an update on dissemination 
of the M&E exercise. The four M&E questionnaires – covering partners, donors, South -South partners 
and regional economic communities – had been  finalized and circulated  by the Secretariat  on 19 
October. The pdf versions of these questionnaires were attached as  appendices to an information 
document released with the label WT/COMTD/W/AFT/W88. This document provide d an overview of 
the contents tackled by the exercise . The Secretariat also hig hlighted that it would  organiz e regional 
outreach sessions on 4, 9 and 10 November with information regarding these sessions available in  
document WT/COMTD/AFT/W /90.  
C. IMPLEMENTATION OF AID -FOR-TRADE WORK ACTIVITIES2 
I. Resource Mobilization and Implementatio n Activities  
5. The representative of the World Bank Group (WBG ) highlighted  several ongoing  WBG 
initiatives address ing the Aid-for-Trade Work Programme  and the WTO's development -related work. 
For instance, through  Climate Change Action Plan  for 2021 -2025, the Bank looked to provide a 
framework for institutional  strateg ies harness ing climate action . A WBG report, titled "The Trade and 
Climate Change Nexus: The Urgency and Opportunities for Developing Countries ", launched in 
September , address ed this theme . This was a substantive work investigat ing the role of trade  and 
trade policy  in tackling climate change.   
6. Furthermore, the  WBG maintained its  interest in exploring the servic ification  and development 
intersect. To this end, it published a report, titled "At Your Service? : The Promise of Services -Led 
Development ", in August to evaluat e the prospects of pursuing a services -led development strategy.  
The report recommended several  strategies for harnessing growth potential through service sector 
transformation . In addition, t he Bank's " Digital Economy for Africa Initiative ", served  as a platform 
providing diagnostic outlooks on the digital economy of continental partners. The data produced by 
the initiative look ed to inform the Bank's current projects and potential future initiatives.  The WBG 
was also in close discussion with the LDC Group regarding a forthcoming presentation of its portfolio 
of support instruments in the digital space.  
7. The representative  concluded  his statement by  indicating the Bank 's readiness to scale 
Aid-for-Trade support  for developing countries and LDCs implement ing rules in new  governance  
areas.  Furthermore, the Bank was also willing to provide technical support for Members involved in 
ongoi ng discussions on investment facilitation for development.  
8. The representative of the Asian Development Bank (AsDB ) provided an update on  the region 's 
trade and development prospects, its ongoing pandemic response  initiatives and its engagement 
with the Ai d-for-Trade Initiative. She noted that developing Asia's growth continue d to grapple with 
the pandemic's effects, with AsDB forecasts estimating a 7.1% and 5.4% regional growth outlook 
for 2021 and 2022 respectively. While strong progression ha d been obser ved in vaccination rates, 
the share of those fully vaccinated in the region still hover ed below 30% . 
9. In April 2020, the AsDB had  announced a USD 20 billion package to support Members address 
the health crisis. As part of the package, the COVID -19 Pandemic Response Option provided quick -
disbursing support to help governments fund countercyclical stimulus package s. These  prioritized 
the financial security of the poor and vulnerable. In December 2020, the AsDB also launched the 
USD 9 billion Asia -Pacific Vaccine Access Facility to support Member countries procure and deliver 
vaccines. As of October 2021, the AsDB's total commitments to COVI D-19 responses total led USD 
21.56 billion  – with USD 5.2 billion delivered to the private sector.  
10. Additionally , the AsDB worked closely with the United Nations Economic and Social 
Commission for Asia and the Pacific to jointly publish the 2021 Asia -Pacific Trade Facilitation report. 
The report analysed the pandemic 's impact on the supply chains of critical goods s uch as vaccines, 
 
2 This agenda point, and all those thereafter, were chaired by Ambassador Chad Blackman of Barbados 
during the reconvened CTD A fT on 27 October 2021 . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/53  
 
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  personal protective equipment, and food . It highlighted that trade openness remains a key element 
of the recovery. Countries were urged to refrain from using export restrictions and other non -tariff 
measures, while continuing to implement the WTO T rade Facilitation Agreement .  
11. The AsDB representative also observed that fin ancing remain ed an impediment for firms 
willing to trade goods internationally. Their surveys estimat ed that  regional trade finance gaps 
exceed ed USD 1.7 trillion in 2020  alone . This shortfall ha d hit Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises 
(MSMEs ) and women -owned enterprises hardest.  As a result, the AsDB has ramped up its Trade and 
Supply Chain Finance Program . Since April 2020, this program has supported 10,320 transactions 
valued at USD  10.3 billion.  
12. Finally, t he representative noted the AsDB 's firm commitment to  reframe climate mitigation 
as an opportunity. Against this background, it has approved a new energy policy that support ed 
universal access to  energy services, while promoting a regional low carbon transition. Th is policy 
adopt ed a common but differentiated approach , which was in line with Members' economic 
development, resource endowment, and nationally determined low -carbon transition pathway. In 
this context, the AsDB has raised its climate ambitions. It would  look to deliver USD 100  billion in 
cumulative climate financing, from its own resources, by 2030.  
13. The representative of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD ) 
highlighted its support t o Members' pandemic resilience efforts. Under the EBRD  Trade Facilitation 
Programme (TFP), it had extended assistance worth EUR 3.3 billion in 2020 alone. This was a marked 
increase on pre -crisis levels.  Additionally, n ew credit li mits had been  established with  21 partner 
institutions across 8 economies. The TFP programme also supported trade of goods necessary to 
fight the pandemic, such as medicines, and personal protective products. Examples of such 
transactions include imports o f ambulances from Portugal into Morocco, and imports of medicines 
from Turkey into Georgia.  
14. The EBRD also provided advisory services to MSMEs eyeing to expand their trade integration. 
It has reached out to more than 2,200 Small and Medium -Sized enterprises  (SMEs ) through its SME 
advisory projects in 2020. More than 1,300 SMEs also received training to build capacity in areas 
such as crisis management and digital transformation. The EBRD's Know -How Academy, started in 
2020, ha d also proven effective in targe ting MSMEs.  Since inception, more than 13,000 training 
modules have been completed by around 17,000 registered users. Nearly 65% of these registered 
users were MSMEs.  
15. The representative concluded his statement by discussing EBRD's  "Apples to Mongolia" 
initiative that had  successfully supported seasonal fruit and vegetable farmers in landlocked Central 
Asian countries export their produce to Mongolia. This initiative had helped deliver economic 
efficienc y, raise living standards and  improve diets .  
16. The representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IaDB ) highlighted the 
detrimental impacts of the  COVID -19 pandemic on the Latin American and Caribbean region. Nearly 
39 million people were now unemployed, leading to a spike in p overty and worsening inequality . In 
response to such pandemic -led issues, the IaDB has initiated a new strategy called "Vision 2025: 
Reinvest in the Americas". The five areas of opportunity identified in this strategy were: (i) regional 
integration; (ii) the digital economy; (iii) SME support; (iv) gender and diversity , and; (v) climate 
change. Some examples of  initiatives undertaken as part of the Vision 2025 strategy  were then 
highlighted . For instance, under a programme to strengthen regional value chain s launched  this 
year, 14 national strategies had been  conducted to identify sectors with the greatest trade 
integration potential. Sectors has been  selected based on their competitiveness, local socio -
economic relevance and international markets .  
17. The repr esentative also noted that the IaDB has conducted several training sessions to build 
its members' trade capacity. For instance, trade workshops were conducted to improve negotiation 
techniques and promote an understanding of legal frameworks for investment, environmental and 
empowerment issues . Additionally, n ational promotion agencies were pro vided with adequate  
support to guide domestic firms conduct  market positioning strategies , implement value proposition 
strategies, utilize digital services and improve working conditions. Online courses on topics such as 
single windows, investment facilita tion and regional value chain integration were also provided 
during the year. The CADENA Project that incorporate d blockchain technology in mutual recognition WT/COMTD/AFT/M/53  
 
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  agreements of the authorized economic operator certifications of eight countries  had also been 
launched . This was  a pioneering effort that open ed the possibility for Customs Administrations to 
start using this technology in other customs and border management applications.  
18. The representative of the United States (US ) provided an update on US Aid for Trade over the 
period 2019 -2020. She noted that in 2019, the US had disbursed USD 700 million for projects 
prioritizing  market opening, trade  compliance, capacity -building  and trade facilitation  objectives  in 
developing countries . Subsequently in 2020, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), 
in collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Stat e, had 
disbursed USD 500 million towards trade -related technical assistance projects. This fund w as used 
to deliver 931 projects across 124 countries and various geographic regions, with a focus on lower -
middle income groups in Sub -Saharan Africa.  
19. USAID funding for trade and investment development assistance amounted to USD 153 million 
in 2019.  Funding for the flagship "African Trade Hubs " program ended that year. However , USAID 
has commenced a new "Prosper Africa Program " in 2020 to facilitate continental trade and 
investment opportunities. Up to USD 500 million would  be disbursed over the period 202 0-2025 
through this program . It will primarily focus on leveraging private capital to promote deal -making 
between US and African businesses. Moreover, the project will also include support for the 
implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area ( AfCFTA). As of October 2021, the Prosper 
Africa Initiative ha d directly supported more than  280 Business to Business deals valued at USD 22 
billion collectively.  
20. The representative of the European Union (EU ) highlighted recent developments in the 
EU's Aid-for-Trade programme . In 2019, the EU and EU member States ' AfT commitments had 
amounted to EUR 17.9 billion. This represented a 12% increase in real terms compared to 2018.  As 
a result, the EU and its member States remain ed the leading AfT donors, cont ributing nearly 38% 
of global A id for Trade. These commitments benefi tted around 140 countries in various regions and  
territories. Africa continued to receive the largest share  of AfT commitments in 2019, with 43% of 
total A id for Trade targeting the conti nent. Beyond A id for Trade, the EU provide d trade preferences 
to 126  countries eligible for EU Official Development Assistance . Approximately 55 countries 
benefitted  through F ree Trade Agreements while  72 countries received preferential trade measures 
through one of the three types of EU Generalized System of Preference s. 
21. The representative also shared insights from the recently published  "EU Aid for Trade Progress 
Report -2021". The report detail ed results of a qualitative study , informed through questionnaires 
filled by 98 EU member delegations. The report also include d a special focus on COVID -19 effects 
and European AfT responses to the pandemic. It noted that the trade impacts of the pandemic ha d 
been dr amatic, leading to a EUR 100 billion decline in EU imports from developing countries excluding  
China. The EU 's Aft responses to the pandemic prioritized early aid mobilization, fast tracked 
approvals and reorientation of existing aid initiatives.  
22. The EU's external action policies stressed on the importance of enabling an inclusive and an 
equitable global recovery. It was working  towards this objective by prioritizing women 's economic 
empowerment, environmental mainstreaming, digitalization and green recov ery aims. The EU, its 
members States and domestic financial institutions were furthermore commencing a  new multi -
institutional financial framework called "Global Europe ", which target ed human development, gender 
and environmental targets. This initiative w ill be pertinent for future AfT engagement, as nearly EUR 
80 billion ha d been allocated for its progress.   
23. The representative of Korea  noted that  Korea  had presented an addition al CHF 290,000 to the 
Global Trust Fund (GTF) in August 2021, thus bringing its  total GTF contributions to CHF  6 million. 
Furthermore , several key AfT contributions were highlighted in Government reports published in 
light of Korea' s AfT policy review in October 2021. Support measures  included  customs -related 
assistance and aid for expanding  e-commerce platforms provided to about 35 developing countries 
as of 2020 . Korea ha d also given  aid to 19 developing countries to modernize domestic e -customs 
systems. As of 2020,  Korea 's total AfT  contributions since the start of the Initiative in 2006  exceeded 
USD 10 billion.  
24. Over the next four years,  Korea would  expand support for a global green transition by rapidly 
scaling up  its green official development assistance  commitments . Korea additionally plans to expand WT/COMTD/AFT/M/53  
 
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  commitments to you th and gender empowerment initiative by increasing its existing  contributions 
to the ITC. Korea  was support ing agribusiness resilience and youth entrepreneurship  in West Africa. 
This is in addition to the ITC -led women entrepreneurship programmes that targ eted this region. 
Korea also continues to be one of the three Members leading the ITC 's SheTrades Outlook. Finally, 
the representative affirmed Korea' s continued support to the WTO Chair 's programme.  
25. The representative of Nepal, on behalf of the LDC s, appreciated all support len t by donors for 
the sectoral development in LDCs .  
II. Mainstreaming  
26. The representative of China  noted that it  support ed fellow developing countries and LDCs by 
facilitating trade exports through a zero -tariff treatment on 97% of all  tariff lines to 42 LDCs. China 
was a major export market for LDCs since 2008, importing an estimated 25% of LDC exports.  China 
also contribute d a total of USD 4.2 million to the "China Programme", which provides technical 
assistance and capacity -building to acceding governments . Within the framework of this Programme, 
successful China Round Table s had  taken place in Kazakhstan, Russia and Switzerland.  China  had 
also pledged to donate USD 8 million to the WTO through the South -South Cooperation Assistance 
fund. This fund had recently been used by the WTO to support developing Members in gathering 
official trade statistics, which would  be a major input into ongoing efforts to build a global system of 
trade in value -added and global value chains.  China further  supports international efforts against 
the COVID -19 pandemic and reaffirm ed its commitment to provide vaccines globally to over 100 
countries and international organizations with a target of 2 billion vaccines to be distributed in 2021. 
Additionally, by M ay 2021, China had provided over 280 billion masks, over 3 billion protective suits 
and 4 billion testing kits to more than 200 countries and regions . 
27. The represe ntative of the Enhanced Integrated F ramework  (EIF) provided an update on the 
EIF's recent activities. A six-month extension of the timeline for approval of projects , from June to 
December 2021 , was approved by the EIF Board . This decision was important as it allowed the 
programme to develop and implement a  pipeline of projects targeting key thematic issues . These 
for example include d e-commerce, investment promotion, and tourism recovery. Of the 2021 project 
pipeline amounting to USD 5.79 million submitted to the EIF Board on 26 February 2021, nine 
projects  totalling USD 2.5 million have been approved.  
28. Key highlights of approved projects include a capacity -development programme for 
investment promotion agencies in the LDCs, and analytical work on aligning climate and trade policy. 
A project to support the im plementation of the AfCFTA was also approved in partnership with the 
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation 
and the Islamic Development Bank. Institutional capacity -building support has also been extended 
to Somalia to assist with the WTO accession process and trade integration.  
29. At the  16th EIF Steering Committee, the EIF Trust Fund had welcomed a contribution of 
CHF 4.8 million from the Government of Norway. Th is meeting also marked the release of  the 2020 
EIF annual report . Notable results that were observed include : (i) sustained improvement in the 
trading environment of LDCs, with 46 countries incorporating trade into their national development 
plans; (ii) continuous enhancement of the policy and regulatory framework of LDCs, with eight 
additional trade and investment -related regulations adopted in 2020; (iii) increased LDC trade 
penetration, with an additional 3,000 metric tonnes of goods exported and 37 new s markets 
accessed; (iv) over 13,000 MSME s supported in LDCs, including an additional 1,900 in 2020; and  
(v) over 88,000 women benefitted from EIF training on value chain practices . The representative 
also informed Members of an ongoing program me evaluatio n to assess the results of the programme . 
30. The representative of Cambodia  noted it has been among the biggest recipients of A id for 
Trade amongst the LDCs  over recent years. The  work of the EIF in Cambodia's development efforts  
was highlighted in the statem ent. Through the EIF, Cambodia had received over USD 10 million of 
Aft funding to support institutional capacity and human resource development as well as building 
productive capacity across key sectors. Example s of this include the substantial increase in  
Cambodia's rice exports and the transformation of cassava exports through the creation of new 
value -added products .  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/53  
 
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  31. EIF's contributions to  e-commerce development in Cambodia was evident when examining its 
inputs to the implementation of a  Cambodian  e-commerce strategy  and the  Go4eCAM project . The 
latter aimed to develop  an e-commerce marketplace called CambodiaTrade.com , such that 
Cambodian MSMEs could  post and sell Cambodia n-made products to both cross -border and domestic 
markets. The e -commerce marketplace currently has more than 65 MSMEs onboarded with half 
being women -owned SMEs and with over 350 products posted for sale. The e -commerce marketplace 
will be officially launched in the coming months.  
32. The representative of Nepal, on behalf of the LDCs , thanked the EIF for  providing an updat e 
of its initiatives and interventions.   
33. The representative of the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF ) noted that the 
creation of virtual  STDF practitioner groups ha d strengthened collaborations among stakeholders. 
He highlighted that one such group, which included key partners such as the World  Bank and the 
Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation , was working to scale up electronic SPS  certification in 
developing countries . This was expect ed to build confidence among trading partners and reduce  
trade costs. Th is group would  also explore how the exchange of SPS  certificates could  be further 
harmonized and in tegrated into single window systems.  
34. The STDF would  launch a new practical Guide on Good Regulatory Practices (GRP). This Guide 
would  consolidate information on GRPs in the SPS context for developing countries and provide 
practical guidance to ensure that SPS measures are "fit for purpose" and do not create unnecessary 
barriers to trade.  The STDF's 2022 work plan would  be focused on imp lementing a new Monitoring, 
Evaluation and Learning framework and communications plan. In emphasizing the STDF's role as a 
funding mechanism for innovative SPS projects, the representative reported  that 50 ongoing projects 
were benefiting countries in Afri ca, Asia-Pacific , Latin America and the Caribbean.  
35. The representative of Nepal, on behalf of LDCs , appreciated  STDF's work.  
36. The repres entative of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD ) 
pointed out that the COVID -19 pandemic ha d intensified the need for businesses and individuals to 
adopt or increase the usage digital tools to continue economic and social activity. This need had in 
turn further exposed existing gaps in digital readiness , with significant support and investment being 
needed to enable connectivity and to strengthen legal and policy frameworks. In response, member 
States, at the UNCTAD 15 Ministerial Conference, had decided to strengthen UNCTAD 's work on 
enhancing development gains from the digital economy and e -commerce.  
37. UNCTAD 's e-commerce and Digital Economy Programme is working with governments to raise 
awareness of challenges pertinent to e -commerce and to build the adequate environment for its 
development. The Programme achieves this goal by: (i) conducting  and monitoring  national 
assessments (e -Readi ness); (ii) developing e -commerce strategies ; (iii) providing policy and legal 
advice to countries requesting assistance ; and (iv) measuring e -commerce and the digital economy  
growth . New partners  had joined the  eTrade for all initiative . The ILO, the Commonwealth 
Secretariat, the British Standards Institution and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and 
East-Asia had all joined this initiative.  
38. UNCTAD 's e-trade readiness programme has been receiving i ncreasing interest with 
assessments now finalized for Kenya, Jordan and Tunisia. These assessments would  be followed by 
an e-commerce strategy in the case of Kenya , and action plans for Tunisia and Jordan . Several other 
requests for assessments have been received. Regarding e-commerce strategies, UNCTAD had 
recently concluded the ECS of Botswana and Rwanda . It furthermore is in the process of starting  a 
project in cooperation with the ECOWAS Commission to develo p a regional e -commerce strategy.  
39. On empowerment, the representative noted that  first regional communities of women digital 
entrepreneurs were established  under the eTrade for Women initiative. More than 100 women 
entrepreneurs benefited from masterclasses . The eTrade for Women communities were active in 
more than 20 countrie s, gather ing more than 100 women digital entrepreneurs .  
40. The representative of Nepal, on behalf of the LDCs, thanked UN CTAD for its update on e -trade 
digital economy  and e-commerce activities.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/53  
 
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  41. The representative of Cambodia  thanked UNCTAD for its comprehensive statement. 
Cambodia 's GoV4eCAM  marketplace  was an example of a successful UNCTAD collaboration on 
digitization.   
III. Regional Dimension  
42. The representative of the United States provided an  update on its regional trade cooperation 
initiatives in the five economies of Central Asia , supported by USAID.  Adapting to the global shift 
towards virtual delivery of support as necessitated by the COVID -19 pandemic, USAID offered over 
169 webinars for more than 5,300 participants across Central Asia. This included some innovative 
virtual "matchmaking " trade exchanges between 30 Central Asian horticulture growers and 43 
buyers fro m across the world.  
43. USAID Competitiveness, Trade and Jobs Program  had facilitated over USD 106 million of 
export trade deals and transport and logist ics services since 2016. This was further complimented 
by the Central Asia Transport and Logistics Partnership  which ha d negotiated over USD 85 million in 
contracts for the transpor t of goods across the region. The Transports and Logistics Partnership ha d 
also promoted relevant standards as well as aided in building capacity for cold chain storage.  
IV. Private Sector  
44. The representative of the  International Trade Center (ITC ) highlighted  Aid for Trade 's vital 
role in fostering d igitization and empowerment. Through its ecomm Connect programme, it aimed to 
develop MSME capacity to capitalize on digital trade opportunities and capture market share. The 
ITC also aimed to promote value addition  and diversification through projects such as: (i) the Cotton 
By-products initiative undertaken in partnership with WTO and UNCTAD to build capacity in cotton 
value chains; (ii) the Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress project in Pakistan 
that seeks to enhance institutional support to small -scale farmers for value chain integration ; and 
(iii) the West African Competitiveness Program which aims to reduce commodity dependency in the 
region by facilitating a supportive business environment.  
45. The ITC has also contributed to information access by actively researching and publishing on 
relevant trade topics. Recent publications include the Coffee Guide (4th edition), a comprehensive 
source for international coffee trade flows. The ITC's 2021 SME Competitiveness Outlook highlights 
the importance of framing a green recovery as part of economic developmen t. Furthermore, the ITC 
has advanced several strategic alliances with various development stakeholders. Recent examples 
include a four-year partnership with the Netherlands to enhance trade competitiveness in selected 
African service sectors.  
46. The represen tative of Nepal, on behalf of the LDCs , thanked the ITC for its  update and 
sincerely appreciate d its support in enhancing competitiv ity and trade in LDCs .  
V. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation and Development Effectiveness  
47. No item was raised.  
D. OTHER  BUSINESS  
48. The meeting was adjourned.  
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