RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/46  
 
25 October 2019  
(19-7133) Page: 1/8 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Forty -Sixth Session on Aid for Trade    
 
 
 
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 21 MAY 2019  
Chaired by the Secretariat  
 
Contents  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E 2018 -2019 AID -FOR-TRADE WORK PROGRAMME  ..........  1 
 Update on preparations for the Aid for Trade Global Review 2019 (GR19)  .........................  1 
I. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities  ................................ ......................  2 
II. Mainstreaming  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  2 
III. Regional Di mension  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 5 
IV. Private Sector  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  5 
V.  Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation and Development Effectiveness  ...................  5 
 Geneva launch on the 2019 Financing for sustainable Development Report  .......................  8 
C. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 8 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA 
1. Due to the unforeseen absence through ill -health  of the Chair of the Committee , Members 
agreed that the Secretary of the Committee should chair the meeting . The Agenda, as circulated in 
WTO/AIR/COMTD/AFT/ 14/Rev.1 , was  adopted  witho ut amendment s.  
B. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE  2018 -2019 AID -FOR-TRADE WORK PROGRAMME  
Update on preparations for the Aid for Trade Global Review 2019 (GR19)  
2. The representative of the Secre tariat  provided an overview of preparations for the 2019  Global 
Review of Aid for Trade  on 3-5 July 2019 .1 The Review comprised a total 84 sessions  in different 
formats . The opening plenary session would focus on the launch of the 2019 Aid for Trade at a 
Glance publication .2 The closing  plenary session  would give Members  the opportunity to m ake formal 
statements . Other plenary sessions would be organized on South -South and triangular cooperation  
supporting economic diversification and empowerment;  on the blue economy  and the WTO Fisheries 
Subsidies Agreement; and, on least developed countries ' (LDC) graduation. O ut of the 17 thematic 
focus sessions planned , some would  focus on the regional dimension of Aid for Trade and visit the 
work of regional development institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (AsDB), the Inter -
American Development Bank (IaDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) 
                                                
1 http://www.wto.org/gr2019 .   
2 https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/aid4trade19_e.htm . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/46  
 
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  and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). He noted also the presence of some 20 high-level 
participants , with strong par ticipation from LDC ministers.  
3. Thematic issues such as e -commerce would be addressed. A key finding of the 
2019 Aid-for-Trade Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) exercise had seen the emphasis put on  access 
to trade finance ranks as compared to other constrain ts to trade  faced by respondent governments 
in developing countries. A session on trade finance would therefore discuss  action to address these 
constraints .  
4. Session s on the economic empowerment of w omen, youth and micro, small and medium 
enterprises (MSMEs) also featured in the Global Review agenda . Other topics covered would include  
trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, quality infrastructure, green growth, 
and trade and peace in the context of accession to the WT O. A session looking at the impact o f 
Cyclone  Idai on trade in Southern Africa would also add to the analysis being conducted as part of 
on-going research work on n atural disasters . 
5. On administrative issues, t he representative of the Secretariat  encouraged  Members  to 
register in order to inform the Secretariat's general services on issues such as security and catering.  
Limited funding for attendance was available for speakers and w ould be  provided in collaboration 
with the  Enhanced Integrated Framework  (EIF).  
6. The representative of Cambodia  congratulated the Secretariat on progress  made  in the  
organization of the Global Review . The event would address supporting economic diversification and 
empowerment  – two fundamental topics for LDCs. As part  of its efforts to further its integrat ion into  
international trade, there would be the launch  of the Cambodia  Trade Integration Strategy (CTIS ) 
for 2019-2023 at the Global Review . 
I. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities  
7. The representative of the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF ) gave an update 
on the work of the facility.  The facility was working in developing countries on a number of 
Aid-for-Trade topics cut ting across the areas of trade , food safety , and, animal and plant health. 
This work was focused both on improving health protection and facilitating safe trade. The STDF has 
some  50 collaborative, innovative SPS projects that were at various stages of development, 
implementation and evaluation. The STDF helped developing countries in taking an evidence -based 
approach to inform SPS planning and decision -making . 
8. Another issue that the STDF ha d worked on re lated to reducing the cost of SPS -related trade 
transactions . To address this , the STDF was implementin g a number  of solutions such as streamlining 
SPS procedures, improving coordination among SPS agencies,  and joint customs inspections which 
would eventually lead to the integration of SPS controls into Single Windows. The STDF was also 
committed to paperless trade and funded  several projects around SPS electronic certification which 
would  both increase the integrity of the SPS certificates and reduce processing time.  The Facility 
was encouraging SPS agencies to take advantage of the WTO  Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) 
which also provided an opportunity to strengthen SPS border management. More information was 
available in  the 2018 STDF Annual Report .3  
II. Mainstreaming  
9. The representative from Kenya  provided an update on its recently completed Trade Policy 
Review  (TPR)  and touched upon aspect s of Aid for Trade both in his country and in the East African 
Community  (EAC) at large . He underscored  the contribution made by effective and extensive 
participation in international trade and integration into the global economy for the promotion of 
economic growth and development of developing countries. International trade had proven to be an 
engine for growth, poverty reduction and an enabler that provid ed a variety of benefits to developing 
countries : trade increased economies of scale, capacity utilization, improvements in technology, 
domestic savings, foreign direct investment (FDI) and emp loyment. Trade  had also enabled many 
developing countries to use their abundant raw materials and enjoy competitive advantages, 
specialize and improve efficiency, thereby creating robust economic sectors dealing in services, 
                                                
3 https://w ww.standardsfacility.org/sites/default/files/STDF -AnnualReport2018.pdf . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/46  
 
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  goods, and other tradable commo dities . This had had a direct  and positive effect on the levels of 
gross domestic product (GDP).  
10. Many developing countries  continued to  face barriers  though  that hinder ed them from 
benefiting from the multilateral trading system. These, which the Doha Round of multilateral trade 
negotiations aimed to reduce and eliminate, could be found in the  export markets  and include d 
non-tariff barriers which were increasing in significance , as well at traditional tariff barriers. In 
addition, supply -side challenges exi sted in many developing countries  and include d trade capacity 
building , the need to develop functioning and efficient institutions , harmonization of standards, 
excessive red tape, creation of an investment environment that ha d the capacity to attract 
investments, participat ion in the negotiation and implementation of WTO agreements , etc. 
11. An example of the challenges faced in building effective trade monitoring institutions was the 
establishment of EAC trade remedies . During its TPR on 20 and 22 March 2019,  Kenya had enacted 
the trade remedies act of 2017 which provide d for the setting up of an agency.  However, the latter 
had yet to be established due to resource constraints . In addition, adequate financing for the  
necessary infrastructure to link products t o the global market s was lacking. As a result, transport 
within Africa cost much  more than in other regions. Power generation  was also an issue as power 
outages sometimes averag ed 30 days per year. In African countries, product damage and delays in 
product ion and packaging accounted for about 25% of costs . Such challenge s posed serious setbacks 
to the integration of developing countries such as Kenya into global trade.  
12. The representative of Kenya  said that his country had  enjoyed several  benefits as a result of 
Aid for Trade. Examples  include d the implementation of the Ethical Fashion Program me in Kenya 
and Uganda, which had been supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC). The program me 
had helped to promote trade in sustainably manufactured fashion products between international 
companies and micro producers in marginalized communities in Kenya. It ha d also offered micro 
producers'  access to international value chains. Another example was t he ongoing Business 
Regulatory Reform Unit Initiative funded by the Organisation for Economic Co -operation and 
Development (O ECD) which  had improve d the business and investment climate . The creation of a 
centre  of phytosanitary excellence  had helped enhanc e the capacity of national phytosanitary 
systems which  increase d Kenya's ability to compete in international markets , notably  by meeting 
international phytosanitary standards while also protecting national agricultural and natural 
resources.  
13. United Nation s Conference on Trade and Development 's (UNCTAD ) support  in the production 
of, and trade in , organic agricultural products at EAC level  had also been positive . Kenya's 
Aid-for-Trade strategy had been  adopted in 2017 and aimed at expanding and diversifying trade in 
value -added products and services and promoting more investment inflows. As a result, 
Aid-for-Trade flows in the region had been increasing and account ed for a growing share of the 
regions ' official development  assistance  (ODA) . The support was primarily concentrated in 
trade -related infrastructure, trade facilitation and capacity building.  
14. Joint funding  by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank had financed the 
joint Northern Corridor Transit Transport Coordination Authority and successfully  reduc ed trade costs 
in the region. Transit time s had  been reduced by several days , improving track utilization and 
reducing costs. The savings had translate d into higher incomes for farmers through earnings a nd a 
greater volume of exports. Trade and growth needed to be mainstreamed in the policies of donors 
and recipients  as a major component. A s an important aspect  of the multilateral trading system, the 
administration of Aid for Trade need ed to be safeguarde d through improved transparency and 
accountability. This would  ensure that pledges were honoured , needs met, and that financial 
assistance was used appropriately and effectively.  
15. The representative of Ecuador  discussed Ecuador' s recent TPR. He highlighted his country's 
econom ic vulnerab ility to  internal and external shocks such as the change s in dollar exchange rate , 
the price of oil and  the incidence of  natural disasters. These ha d all been  impeding  factors since the 
country had  pegged  its curr ency to the dollar since Januar y 2000. Between 2007 and 2016 Ecuador 
had made significant progress economic ally and social ly and this ha d been better for the population 
in terms of  levels of poverty and equality . The economy had accelerat ed but remained vu lnerabl e to 
fluctuations in oil prices and changes in various other  sectors.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/46  
 
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  16. Ecuador  had agreed  upon a national development plan for the period  2017 to 2020. The 
Government ha d strived to establish a climate of trust and instil confidence in the private se ctor. 
Support for the private market would  expand  the Ecuadorian economy , increase productivity , 
generate quality employment , foster development and bring down  poverty . Aid for Trade had played 
a role with regards to fostering diversification.  
17. The representative of the Secretariat  announced that at the next Committee on Trade and 
Development meeting, an opportunity would be provided to those Members that would have 
completed thei r TPRs (Papua New Guinea, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, North Macedonia, Suriname 
and Costa Rica) to provide an update.  
18. The representative from the EIF shared highlights on new investments, partnerships and 
funding prospects. The EIF had committed some U S$9 million new investments in building LDC 
capacity to trad e. Some  US$10 million had also been raised in  new funding from development 
partners . In Asia, new investments were helping to develop the service s sector in Myanmar, through 
a review of the services policy, opportunities offered under  the LDC services waiver, and new 
regulations for information  and communication technology , e-commerce and distribution services. 
In Zambia,  action was  focused on economic diversification and greater value addition beyond  
apiculture and improvements in productivity of MSMEs. Thanks to the hard work of LDC partners, 
increase s in LDC exports  had been recorded  (an additional  200,000 kg of hides from Niger, 
20,000  tonnes of mangoes from Senegal and 40,000 tonnes of soybeans fr om Togo ). The EIF was 
also preparing its 2018 annual report  to be released at the end of June  2019.4 
19. During regional workshops held in the first quarter of 2019, the EIF had  met with over 
116 representatives from 44 partner countries and discussed successes, remaining challenges and 
further support required to improve  LDCs' capacity to benefit from global  trade. This was during 
capacity -development workshops in Kampala, Cotonou, and Luang Prabang. What the EIF had  
learned from discussions with the LDCs across all regions was that the theme of women 's economic 
empowerment stood  out very strongly, echoing th e theme of the 2019 Global Review of Aid for 
Trade. With the "Empower women, power trade"  initiative, the EIF would support 50,000 women 
entrepreneurs, women in government, and women c ross-border traders.5 Also, several women 
working on trade and development topics in the Ministries of Trade across LDC Governments had 
been appointed to positions of responsibility. The EIF was also  strengthening its outreach efforts, 
including through its presence at the W omen 20 meeting under the  Japanese  G20 Presidency.  
20. The EIF was  redoubling efforts in working more closely with I nternational Monetary Fund 
colleagues. Similarly, the EIF was strengthen ing engagement with the World Bank, including 
deepening cooperation with the resident representatives. The EIF was also strengthening 
partnerships at the country level  in the Democratic Republic of the Congo  and with its Government 
in supporting economic diver sification efforts in the palm oil sector which  had helped to ensure that 
over 3 ,000 producers had the necessary harvesting, processing, and marketing skills. The EIF was 
also assisting the World Bank develop its  strategy for Fragility, Conflict and Violen ce. 
21. The representatives of Tanzania , Mali, Mozambique , and Togo thanked  the EIF and quoted 
some of the successes their collaboration with the Executive Secretariat had helped to deliver.  
22. The representative of the Russia n Federation  said that his country  would be participating 
substantively in  the Global Review of Aid for Trade for the first time. Russian  State Policy on 
Development Assistance had been renewed in 2014 , with greater focus placed on  strengthening 
bilateral cooperation . There had been a long hi story of development cooperation during the Soviet  
Union  period . In certain years , this aid had reached almost 2% of gross G DP. Between, 1954 to 
1985, the Soviet Union had built over 4 ,720 industrial enterprises and infrastructural objects abroa d.  
23. By OECD estimations, the  volume of Russian development assistance had grown from 
US$100 million in 2004 to US $1.2 billion  in 2018. However real volumes were considerably higher 
as the OECD methodology did not include several  factors  such as expenses on foreig n students who 
benefit ted from free education  in Russia , as well as humanitarian aid, etc. In providing development 
                                                
4 https://www.enhancedif.org/en/publications . 
5 https://www.enhancedif.org/en/empower -women -power -trade. WT/COMTD/AFT/M/46  
 
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  assistance , Russia aligned with  the interests of its partner  beneficiaries. Russian development 
assistance was a solid and reliable footing for friendship and reciprocal cooperation.  
24. In terms of Aid for Trade, Russian development cooperation overlapped with regard to the 
following  priorities found in Russia's State Policy on Development Assistance: (i) trade and 
investment facilitation; (ii) industry and innovations; (iii) poverty reduction; (iv) promotion of 
regional integration, transport networks, rational use of natural resources, realization of 
socio-economic projects; (v) provision of access to water and electric energy; (vi) development of 
information and communication technologies, bridging the information gap; and (vii) food security 
and agriculture.  
25. The delegations of Tanzania  and Mali thanked  Russia for the support it had provided to them , 
recalling , in particular,  the support they had received in the areas of education, capacity building 
and the agricultural sector , also during the Soviet Union period.  
III. Regional Dimension  
 
26. No intervention was made  under this sub -item. 
IV. Private Sector  
 
27. The representative of the United States  report ed on the activities  carried out by a 
public -private partnership of the US Agency for International Development and the American 
National Standards  Institute : the Standards Alliance .6 On 26-28 March 2 019 the Standards Alliance 
had organized a three -day workshop in C ôte d'Ivoire to cover ISO 3701,  a management standard to 
combat bribery.  More than 40 participants from  the public and private sectors attended an initial 
one-day awareness -building seminar about the impact and use of ISO 37001 around the globe.  
Following the awareness -building event, Ivorian experts had been  invited to participate in a two -day 
training to cover the standard in detail. The in -depth training provided an opportunity for participants 
to discuss  the practical application of ISO 37001, as well as local and regional challenges to 
implementation in Cote d’Ivoire. Following the event, Ivorian partic ipants were preparing a strategic 
planning meeting to discuss next steps to use  ISO 37001 in Cote d’Ivoire.  
28. The representative of Côte d'Ivoire  thanked the United States for the support provided by the 
Standards Alliance . The representative of Mali undersc ored the importance of its cooperation with 
the United States notably with regards to farming and combat ting desertification. The representative 
of Vanuatu  requested information  as to whether any such activities were taking place in the Pacific 
and extende d assistance  to the United States to organize events in his region.  
V.  Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation and Development Effectiveness  
 
29. The representative of the Secretariat  provided a summary on the Aid -for-Trade Workshop that 
had taken place on 20 May 2019.  
30. On 5 February 2019, the Committee on Trade and Development had held an Aid -for-Trade 
Workshop chaired by H.E. Mr. Chad Blackman, Ambassador of Barbados, to preview the draft 
2019 Aid for Trade at a Glance pub lication. This year's edition was entitled "Supporting Economic 
Diversification and Empowerment". The report would  be formally launched at the Aid for Trade Global 
Review on 3 July 2019. The workshop featured presentations of the nine chapters of the publi cation.  
31. Introducing the publication, the WTO Secretariat highlighted that it spoke about  the 
fundamental rationale of the Aid-for-Trade Initiative, namely economic diversification and 
empowerment. A first presentation discussed insights from the informatio n collected by the joint 
OECD -WTO Aid -for-Trade M&E exercise, that underpin ned the publication (Chapter 1). A total of 133 
responses had been received, of which 38 were submitted by LDCs, marking the highest LDC 
response rate achieved . 
32. Economic and export diversification emerged strongly as a core objective in the trade and 
development strategies of developing countries, particularly LDCs and landlocked developing 
                                                
6 https://standardsalliance.ansi.org/ . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/46  
 
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  countries (LLDCs). Encouraging progress in economic diversification had been reported by surve y 
respondent governments, but it was n either uniform nor universal. At a sectoral level, most export 
diversification progress had been reported in agriculture. Much work remained to be done to 
overcome challenges. Inherent challenges specific to the LLDCs and small economies were 
discussed. The Secretariat emphasized that economic empowerment served not only as an outcome 
of economic diversification but also  as a catalyst to this process. Diversification could be stimulated 
through investment in human capit al and skills, thereby enabling youth, women, and MSMEs to 
engage in productive activities and international trade.  
33. Aid-for-Trade financing and flows was the focus of a presentation by the OECD  (Chapter 2) . A 
total of US$409 billion has been disbursed in o fficial development assistance to help developing 
countries build trade capacities since the launch of the Aid -for-Trade Initiative. Low -income countries 
received most concessional flows. In 2017, Aid -for-Trade commitments had reached US$57 billion. 
At a p er capita level, LDCs received the highest transfers, some US$25.3 in official development 
finance, compared to US$11.5 for upper middle -income countries. Empirical findings suggested that 
Aid-for-Trade support had helped developing countries improve their  competitiveness and expand 
their trade. The M&E exercise highlighted trade facilitation  support  was impactful for economic 
diversification and empowerment.  
34. Comments from the floor had referred to the results presented on LLDCs and highlighted 
pertinent challenges specific to this group, including high trade costs. The situation of landlocked 
LDCs was also referenced. Others raised challenges facing LDCs including the limited ability to 
process resources and limited access to finance. One partic ipant underscored the need to craft 
concrete solutions to target the constraints identified by partner developing countries. Discussions 
explored ways to tap into development assistance, strengthen the capacity of LDCs to fully benefit 
from flexibilities a ccorded to them, reinforce engagement with the private sector, and support LDCs 
and MSMEs to boost their exports. A suggestion made was to examine Aid -for-Trade financing to 
the development of pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in LDCs.  
35. A presentation m ade by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) argued 
for an expansion of manufacturing activity  (Chapter 3). Manufacturing linkages to the economy were 
a major driver in poverty reduction and a traditional pathway to economic diversific ation. The 
presenter underscored the need to focus policy on manufacturing so as to promote sectoral 
interlinkages. Three sectors were listed as the top sectors offering the best prospects in 
manufacturing, namely food and beverages, apparels, and textile as they exhibited fast growth and 
accounted for a large share of manufacturing value added in an early stage of development. In light 
of digitalization, the presenter noted that some sectors and activities were more prone to automation 
than others. UNIDO w as also somewhat sceptical as to the near-term influence of on -shoring on 
manufacturing location. To conclude, the presenter reiterated the need to put in place appropriate 
industrial policy to promote inclusive and sustainable development.  
36. Economic divers ification in the context of fragile and conflict -affected areas was the focus of 
a joint presentation by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the EIF  (Chapter  4). 
They discussed how Aid for Trade could be more effective in ensuring greater c oherence between 
humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts. In examining economic diversification in 
LDCs, the presenter s highlighted that LDCs' share in world exports had remained low with many still 
relying on natural resources - characteristic s further accentuated by fragility. From a trade 
perspective, reducing instability linked to trade shocks would contribute to reducing violence and 
conflict. To conclude, greater attention to the local context, and peacebuilding and state -building , 
were id entified as key factors in designing future Aid -for-Trade program mes for LDCs  in fragile 
contexts.  
37. The World Bank discussed the experience of economic diversification from a policy mix 
perspective , arguing that there was no one path to diversification (Cha pter 5). The presenter said 
that a multi -pronged approach targeting agriculture, manufacturing, and services was needed to 
sustain diversification. Knowledge and skills were highlighted as key factors needed to mobilize 
labour across sectors and embrace ch ange, including those introduced by technology. Nurturing 
small firms to grow would  help because the export propensity of a firm increase d as it grew, creating 
jobs for youth and increasing their capacity to absorb labour. Transition across sectors went be yond 
the need for skills, to the need for appropriate policies such as labour market reform. In addition, 
countries that had pro -competitive policies tended to be more diversified. To conclude, the presenter 
reiterated that policy design should be attuned to the country specificities.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/46  
 
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  38. Discussions from the floor touched on access to energy, industrialization in Africa, the 
implications of shifting from agriculture to services, and industrial contribution to GDP. In addition, 
factors needed to successfully tr ansform agricultural production such as standard compliance and 
investment in quality infrastructure were discussed. It was reiterated that the scope for a country 
to industrialize is contingent on a number of factors including size, distance to market, an d 
connectivity among others.  
39. A further World Bank presentation focused on trade facilitation and analysed how Aid for Trade 
is supporting the implementation of the WTO TFA, tracking where progress had been made and the 
impacts of reforms (Chapter 6). The p resenter highlighted that the level of alignment with the TFA 
was increasing, with notable improvements in the publication of measures, automation and 
streamlining of procedures and engagement with the trade community. Positive impacts from these 
Aid-for-Trade supported reforms had been registered with reduction s in the number of  documents  
required and  clearance times. Looking ahead, the presenter suggested that facilitation of e -
commerce be considered , given the potential this market held.  
40. Global economic trends may be entering a period of "slowbalisation " in the view of UNCTAD . 
This would mean  slower growth, or contraction, of trade, FDI and capital flows (Chapter 7). This 
shift called for a new focus including on services, which had been shown to hold gro wth potential 
either through direct exports or embedded as inputs. The potential of South -South intraregional 
trade for diversification was also underscored. To conclude, the presenter pointed out that regional 
regulatory cooperation could help export dive rsification, but this process was complex as well as 
time-consuming, providing a rationale for Aid -for-Trade support.  
41. The ITC discussed the twin problems of youth unemployment and SMEs' difficulties in finding 
skilled labour and recommended that these shou ld be solved together (Chapter 8). Youth were a 
large and growing proportion of the population in many developing countries. Small firms in 
developing countries hired youth and provided on -the-job training and experience. Youth, in turn, 
could help increas e the exports of developing countries by boosting the human capital of firms, 
creating a win -win opportunity. Aid for Trade in youth economic empowerment, focusing on skill 
building and alignment, could promote trade for development.  
42. Women's economic empowerment was the subject of the final presentation by OECD and 
identified as a key driver for sustainable development (Chapter 9). The proportion of Aid for Trade 
that integrated gender perspectives within all Aid for Trade, expanded from 9% in  2006-07 to 24% 
in 2016 -17. Areas believed to best support women's economic empowerment included vocational 
training, agriculture, and business.  
43. Comments on the presentations covered challenges for youth, land issues as a constraint to 
women's economic emp owerment, the survival of micro -projects, and setting up business ecosystem 
support.  
44. The representative of Côte d'Ivoire  thanked the Secretariat for the update .  
45. The representative of Nepal  recalled the fundamental objective of the  Aid-for-Trade  Initiative 
when launched to support developing countries , and particularly the LDCs , to build their limited 
infrastructure and strengthen their supply -side capacity. These objectives were still relevant  despite 
progress made . Supporting economic diversifica tion and  economic  empowerment for inclusive, 
sustainable development through Aid for Trade seemed r elevant as focuse d on the right things: 
diversification of the economy, of exports and empowerment of women , youth and MSMEs.  
Mainstreaming the needs and con cerns of this group and their participation in national policy and 
strategy was highly significant for inclusive economic development. She thank ed all development 
partners and highlight ed that eight LDC Member s were engaged in the process of graduation. Nepal 
encouraged development partners to introduce an innovative support mechanism to support newly 
graduated states.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/46  
 
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  Geneva launch on the 2019 Financing for sustainable Development Report  
46. Launch ing the 2019 Financing for Sustainable Development Report7 in Geneva, t he 
representative from the United Nations Department for Economic and Socia l Affairs  said that the 
report stemmed from the Addis Ababa Action Agenda  (AAAA) . Sixty  United Nations agencies had 
collaborated in putting it together including what she referred to as the major institutional 
stakeholders of the financing for development process . The authors had also collaborated with the 
Financial Stability Board , International Monetary Fund , the OECD  and World Bank  Group . 
47. The report covered the seven chapters of the AAAA : domestic resource mobilization, private 
finance development cooper ation, trade, debt, systemic issues and technology. It provided an 
overview of the work taking place in the context of the Action Agenda, discussed implementation 
and provided policy recommendations , covered the global economic context , and finally, data. The 
main message of the report was that despite signs of progress, investments in the Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs), these remain ed underfunded and an urgent, national and global set of 
actions was necessary. Some important risks that the report und erlined were the pushback on trade , 
rising debt , action to mitigate the effects of climate change, inequalities, the impacts of digitalization 
on the global economy and global market concentration – many issues that she thought the global 
structure was ill -designed to deal with. The strain in the system present ed the  opportunity to re -
make it in a way that it would support sustainable development.  
48. The representative of UNCTAD  provided comments on the trade chapter of the Financing for 
Sustainable Development Report. Saying that the report stemmed from the AAAA , she quoted  
paragraph 17  of the document which said that "with appropriate supporting policies, infrastructure 
and an e ducated workforce trade [could ] help to promote productive employment and decent work, 
women's empowerment and food security as well as reduction in inequality and contribute to 
achieving the sustainable development goal s". 
49. The 2019 Financing for  Sustainab le Development  report discusse d development s in 
international trade  including the status  of the multilateral trading system, followed by bilateral and 
the regional trade and investment agreements and their role in sustainable development. It also 
discusse d issues on facilitating international trade, which covers trade finance , and promoting trade 
and investment in a manner consistent with the SDGs. The key issues included in the trade  segment 
of the report change d every year . This year , UNCTAD had discussed  trade , econom ic growth, labo ur 
markets , poverty reduction  and inequality.  Report re commendation s included to expeditiously 
implement the Ministerial Decisions on preferential rules of origins for LDCs and preferential 
treatment of LDCs ' services  export s.  
C. OTHER BUSINESS  
 
50. No item was raised under "Other Business".  
51. The meeting was adjourned . 
__________  
                                                
7 https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/financing -for-sustainable -development -report -
2019.html .