PRESS RELEASE  
 
PRESS/789  
9 March 2017  
 
(17-1391) 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
Saudi Arabia gives USD 4 million to help lift poor countries out of 
poverty through trade  
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is actively supporting t he Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) 
programme by contributing USD 4 million for the implementation of Phase Two of the programme 
to help least -developed countries (LDCs) gain from global trade and to provide them with a route 
out of poverty. Saudi Arabi a had contributed USD 3 million for the implementation of Phase One of 
the programme.  
 
With the support of its 24 donors – both developed and developing countries –the EIF works in 
partnership with 48 LDCs to help them tackle supply side constraints to tra de. Saudi Arabia's 
contribution will promote export led economic growth, sustainable development and will help to 
bring greater prosperity for the peoples of the poorest countries.  
 
Fahad Alnowaiser, Director General, Export Credit Department, Saudi Expor t Program of the Saudi 
Fund for Development, said: "The signing of this agreement represents part of the efforts of Saudi 
Arabia to support the LDCs and assist them to enhance their capacity building, increase their 
export volumes, play an active role in i nternational trade and achieve economic growth and 
stability."  
 
The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sierra Leone in Geneva and EIF 
Board Chair, H.E. Yvette Stevens, said: "We greatly appreciate Saudi Arabia's valuable support to  
the EIF Trust Fund, which is particularly timely as the programme's role has been clearly defined in 
the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Saudi Arabia's donation will help communities, traders, 
farmers and entrepreneurs afford medical care, send their ch ildren to school and have a decent 
standard of living paving the way for a sustainable future for the next generation.  I call on other 
development partners to follow Saudi Arabia's lead in moving towards lifting the poorest 
communities out of poverty thro ugh the promotion of sustainable trade and rural livelihoods."  
 
The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Benin in Geneva and incoming 
EIF Board Chair, H.E. Eloi Laourou, said: "I highly commend Saudi Arabia's support to the EIF 
Trust Fund. Saudi Arabia's contribution today is a reflection of the Kingdom's commitment to 
shared prosperity, to helping the world's poorest countries to build up trade and export capacities 
and to enable them to increase their participation in world trade.  
 
The EIF is supported by a multi -donor trust fund and provides financial and technical support to 
build trade capacity in all 48 LDCs and three recently graduated countries. The EIF is is a unique PRESS/789  
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 partnership among donors, LDCs and international agencies (I MF, ITC, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNIDO, 
UNWTO, World Bank, and WTO). It is the only global Aid for Trade programme exclusively 
designed to helping LDCs develop sustainable trade strategies aimed at improving people's lives by 
promoting private sector development and  job and income opportunities. The EIF is recognized 
under Goal 8a of the UN Sustainable Development Goals . 
 
For further information, please contact: eif.secretariat@wto.org  . 
 
 
 
END