INF/MSME/R/3  
 
 25 March 2019  
(19-1827) Page: 1/2 
 Original: English  
 
 
 
INFORMAL WORKING GRO UP ON MSME s 
THIRD OPEN -ENDED THEMATIC SESSION  
IMPROVING ACCESS TO TRADE FINANCE FOR MS MEs: TAKEAWAYS AND NEXT  STEPS* 
The following communication, dated 26 June 2018, is being  circulated at the request of the 
delegation of  Côte d'Ivoire , co-coordinator of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs  and organizer 
of this session , and the delegation of Uruguay, general coordinator of the Informal Working Group 
on MSMEs.  
 
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Reflecting on the Informal Group of MSMEs thematic session held at the WTO on 8 June 2018, we, 
the co -coordinator and general coordinator of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs, took note of 
the following key messages from speakers and participants:  
 
1  REMARKS BY SPEAKERS  
1.1.  H.E. Mr  Mohammad Qurban Haqjo, Ambassador of Afghanistan and Chair of the Working Group 
on Trade, Debt and Finance  (WGTDF),  summarized the morning's WGTDF meeting. He briefed the 
Group on the outcome of discussions by the Expert Group on T rade Finance in March  and the report 
by the Director -Gener al to the WGTDF. Amb.  Qurban Haq jo also described the general discussion of 
the WGTDF, which included the subject of persistent trade finance gaps for MSMEs, especially in 
developing countries. Access to finance is the third greatest obstacle that these enterprises face to 
trade  and it was stressed that governments around the world should give priority to financing MSMEs 
through their public policies.  
1.2.  Mr Yaya Ouattara from the ITC presented work the ITC has un dertaken to support both demand  
and supply -side MSME trade finance , including helping MSMEs form savings and credit cooperatives 
so they can lend at  low rate s to their members, connecting them with f inancial institutions, and 
automating credit scoring s. 
1.3.  Ms Hang Tran of the EIF spoke to how the EIF looks at LDC access to trade fi nance. Specifically, 
Ms Tran detailed how the EIF's Diagnostic Trade Integration Study helps LDCs identify supply side 
constr aints and provides recommended country actions. The EIF also helps with institutional capacity 
building.  
1.4.  Mr Gerard Hartsink, Chairman of the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) , 
explained how a Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) – a 20-digit alpha -numeric code that profiles "who is 
who" and "who owns what" – is used for identifying businesses involved in international financial 
transactions and its importance for MSMEs. The data is made available free of charge and can be 
downloaded daily. GLEIF is  an independent , non -policy -oriented organization that developed from 
the G -20 but is accessible to all nations. The foundation includ es 71 regulators across 50  countries. 
Regulators are also now using LEI in legislation. For example , in Pakistan the LEI i s legislated as a 
requirement for loans.  Mr Hartsink noted that the GLEIF was open to cooperation with International 
Organizations.  
                                                
* This document was originally circulated as JOB/GC/192 dated 3 July 2018 . INF/MSME/R/3  
 
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  2  DISCUSSION  
2.1.  Several members shared their national experiences and presented the various policies and 
programmes they have in place at the national level .  
2.2.  The need for more tools to assess the creditworthiness of MSMEs  was stressed , along with the 
need for enhanced access to information and training.  
2.3.  Members expressed interest in the GLEI F's initiative and asked for various poin ts of 
clarification.  
3  NEXT STEPS  
3.1.  Members were invited to submit inputs presenting their national policies and programmes on 
Trade Finance for MSMEs by the end of June. The Secretariat would then synthesize Members' 
submissions. A follow -up discussion will be organized at a later stage on that basis.  
3.2.  The importance of continuing the discussion on the question of identification of companies was 
stressed.  
3.3.  Members were invited  to put forward concrete proposals  with regards to access to  trade finance  
for MSMEs so  that a clear work programme  can be developed . 
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