RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/55  
 
1 August  2022 
(22-5755) Page: 1/8 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Fifty-Fifth Session on Aid for Trade    
 
  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF  4 MAY 2022 
Chairperson:  Ambassador Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius ) 
Contents  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. AID-FOR-TRADE GLOBAL REVIEW (2022) – UPDATE ON PREPARATIONS  ...............  1 
C. IMPLEMENTATION OF AID -FOR-TRADE ACTIVITIES  ................................ ................  2 
I. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Acti vities  ................................ .....................  2 
II. Mainstreaming  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  7 
III. Regional Dimension  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 7 
IV. Private Sector  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  7 
V. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation and Development Effectiveness  ...................  8 
D. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 8 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Agenda, as circulated in WTO/AIR/COMTD/AFT/23 was adopted without amendments. 
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of H.E. Ms Usha Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady.  
B. AID-FOR-TRADE GLOBAL REVIEW (2022)  – UPDATE ON PREPARATIONS  
2. The Chair opened the meeting by provid ing an update on preparations for the 
2022 Aid-for-Trade Global Review. The event would be held on 27-29 July under  the theme 
"Empower ing Connected, Sustainable Trade ". She referred to the information note circulated on 
8 April in document WT/COMTD/AFT/W/91 and  presented the topics to be examined over the three 
days of the conference.  Empowerment and connectivity would be addressed on the first day , 
sustainable trade on the second , and the future priorities  on the third.  
3. Member s could request to hold both p hysical  or virtual  sessions.  The Chair recalled  the 
deadline for the submission of session requests (13 May  2022) and encouraged Members  and 
Observers to plan sessions in collaboration with each other.  To keep the event  manageable and 
accessible , an upper limit of 30 sessions was suggested.  
4. The representative of the United States  (US) expressed support and solidarity with Ukraine . 
She also communicated enthusias m in participati ng in the Global Review  and the interest of the US 
in organizing a session. The US was interested in identifying opportunities that e -commerce policies 
could  offer for export diversification, in both goods and services trade , and the contribution of  
Aid for Trade in support ing different actors to realize these economic growth opportunities. 
Regarding the content and format, the representative  called for transp arent, Member -driven choices.   
5. The representative of China  informed  Members that it had  circulated the information note and 
session request form  to stakeholders in Beijing to encourage their participation in the Global Review.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/55  
 
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  6. The representative of the European Union  (EU) welcomed the update about the Global Review 
and expressed interest in  contribut ing a session . 
7. Noting the difficult timing of the event , the representative of Norway  expressed  their 
willingness to contribute to the Global Review . They considered  the event represented a  valuable 
opportunity to take stock of current Aid -for-Trade work and evolving priorities . The Global Review  
would highlight important priorities in Norway's development agenda, for instance in the areas of  
sustainable development and women's empowerment.  
8. The representative of Colombia  expressed  their interest in the subjects of sustainability  and, 
in particular , circular economy. Colombia  declared they were  commit ted to work with other Members 
to present a specific proposal  on plastic pollution.  
9. The representative of the World Ba nk Group  (WBG)  stressed that  the Global Review presented  
an important moment to discuss the interface between trade and development , and it intended to 
be active  at the event . The WBG planned to present panel proposals on each of the central themes , 
along with the results of its work with partners . 
C. IMPLEMENTATION OF AID -FOR-TRADE ACTIVITIES  
I. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities  
10. The representative of the African Development Bank  (AfDB)  opened its statement by 
highlighting  the double crisis faced by Africa . The pandemic had affect ed millions of African women, 
youth,  and vulnerable groups . The conflict in Uk raine was exacerbat ing the economic challenges 
created by the pandemic and threatened  a food crisis. The representative noted that Africa had seen  
a decline in GDP growth of 2.1% in 2020 and GDP  had fallen by USD 165 billion. More than 30 million 
jobs had been lost and more than 26 million people had fallen into extreme poverty.  
11. In terms of pandemic responses, through the Covid -19 Response Facility  the AfDB supplied 
31 African countries with billions of dollars in budget suppor t and emergency finance to maintain 
vital health services, expand social protection and protect jobs, businesses, and trade. In 2020 and 
2021 the AfDB had accelerated the delivery of approximately USD  3 billion worth of trade -related 
infrastructure project s, focusing on transport, energy, agriculture, and water.  In this regard, the 
representative recalled  that in November 2021, the AfDB had approved the USD  555 million Road 
and Navigational Improvement Project  between the Central African Republic and the Congo and in 
February 2022, it had authorized USD  140 million Trade and Transport Facilitation  programme  
established by  the Mano River Union. Based on lessons learnt during  the pandemic, the AfDB planned  
to inv est an additional  USD 3 billion for pharmaceutical and vaccine production on the continent as 
a preventive programme over the following  3-5 years .  
12. In order to raise awareness of a food crisis, the representative noted that the AfDB had 
prepared  a USD 1.5 billion Food Crisis Response and Emergency Facility  to increase local food 
production, procure fertilizer , and mitigate the effects of the war on food prices in Africa. The plan 
would also build on the success of the African Agricultural Processing Technologies  programme . This 
had provided direct support to 11  million farmers across Africa over the previous three years , in 
nine selected products, including : cassava ; wheat ; rice; and maize . Concluding  his address , the 
representative referred to the concessional funding window of the African Development Fund (ADF)  
that had invested  USD 45 billion in Africa 's low-income countries  since 1974 , thanks to the support 
of the 37 ADF donor countries . In closing, he noted that n egotiations for the ADF-16 replenishment 
phase were ongoing .  
13. The representative of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development  (EBRD)  viewed  
the war in Ukraine as one of the factors exacerbating upward inflationary pressur es (due to rising 
energy, metal and food prices ), and stressed the extreme importance of food security. EBRD  
consider ed the involvement of the private sector crucial  for a long -term sustainable approach to 
ensuring food security. In  2021, the EBRD had provided EUR 400 million in direct financing and 
EUR 800 million in trade finance with private companies engaged in the agribusiness and food value 
chains. In 2022, the EBRD had scaled up financing to the Ukrainian private sector with an allocation 
of EUR 320 million and support provided through ten partner banks, to provide working capital and 
liquidity to companies to be able to continue operations and provide food to t he population.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/ 55 
 
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  14. The EBRD was committed  to work with commodity traders and processors of agricultural goods 
to promote exports in supplier regions and  provide  finance for value chain efficiency improvements. 
In 2021, EBRD 's Trade Facilitation programme  exceeded EUR 3.2 billion, with new credit limits 
established with eight partner institutions across four economies . In 2022, EBRD  had substantially 
increased its trade finance support for Ukraine  and in the two months following the start of the war 
a trade fin ance programme  had supported import and export transactions worth EUR 40 million.  
15. The EBRD provided  advisory services to micro -small and medium -sized enterprises  (MSMEs) 
in order for them to start or expand their exports and imports. In 2021 alone, the  EBRD had  reached 
out to almost 2,200 MSME s through small and medium -sized enterprises ( SMEs) Advisory Projects . 
Almost 42,000 of them had  taken advantage of the newly launched digital platforms  (e.g. MEREZHA , 
Know -How Academy , etc.). From 2019 to 2021, over 1,500 MSME s had been  supported through the 
EBRD Advisory Projects  and increased  their total exports by a total of EUR 890 million within a year 
of receiving support.  In cooperation with local partner banks, EBRD  had recently launched a new 
financial product aimed at facilitating the ir participation in global supply chains to strengthen their  
resilience in times of crisis.  
16. The representative of the Islamic Trade Finance Corporation  (ITFC ), part of  the 
Islamic  Development Bank Group , provide d an update on the second phase of the  Aid-for-Trade 
Initiative for the Arab States (AfTIAS 2.0). The first set of projects (eight in total) had been  approved 
by the AfTIAS  Technical and Coordination Committee  on 31 March 2022 . The first two project s aimed 
at enhancing the competitiveness of the information and communication technologies sector and 
agro-food industry in Algeria . The third intend ed to provide training for export project s in Egypt . The 
fourth aim ed to improving the competitiveness of the artisanal dyeing plant in Mauritania . The 
fifth was finalized to establish the Industrial and Commercial Institute in Yemen . The sixth, seventh 
and eight h consist ed of regional project s aimin g at supporting the upgrade of the Arab economic 
integration system, facilitating agricultural trade in the Arab region,  and creating a large and 
sustainable base of developers and innovators in digital solutions focused on the tourism sector. 
Lastly, he invited the ITFC's global partners and the donor community to join AfTIAS  2.0 and 
contribute to the support of  the most vulnerable and fragile Arab States . 
17. The representative of Inter-American Development  (IADB) highlighted the IADB's support to 
Latin Ame rican and Caribbean countries through financial and non -financial instruments and pointed 
to its actions in trade promotion for effective post -pandemic economic recovery. These  initiatives 
aimed to achieve "global inclusion" (i.e. territorial, social and e nvironmental ). The representative 
then updated Members on recent innovations in trade facilitation and export promotion.  
18. In the area of trade facilitation,  the IADB focused  on: customs modernization; coordinated 
border management ; logistics platforms and corridors in border areas ; port community systems ; 
and r egional interoperability mechanisms . With regard to export and promotion , the IADB 
concentrated  on: the application of quantitative methodologies for the identification of suppliers and 
buyers in international markets and potential exporters; identification of sustainable exportable 
supply ; the application of cluster initiatives methodologies ; and strengthening of productive linkages 
between local suppliers and global value chains  (GVCs) . Finally, the representative reiterated  IADB's 
support for the integration  schemes in Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Alliance  for 
Development in Democracy, the deep integration scheme of the Northern Triangle and the Pacific 
Alliance.  
19. According to th e representative of the  World Bank Group  the multiple crises affecting the world 
would disproportionately  strike  lower and middle -income countries, particularly the most vulnerable 
segments of the population, including women and children. Economic recovery was at risk amid 
geopolitical tensions, with investment, trade, commodity prices, remittances, financial markets  and 
economic growth all adversely affected, and with countries facing additional risks from the pandemic 
and the uneven distribution  of vaccines. Rising fertilizer costs, commodity supply constraints, floods 
and drought were among the many factors that th reaten ed food security.  
20. At the time of the Spring Meetings, damages in Ukraine alone had reached an estimated 
USD 60 billion  and that they  would likely increase  as the conflict continued . The WBG had prepared  
a USD 170 billion surge in financing to deal with a multiplicity of overlapping crises , in addition  to 
the USD  3 billion it had mobilized to support Ukraine.  Beyond the effects of the war, the global 
economy was facing a series of simultaneous crises including the C OVID -19 pandemic, the specter  
of stagflation , mounting debt distress across the developing world, continuing climate change and WT/COMTD/AFT/M/55  
 
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  biodiversity challenges, and increasingly, situations of fragility and conflict.  The WBG supported the 
need for macro -political adjustments to shift the allocation of capital from demand to supply and 
argued  that trade could and should pla y an important role in that regard . 
21. The COVID -19 pandemic  had triggered a global increase in public and private debt with the 
global debt -to-GDP ratio reaching 256% in 2020 . The WBG's Spring meetings highlighted  that the 
response to the COVID -19 crisis remain ed a crucial priority for the development community.  In 
2020-2021, the  WBG had provided  USD 204 billion of tailored support to client countries  ( including 
for health, education and social protection ) to address the significant impacts  of the COVID -19 
pandemic . The WBG expect ed to have committed USD 11 billion for the purchase and distribution of 
vaccines by the end of June  2022, benefiting 81 countr ies.  
22. Furthermore , the WBG was intensifying its work with the public and private sector, in 
collaboration with other development partners, to develop and expand access to solutions to harness 
the full potential of digital transformation. In implementing its Climate Action Plan, the WBG  had 
provided  USD 26 billion in climate financing in 2021. At the  Global Review , the WBG hope d to offer 
some insights related to  the role that trade could  play in helping countries achieve their net zero 
emissions targets.  
23. The representative of the United  Kingdom  (UK) express ed its reprehension at  the situation in 
Ukraine  and praised t he international financial institutions  (IFIs)  for their reports on the impact of 
the war, particularly on food security, energy prices and rising inflation, as well as the s evere effects 
of the pandemic. The UK was a supporter of Aid for Trade . In April,  the UK Trade Minister had 
launched a further  phase of the Trade Facilitation programme  with the United Nations Conference 
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) to speed up the 
movement of goods and strengthen public -private cooperation around the world. The  UK considered  
Aid for Trade a priority and was fully comm itted to cooperating to help developing countries and 
least developed countries (LDCs) use trade as a tool for growth.  
24. The representative of the European Union  recalled that the Union and its  Member states were 
the largest source of Aid for Trade since the  launch of the WTO Aid -for-Trade initiative in 2006 , 
including in Ukraine . More than EUR 2 billion had been disbursed between 2006 and 2019  (mainly 
by the EU, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and France ). The EU financed Aid -for-Trade projects, 
including institutional capacity building, simplification of customs processes and documentation, 
utilisation and implementation of the EU -Ukraine Association Agreement, as well as  supporting  the 
Ukrainian food and agricultural sector. As all of these projects had been  negatively affected by the 
war, the prerequisite for sustainable reconstruction  was to end the war. Since the beginning of the 
conflict, almost EUR 1.9 billion  in the EU budget had been  transferred into the macro -financial 
systems and the new emergency package. The aim was to strengthen Ukraine's resilience by 
increasing the capacity of the government, economic actors and civil society, displaced persons, 
rehabilitation of critical infrastructure, digital cybersecurity, energy and food security , and 
humanitarian aid.  
25. The EU  representative  reiterated most of its support in areas such as trade facilitation and 
deepening trade integration; increasing the competitiveness and internationalization of SMEs  and 
their resilience; trade -related competition policy; customs administration and trade facilitation; and 
safer food and small farm projects. The representative emphasized that Ukraine had requested the 
EU's help in finding alternative routes for trade and especially for grain expor ts.  
26. The EU representative also discussed  the impact of the war on third countries  through  supply 
of commodities, in particular , agricultural products and fertilizers. In response, the EU replied that 
they had launched or supported initiatives for improved  food security , including  the policy document  
Safeguarding Food Security and Enhancing the Resilience of Food Systems  and a number of 
initiatives within the Group of Seven  (G7), among which the  Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission  
(FARM) . In closing, he opined that  Aid for Trade played  an extremely important role in supporting 
countries to cope  with the impact of the war in Ukraine  and the COVID -19 pandemic.  
27. The representative of Japan  noted that his country, as the largest Aid -for-Trade donor, was 
committed to help developing countries improv ing their trade -related capacities. It consider ed 
international trade to be an important driver of economic development . In 2022 , Japan  had made 
additional financial contributions to the WTO Doha Deve lopment Agenda Global Trust Fund and to WT/COMTD/AFT/M/ 55 
 
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  projects provided by ITC, including assistance to expand vaccine production in Africa and technical 
assistance to develop the digital skills of women entrepreneurs.  
28. The representative  recalled that recent  events  in Ukraine that had largely reversed the global 
development built through international cooperation. He emphasi zed the negative  impact s of the 
conflict on infrastructure, refugee flows , and food and energy prices.  He encouraged  humanitarian 
assistance and said that his country would  provide  USD 2  million to protect  refugees, provide medical 
care and food to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries through international organizations such as 
the United Nations High Commission for R efugees  (UNHCR) , the International Committee of the 
Red Cross , the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization  (FAO) , and 
Japanese non -governmental organizations. Beyond humanitarian support , Japan provided relief 
supplies and accepted r efugees from Ukraine  as an act of s olidarity . 
29. The representative of Ukraine  underscored the value of the Aid -for-Trade initiative. In 2019, 
Ukraine had participated in the Aid-for-Trade  Monitoring Exercise . Despite the  conflict that had put 
Ukraine's ability to participate in the 2022 initiative at risk, the country  was working with 
international partners and institutions to mobilize resources to address trade -related needs and 
supply constraints. She expressed her gratitude for  the international support and cooperation and 
stressed  the crucial importance of financial aid and technical support . In these areas, she recalled : 
the World Bank 's USD 700 million contribution mobilized through  the Emergency Financing Package ; 
the EUR 2 billion EB RD resilience package to help war -affected citizens , businesses , and countries ; 
and the USD 1.4 billion Emergency Financing Support  supplied by the International Monetary Fund  
(IMF). The war had stopped  70% of Ukraine's  economy  and its GDP could drop by 30 -50% in 2022 . 
The agricultural sector  was one of the most affected. In the following  six months Ukraine would need 
USD 50 billion in financial assistance to cover its budget defici t. In conclusion, the delegation of 
Ukraine urged WTO Members and international institutions to take  further  measures  to help bring 
the war  to an end . 
30. The representative of Canada  expressed  her country's disapproval o f the situation in Ukraine . 
She then e numerated the numerous consequences of the conflict, inc luding the  threat  to the food 
security of developing countries . The effects of the conflict could reverse  trade progress made 
through Aid -for-Trade investments in developing and LDCs, and severely hamper the ability to 
achieve the Sustainable Development G oals (SDGs) . Finally, she reiterated her country's  full 
commitment to work closely with allies and partners to promote peace and security.  
31. The representative of Norwa y reiterated its commitment to  the LDCs and Sub-Saharan Africa  
and said that their development policy focuse d on the poorest and most vulnerable groups. He 
referenced  trade as an "engine " for macroeconomic growth and poverty reduction . Inevitably, the 
war in Ukraine  would  have consequences on Norway's Aid-for-Trade budge t.  
32. The representative of China  stated that  the impact of COVID -19 was far from over. She called 
for an increas e in aid for vaccines and immunization to bridge the "vaccination gap " between 
developed and developing countries. In this regard, the representative highlighted that China 
provided over 2.1 billion doses to more than 120 countries and international organizations. In 
capacity building,  China ha d organized training courses fo r 1,200 administrators, academics,  and 
enterprises from developing countries on WTO rules and their application to international trade, 
e-commerce, trade investment , promotion , and trade facilitation. The representative reminded 
Members of the China -funded  Fifth South -South Dialogue  which would be held on 16 May 2022 in 
Geneva. China  would fully engage in  the Global Review  and planned  a session on Perspectives for 
the Multilateral Trading System , focusing on helping LDCs to better integrate , and benefit mor e, 
from global trade.  
33. The representative of Korea  expressed his country's  disapproval  for the situation  in Ukraine 
and noted that his country  had provided  USD 40 million  in humanitarian assistance.  On Aid-for-Trade 
activities , he recalled how , in April 2022, Korea had donated CHF 6 million to the WTO Trust Fund. 
Korea had also support ed the WTO Chairs programme  by allocating part of its 2022 Global Trust 
Fund contribution to the programme . In June  Korea  and the ITC would launch a multi -million dollars 
"Start-Up Academy " project in Uganda to support entrepreneurship in Africa  and help  businesses 
better connect with global markets.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/55  
 
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  34. According to t he representative of Vanuatu  his country,  both as a graduating LDCs and Small 
Island Developing State (SIDS) , was vulnerable as it faced important  climate change pressure s. In 
this context , Enhanced Integrated Framework (E IF) support was  essential . 
35. The representative of the Russian Federation  said that he did not agree with statements made  
earlier in the meeting on what had ca used the conflict in Ukraine , the economic situation and the 
food crisis . He estimated that e conomic sanctions towards Russia  did not align with  WTO rules or 
contribute towards reinforcing the  Multilateral Trading Syst em. The restrictive -trade measures taken 
against the Russian Federation were negatively affect ing global development. In spite of this, Russia  
intended to continue to fulfil  its international obligations  under the WTO . In addition, the Federation 
was deeply concerned about the possibility of aggravating the structural crisis and was aware of the 
importance of supplies for the achievement of food security, for the realization of the SDGs and for 
the socio -economic develop ment of the LDCs. In this regard he called for  the lifting of the  unilateral 
measures  to reduce tensions on transport, logistics and on financ e. 
36. The representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organi zation (UNIDO)  
recalled two of its priorities: poverty reduction and food security through technology transfer and 
agribusiness development  (with a focus on Africa ); and the  green transformation of industry through 
low-carbon industrial production, access to sustainable energy and the development of a 
green  hydrogen strategy.  In a recent speech, the newly appointed UNIDO Director -General 
Gerd Müller had emphasized the need to  change the terms of trade, increasing local added value to 
commodities and enabling countries to meet higher standards. A call was made for greater 
cooperation between industrialized and developing countries through technology transfer and 
investment, as well as through official development assistance. On the greening of industry, UNIDO 
focused  mainly on industrial decarbonization and the application of green hydrogen in industry. In 
this context, UNIDO  played a role as a leading platform for technology an d knowledge transfer and 
investment mobilization.  
37. The representative of Ecuador  emphasi zed the  importance of trade and sustainable 
development  issues, especially in terms of technical assistance, capacity building and plastic 
reduction, and the relevance o f the Global Review. Ministers had reached an agreement to increase 
work in certain areas and to find actions that participating Members could collectively undertake to 
support global efforts in reducing plastic pollution, as well as technical assistance, capacity building 
related to trade for developing Members, with a focus on LDCs and SIDS. The representative 
emphasized the importance of reducing plastic pollution and finding sustainable alternatives. 
Ecuador was working with the WTO Secretariat  to prese nt those  aspects at the Global Review.  
38. The representative of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development  (UNCTAD)  
update d on the results of E-Commerce  Week  on 25 to 29 April. Thirty -one of UNCTAD's partners had 
contributed to at least one session at the event  (including the EIF, WTO, ITC, WBG and UNIDO ) and 
had stressed the need to make the digital economy more inclusive. The representative also 
commented on the Fifth Session of Intergovernmental Group of Experts  on E-commerce and the 
Digital Economy  that involved 80 countries and its Agreed Policy Recommendations . A call was made 
to address digitalization issues for developing countries and LDCs to build their capacity to participate 
in and benefit from e -commerc e and digital economy. The development community needed  to find 
common principles and objectives to address the inter -connected global challenges, along with 
maximizing gains from the digital economy and digitalization, ensuring equitable distribution of t he 
gains, and minimiz e the associated  risks.  
39. In terms of capacity -building solutions, the representative referred to some of the activities 
that UNCTAD was pursuing, for example in Tunisia, Jordan, Malawi, Mongolia (with support from 
Korea), Peru (in coll aboration with Switzerland ), the Economic Community of West African States  
(ECOWAS ), Benin, Kenya, the Solomon Islands, and more broadly in the Pacific. A report on the 
digital economy dedicated to the Pacific  was being prepared , to be published by the end of 2022. 
In terms of requests, UNCTAD  had received new requests from Trinidad and Tobago on e -commerce 
strategy, Zimbabwe and Mauritania. Finally, the representative mentioned UNCTAD's engagement 
with Kazakhstan in reviewing its legislation to facilita te e-commerce in relation to the Joint Initiative 
on E-commerce Consolidated Negotiating Text . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/ 55 
 
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  II. Mainstreaming  
40. The representative of Guyana  made  a statement about its  Trade Policy Review which had been  
completed on 2 and 4 March 2022 . Through robust poli cy, Guyana was rapidly recovering from the 
challenges of the pandemic . The country  intended to  build a diversified, low -carbon economy that 
relied less on fossil fuels and increase d the use of and focus on renewable energy, particularly solar, 
wind and hydropower. The country had updated its Low Carbon Development Strategy  and include d 
the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies as one of its goals. The representative highlighted  that n ew 
investment projects were underway,  and that Guyana sought  additional investors to implement its 
economic policies and achieve the SDGs . Guyana focused  on sustainable economic growth and 
development grounded  on a diversified, competitive, resilient, and productive base to create jobs 
and employment to stimulate and encourage entrepreneurial activity among the population. Lastly,  
Guyana remained committed to fair trade and increased trade relations.  
41. The representative of  Enhanced Integrated Framework  announced  a new project launched on 
10 March 2020 to help  eight African countries (including six LDCs) to operationali ze the African 
Continental Free Trade Area . The discussions  on International Women's Day  had highlighted  that 
women made  a significant contribution to the circular economy and that it was essential to empower 
them to access  clean and affordable technologies, value chains , and build their resilience.  The EIF's 
2022 programme  increasingly focused on monitoring the approximate ly hundred  projects currently 
under implementation, with the aim of completing  them b y June 2023.  
42. As reflected in the EIF Annual Report for 2021 , 59 trade and investment regulations had been  
adopted in LDCs, 49,000 people had participated in training events, and over USD 600 million in 
additional exports had been  generated.  The EIF planned to  support LDCs  in upcoming  events, 
including MC12, the Global Review and the Public Forum, and engage  closely with other key  
development partner agencies . 
43. The representative of the Standards and Trade Development Facility  (STDF ) provide d an 
overview of the STDF's  Climate Change Week  which had focused  on exploring the impact of climate 
change on the global food system and the ability to trade safely. At the event , the WTO had provided 
a perspective on trade rules , and the World Bank presented the concept of One Health . The 
STDF  representative also refe rred to the new Good Regulatory Practices Guide  as a handbook for 
SPS regulators. The STDF Working Group would meet in person on 7 -8 June  2022. The STDF Annual 
Report  would follow and would include a gender assessment . Lastly,  he reminded Members of the 
12 August 2022 deadline to submit funding applications to the STDF.  
44. The representative of the  European Union presented the Foundation for Agricultural and Rural 
Management  (FARM ) initiative which  consisted of  three pillars . The trade pillar aim ed to ease 
tensions on the agricultural markets, guarantee full transparency on flows and stocks , and combat 
unjustified trade barriers.  The solidarity pillar attempt ed to support Ukraine 's agricultural 
capabilities, ensure access to agricultural commodities  at reasonable prices in the countries most 
affected, and prepare to alleviate the war 's effects on the level of agricultural production. Lastly, the 
production pillar was finalized to strengthen agricultural capabilities sustainably in the countries most 
affected.  The representative  also referenced a  message from Sweden  highlighting  that its support 
to ITC's programme  in Ukraine ha d been heavily impacted by the war.  
III. Regional Dimension  
45. No comment was made under this sub -item.  
IV. Private Sector  
46. The representative of the International Trade Centre  (ITC)  gave an update on the 
implementation of its  Strategic Plan 2022 -2025. To support MSMEs,  the ITC ha d set its extra -
budgetary disbursement target at  USD 105 million for 2022 through its core services and impact 
area. ITC plan ned to provide  USD 145 million in trade -related technical assistance, on top of the 
nearly  USD 40 million in regular budget resource s. In addition,  ITC continue d to provide at least 
80% of its country -level assistance to LDCs, Landlocked Developing Countries  (LLDCs) , SIDS, 
Small and Vulnerable Economies  (SVEs) , countries undergoing  or at risk of conflict, and sub -Saharan 
Africa.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/55  
 
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  47. The ITC had also launched its "Moonshots " in the areas of green economy, gender, digital 
connectivity and youth. On gender, ITC noted that it would digitize SheTrades Invest  in order to 
expand access to fin ance for women entrepreneurs.  On entrepreneurship and employability , it 
supported  the development of skills for employment in priority areas such as sport, technology and 
agribusiness.  On environmental sustainability , the ITC sought to achieve the  transiti on to an 
inclusive, low -carbon economy.  Information  sharing  through technical assistance was therefore  
needed to build the climate competitiveness of developing countries and to successfully address the 
low-carbon transition. He referred to the Climate Com petitiveness Assessment Tool  that track ed the 
main climate -related risks and opportunities facing export sectors and provide d business support 
organizations and trade policymakers with roadmaps for building climate competitiveness and 
resilience.  He then highlighted the SME Competitiveness Outlook 2021  which focused , inter alia, on 
MSME  COVID -19 recovery.  
48. The representative of Ukraine  referred to its areas of cooperation with ITC. Ukraine was 
seeking  new logistical routes to deliver food supplies. Through the assistance of ITC and partners it 
was looking to support and empower women, refugees and MSMEs who had lost their businesses . 
V. Monitoring and Evaluation  of Implementation and Development Effectiveness  
49. The Chair informed the Committee that the workshop on monitoring and evaluation (M&E), 
originally scheduled for 3 May  2022, had been postponed to 31 May  2022. 
50. The representative of the Secretariat  presented the document compiling the results of the 
2022 monitoring and evaluation exercise  (WT/COMTD/AFT/W/92) . Bringing together responses from 
developing countries, donors, regional economic communities and South -South partners, the 
document provide d regional and income -level perspectives as well as additional comments.  He then 
outlined plan s for the 31 May Aid-for-Trade Workshop  which would  consist of a technical presentation 
of the report , at the Aid-for-Trade Global Review , by the Director -General . Co-authored by the  WTO 
and OECD , the report  analysed responses , trends and flows relat ing to the theme of the Review, 
i.e. Empowering Connected Sustainable Trade . 
D. OTHER BUSINESS  
51. In reaction  to the statement made by Ukraine earlier  in the meeting , the representative of  the 
Russian Federation  refuted points that had been outlined throughout the meeting with reference to 
his country's ongoing conflict with Ukraine and  shared his perspective on this issue. 
52. The meeting was adjourned . 
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