RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/28  
 
30 July 2013  
(13-4079) Page: 1/5  
Committee on Trade and Development 
28th Session on Aid for Trade   
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 19 JUNE 2013 
Chairperson:  H.E. Ms Marion Williams (Barbados) 
  
 
A. Adoption of the Agenda ............................................................................................. 1  
B. Progress in Implementation of the 2012- 2013 Aid-for-Trade Wo rk Programme .................. 1  
1. Resource Mobilization and Im plementation Activities ..................................................... 1  
2. Mainstreaming ......................................................................................................... 2  
3. Regional Di mension .................................................................................................. 2  
4. Private Se ctor .......................................................................................................... 4  
5. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementa tion and Development Effectiveness ................... 4  
C. Other Busi ness ........................................................................................................ 5  
 
A. Adoption of the Agenda 
1. The Agenda, as circulated in WTO/AIR/4138, was adopted. 
B. Progress in Implementation of the 2012-2013 Aid-for-Trade Work Programme 1. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities 
2. The representatives of Japan and the Asian Development Bank (AsDB) presented an 
overview of the second joint Cambodia-Japan-AsDB report prepared under the auspices of the 
Asia/Pacific Regional Technical Group. With a central theme of "promoting the private sector and 
global production networks" the main findings of the report included, inter alia , that Aid for Trade 
had played an important role in helping Asian economies build productive capacity through investment to integrate into the global economy; that domestic development strategies were increasingly incorporating measures targeting improvements in the investment climate; that 
effective public/private dialogues were an essential feature of modern development strategies; 
that Aid for Trade could promote and work together with other financial flows to enhance the positive impacts of Aid for Trade on trade capaci ty; and that, despite successes, Asia's challenged 
states should look beyond their existing focus on physical infrastructure. Members were informed 
that the report
1 would be presented and discussed at dedicated events at the Fourth Global Review 
of Aid for Trade (4GR).2  
3. The representatives of Kenya; Lao, PDR; Nigeria; Peru; and Ethiopia raised questions and 
comments including with regard to infrastructure capacity building, how AfT assistance had been 
used to offset the global financial crisis, the effect of public/private dialogue on South-South 
                                               
1 www.aric.adb.org/ pdf/RTGreport.pdf  
2 Session 11: "Aid for Trade, Value Chains and Intra- Asian Trade" and Side event 8: "Asia's Experience 
and Dialogue with Africa", held on 8 July 2013. For information on the Fourth Global Review, see 
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/global_review13_e.htm . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/28 
 
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  cooperation, and the definition of "challenged stat es". The representative of Japan informed that 
these issues would be discussed during the presentation of the report at the 4GR. 
2. Mainstreaming 4. Pursuant to its recent Trade Policy Review, the representative of Switzerland provided 
information on its 2013-2016 Message on International Cooperation.3 She informed that lessons 
learned from Switzerland's recently-completed independent evaluation of its Aid for Trade would be shared during a 4GR side event to be organized jointly with Peru.
4  
5. The representative of China reported on its assistance provided under the framework of 
Aid for Trade and South-South cooperation which included: putting in place by 2015 the relevant 
measures to grant duty-free treatment for 97% of ta riff lines originating from  LDCs with diplomatic 
ties; the enhancement of economic development su pport to Caribbean countries, notably in the 
area of agriculture training projects; and future cooperation between China and Cotton-4 
countries. The representative of India reiterated India's commitment to South-South cooperation, 
noting in particular a number of training programmes provided to acceding countries as well as 
support provided through its Pan-African E-Network.  
6. The representative of Nepal, on behalf of the LDC Group, said that Aid for Trade remained 
an important instrument for enhancing LDCs' trade ca pacity. In addition to assisting LDCs to carry 
out trade policy reforms, it had also helped them to launch several trade infrastructure 
development programmes. Aid for Trade should address LDCs' development needs, respecting national ownership and leadership, and should help  LDCs better integrate into global value chains 
(GVCs). In this respect, he noted that as well as providing an opportunity to discuss and review 
progress in Aid for Trade, the 4GR would also prov ide a platform to assess LDCs' positions in terms 
of GVCs and to suggest key policy options on how their position could be further strengthened. 
7. The representative of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) noted 
UNECE's activities in support of the AfT Roadmap for SPECA countries5 which included: 
collaboration with in-country UNDP offices to link identified national and regional AfT priorities and matrices with the UN Development Action Framewor ks support to individual countries to prepare 
bankable projects; a side event organized in the margins of the 4GR
6; and a two-day conference 
to be organized on 10-11 July 2013.7 Finally, she informed of a regional meeting to be held in the 
autumn in conjunction with the meeting of the SPECA Project Working Group on Trade to discuss 
implementation of the AfT Roadmap for SPECA.  
8. The representative of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 
provided information on its support to developing countries and LDCs in the area of GVCs noting in 
particular, its technical assistance to support developing countries in identifying – and formulating 
policies and strategies for launching – new and dynamic export sectors, the soon-to-be released 
World Investment Report 2013 entitled "Global Value Chains: Investment and Trade for Development"
8, and the recently reaffirmed commitment of the Global Network of Eximbanks and 
Development Finance Institutions to support developing countries through trade financing and 
other innovative means of financing.  
3. Regional Dimension 9. The representative of Trinidad and Tobago , on behalf of the Caribbean Community 
(CARICOM), reported on the formal launch of the Caribbean Regional Aid-for-Trade Strategy9 that 
had taken place in Port au Prince, Haiti on 11 June 2013 with the participation of the President of 
the Republic of Haiti. Discussions at the launch, entitled "Turning Market Access into Market 
                                               
3 http://www.deza.admin.ch/en/Dossiers/Message_2013_2016   
4 Side event 9: "Value Chains – A Motor for Sustainable Economic Development", held on 8 July 2013. 
5 United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA). SPECA economies 
include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 
6 Side event 16: "Agricultural Value Chains and Food  Security in Transition Economies: Testimonials 
from the Field", held on 9 July 2013. 
7 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=33058   
8 http://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=555   
9 http://www.caricom.org/Caribbean_Community_AfT_Strategy_final.pdf   WT/COMTD/AFT/M/28 
 
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  Presence", had focused on key elements of the st rategy and on the theme "Moving from Strategy 
to Reality". She informed that the next steps of th e strategy would include concretizing projects for 
AfT support based on three priority areas (mar itime transport, information and communication 
technology, and energy) and that the projects wo uld be presented at a donor conference to be 
held end-2013/early-2014. The representative of Jamaica reaffirmed his delegation's appreciation 
of partners' support in the development of the st rategy and encouraged their greater involvement 
in national and regional level projects. 
10. The Secretariat, on behalf of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic 
Commission for Africa (UNECA), provided preliminary information on the results of the AU/UNECA-
led AfT monitoring exercise and on th e report being prepared for the 4GR.10 Key messages 
emerging from the exercise included: mainstreamin g of regional integration strategies was getting 
traction amongst African countries; AfT support to regional integration in Africa had continued to 
increase since 2005 and was expected to increase over the next five years; AfT had thus far displayed limited alignment with national development strategies and continentally-agreed 
frameworks; tangible progress had been achieved in terms of donors' coordination but there was 
more scope for beneficiary countries to engage more proactively with partners; important factors hampering implementation of regional strategies included capacity constraints, and poor 
articulation of development strategi es, lack of political will and overlapping membership to regional 
agreements. Lessons learnt included the need to clearly define regional strategies and priority areas; to ensure political commitments; and to guarantee sustainable funding. 
11. The representative of the Cameroon, on behalf of the Chairmanship of the Economic 
Community of Central African States (ECCAS), prov ided information on the Aid-for-Trade Strategy 
for Central Africa which had recently been validated at a meeting held in Yaoundé, Cameroon on 
15 and 16 April 2013. The 2013-2016 strategy covered issues such as transport infrastructure; the 
facilitation of trade and transport; harmonization of the framework establishment of an FTA; and 
building productive capacity. Recommendations adopted at the meeting included, inter alia , the 
creation of a Steering Committee; the development of a regional action plan; advocacy for the 
mobilization of funds to implement the strategy; the need to accelerate the process to streamline 
the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and ECCAS; and the dissemination and promotion of the strategy. He in formed that the strategy would be discussed at 
a side event to be organized during the 4GR.
11 
12. The Secretariat, on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), 
provided information on the ECOWAS Aid-for-Trade Expert Group meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria 
from 21-23 May 2013. Conclusions from the discussions – which would be used to guide the 
formulation of an AfT strategy – had underscored, inter alia , the importance of the development of 
a specific vision for the strategy and of overall and specific objectives, ensuring consistency of aid with existing policy and strategy documents, and the adoption of a gradual and flexible approach 
including a communication strategy. The AfT strategy was expected to be finalized by 
October 2013.  
13. The representatives of Benin and Nigeria highlighted the importance of also involving 
Geneva-based missions in the development of the strategy and Nigeria noted that policies and 
priorities identified in ECOWAS Vision 202012 should be taken into account in the development of 
any regional programmes. 
14. Referring to the regional dimension of AfT support, the representative of Peru asked 
whether an AfT report on the Latin American region was being prepared for the 4GR. In response, 
the Secretariat noted the material prepared by the Inter-American Development Bank on GVCs 
that would inform the discussion at a session to be organized specifically on value chains and the 
Americas.13 
                                               
10 http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/global_review13prog_e/gr4_rep2013_e.pdf   
11 Side event 2: "State of Play and Perspectives for Aid for Trade in Francophone West and Central 
Africa: Issues and Challenges", held on 8 July 2013. 
12 http://www.spu.ecowas.int/wp-content/up loads/2010/03/ECOWAS-VISION-2020-THEMATICTIC-
PAMPHLETS-in-English.pdf   
13 Session 10: "Aid for Trade and Value Chains: Co nnecting the Americas", held on 8 July 2013. WT/COMTD/AFT/M/28 
 
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  15. The representative of Ethiopia noted that, to av oid duplication of efforts, there should be a 
synergy between the regional and sub-regional infrastructure programmes developed through the 
ECOWAS AfT strategy and the continental infrastructure programmes covered in the African Development Bank's Programme for Infrastr ucture Development in Africa (PIDA).
14 
4. Private Sector 
16. The representative of the International Trade Centre (ITC) reported on its activities to 
promote public/private dialogue which included, for example, training programmes and support to 
assist small- and medium-sized enterprises to build their managerial capacities to maximise their 
chances of obtaining working capital and export financing and to successfully manage these types 
of credit instruments.15 In response to a question from the Dominican Republic, ITC informed that 
following pilot studies conducted in Asia (Malaysia; the Philippines; Lao, DPR; and Nepal), ITC 
hoped to expand its public/private programmes to include countries in the Latin American region.  
5. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implem entation and Development Effectiveness 
17. The Secretariat presented an overview of a report on Connecting LDCs to Value Chains 
which was being prepared at the request of LDCs. The report examined the participation of LDCs in 
value chains, discussed the challenges that LDCs fa ce in connecting, moving up and establishing 
production and service value chains, and surveyed  how these constraints were being addressed. 
The report provided comparison data on, inter alia , the evolution in LDCs' merchandise export 
structure, the composition of LDCs' merchandise exports by major product group (e.g. textiles, machinery and transport, food, clothing, and fuels and minerals), the top 20 markets for LDCs' exporters in goods, and on LDCs' and intermediates'  trade. Findings included that LDC integration 
into merchandise value chains had been heavily focused on textiles and clothing, although they 
had also penetrated agri-food value chains, and that transport and tourism remained the main services sector for LDCs. Foreign direct investment and domestic private investment were 
considered by LDCs to be the most important sources of financing to connect to regional, 
South-South and global markets. 
18. The representative of Nepal, as Coordinato r of the LDC Group, expressed the Group's 
appreciation for the report and noted the challenges faced by LDCs in integrating into value chains. 
These included, in particular, with regard to LDCs' capacity to supply value-added goods and services and to conform with international standards and regulations. He said that the promotion of sub-regional and regional value chains which brought together national capacities could be 
explored as a way to ensure LDCs' participation in global value chains. The report's analysis would 
help to identify ways and means to transform comparative advantages into sustainable opportunities for LDCs. 
19. The Secretariat reported on the joint WTO an d OECD Workshop on the 2013 Aid for Trade 
Monitoring and Evaluation Exercise (M&E) that ha d taken place on 18 June 2013.  In his opening 
remarks the Director-General had highlighted key messages from the M&E exercise: 
(1) developing country policy-makers' main concern was how to add value and to move up the 
value chain; (2) how a series of constraints such as access to finance, customs procedures, lack of regulatory certainty, labour skills and standards' compliance were a brake on this process; (3) how moving up the value chain meant giving more weight to services; and (4) that partner countries 
saw investment as the main source of future financing to connect their firms to value chains.  He 
also suggested a future aid and investment model for the initiative. Presentations had been made on a series of reports prepared for the 4GR, including the main flagship report:  "Aid for Trade at a 
Glance: Connecting to Value Chains", and five se ctoral reports on Agri-food, Textiles and Apparel, 
Information Technology, Tourism, and Transport and Logistics.
16 Comments from participants had 
focused on common themes to the constraints across sectors, how other developing countries 
could share experiences with LDCs by providing tr aining and technological transfer and how Aid for 
                                               
14 http://www.afdb.org/en/topics-and-sectors/initiatives-partnerships/programme-for-infrastructure-
development-in-africa-pida/   
15 Further information on ITC's training programmes for SMEs can be found at 
http://www.intracen.org/news/ITC-trains-SMEs-to-research-and-analyse-export-markets/   
16 Information regarding the Workshop – including copi es of the agenda and presentations and an audio 
podcast – can be found on the WTO we bsite. Copies of the reports prep ared for the 4GR can be found at 
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/global_review13_e.htm  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/28 
 
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  Trade could promote diversification between value chains. The role of regional banks and public-
private partnerships for infrastructure had also been noted. The OECD had presented key messages from the Aid for Trade at a Glance 2013 publication which included, inter alia , that trade 
facilitation and value chain development was an area where governments were putting more 
focus; that in terms of effectiveness, Aid for Trade to infrastructure, labour skills development and 
improving the business climate were particularly effective forms of support; and that, in looking ahead, concessional funding levels needed to be  maintained and partnerships with the private 
sector expanded so as to leverage "investment in trade".  
C. Other Business 20. No item was raised under "Other Business".  
21. The meeting was adjourned. 
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