RESTRICTED  
 
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/35  
17 November 2015  
(15-6076)  Page: 1/5  
Committee on Trade and Development 
Thirty-Fifth Session on Aid for Trade   
 
   
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 30 OCTOBER 2015 
Chairperson: H.E. Mr. Juan Esteban Aguirre Martínez (Paraguay) 
 
A.  Adoption of the Agenda ............................................................................................ 1  
B.  Implementation of the 2014-2015 Ai d-for-Trade Work  Programme ......................... 1  
1.  Resource Mobilization and Im plementation Activities ....................................................... 1  
2.  Mainstreaming ........................................................................................................... 2  
3.  Regional Dimension .................................................................................................... 3  
4.  Private Se ctor ........................................................................................................... 3  
5.  Monitoring and Evaluation of Implemen tation and Development Effectiveness ..................... 3  
C.  Other Busi ness ......................................................................................................... 4  
 
A.  Adoption of the Agenda 
1.   The Agenda, as circulated in WTO/AIR/COMTD/AFT/3, was adopted. 
B.  Implementation of the 2014-2015 Aid-for-Trade Work Programme 
1.  Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities 2.   The representative of the European Union (EU) provided an update on its Aid-for-Trade (AfT) 
support and reported on the EU Accountabilit y Report 2015 on Financing for Development.1 She 
noted that the EU and its member States continued collectively to be the world's leading provider of Aid for Trade. Total EU AfT commitments in 2013 amounted to €11.7 billion, of which 
€2.6 billion went to least developed countries (LDCs). Consecutive annual increases in EU and 
member States' AfT commitments meant that the EU had surpassed the €2 billion yearly target set in its 2007 EU joint Aid-for-Trade Strategy. The EU maintained a consistent focus on LDC needs 
and lamented the fall in the overall proportion of total Aid for Trade going to LDCs. In this regard, 
she was happy to note that EU and member States ' collective commitments to LDCs had increased 
by over 40% between 2012-2013. The onus remained  on LDCs to articulate their trade-related 
needs within their development strategies in the view of the EU, and she recalled the support that 
Phase Two of the Enhanced Integrated Framewor k could provide in this respect. The EU had 
ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and trade facilitation was a consistent priority focus 
of EU Aid for Trade. In 2013, the EU had already committed €146 million to trade facilitation 
support. The EU's new trade strategy "Trade for all"
2 focused on three key 
principles: effectiveness, transparency and valu es. The new strategy committed the EU and its 
member States to review their 2007 joint Aid-for-Trade Strategy in line with the 2030 Agenda for 
Sustainable Development and to enhance the capacity of developing countries to make use of the 
opportunities offered by trade agreements.  
3.   The representative of China reported on its South-South cooperation support which included 
a US$2 billion South-South Cooperation Fund, launched at the September UN Sustainable 
                                               
1 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/e u-financing-for-development-accountability-report-
2015-annex-aid-for-trade-monitoring-report_en.pdf  
2 http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2015/october/tradoc_153846.pdf  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/35 
- 2 - 
  Development Goals (SDGs) Summit to assist in implementing the Post-2015 Agenda, and its aim 
to increase investment in developing countries to US$12 billion by 2030. In the context of the "China LDCs and Accession Programme" he announced that a 4
th China Round Table on Accessions 
would be held in Nairobi on 13-14 December on the margins of MC10. China would also request 
that the Secretariat organize a South-South Dialogue on LDCs and Development as foreseen by 
the Programme. Lastly, China requested a stocktakin g of the Aid-for-Trade Initiative and said it 
was ready to work to further improve Aid for Trade in the future. 
4.   The representative of Guatemala, on behalf  of the Small Vulnerable Economies (SVEs) 
referred to the background note entitled "Challenges and Opportunities Experienced by Small 
Economies when Linking into Global Value Chains in Trade in Goods and Services"3 which had been 
prepared by the Secretariat and which examined th e specific challenges and opportunities faced by 
SVEs when trying to connect to global value ch ains. In Guatemala's view, it was important to 
further study and analyse the challenges identified in this document and to request that technical assistance and capacity-building activities on thes e topics be considered for the next Aid-for-Trade 
programme. 
5.   The representative of the World Bank update d on three elements of its AfT-related work. 
First, on resource mobilization, he informed that for the fiscal year 2015 the Bank had made new 
commitments amounting to US$1.7 billion on trad e integration. The largest share (38%) was to 
developing countries in Africa that amounted to a cumulative total of US$10.5 billion since 2011. Second, regarding the TFA, he announced that  the Bank had set up a US$36 million Trade 
Facilitation Support Programme (TFSP). On analyt ical work, he recalled the joint World Bank-WTO 
report that examined how the potential of trade could be harnessed towards achieving the goal of 
ending poverty by 2030. He also announced that in November, the World Bank would brief Members on its 2015 Doing Business report.  
2.  Mainstreaming 
6.   The representative of India announced that his country's South-South assistance to fellow 
developing countries exceeded US$13 billion by way of concessional credit, grant assistance, 
capacity building and human resource developmen t. He noted that India's Duty-Free, Quota Free 
(DFQF) preference scheme for LDCs provided market access on about 96% of India's tariff lines. He added that India had recently notified its preferential treatment to service suppliers of LDCs, with new schemes and programmes for LDC service suppliers and simplified procedural 
requirements. He emphasized that India's development partnership with African countries had 
deepened significantly during the last decade and,  in this respect, recalled the Third India-Africa 
Forum Summit. He reiterated India's commitment to Aid for Trade, with a view to fostering 
cooperation in areas of development such as infrastructure, trade, agriculture, clean energy, 
irrigation, the enhancement of manufacturing capacity, and the building of human capital. 
7.   The representative of Angola expressed his country's view that developing countries should 
be helped in order to use trade more effectively, reduce poverty and improve growth. He stated 
that an increase of flows in Aid for Trade was important to the supply capacities and exports increase of developing countries. He noted a decrease in donor commitment to Angola since 2007; the dominance of the bilateral channel for AfT funds; and the fact that agriculture, transport and 
fisheries had received the most financial support. He called for significant technical assistance in 
diversification of export products; in the development of SMEs focusing on consumer markets, human resources and easily available technologies; and finally, in the availability of systematic 
trade data. 
8.   The representative of Canada outlined his country's well-targeted, sustainably financed 
trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building activities. Canada's annual commitment to 
Aid for Trade had risen from US$350 million in 2001/02 to over US$500 million annually, with 
US$774.5 million disbursed in 2012/13. Canada ha d been a strong supporter of Aid for Trade 
through various channels, including through contributions to WTO programmes, and the Advisory Centre on WTO Law (ACWL). Canada had also committed approximately US$60 million in AfT 
funding for trade facilitation, including a US$2 million contribution to the World Bank Group's TFSP, 
and had agreed to participate in the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation. 
                                               
3 WT/COMTD/SE/W/31 WT/COMTD/AFT/M/35 
- 3 - 
  9.   The representative of New Zealand, stated  that trade and development were powerful 
catalysts for economic growth and poverty redu ction. New Zealand had provided 100% DFQF 
access for LDCs since 2001, reduced tariffs for a number of developing countries under the Generalized System of Preferences and was an active contributor to Aid for Trade Initiatives, 
including the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility (TFAF). Trade agreements signed by New 
Zealand with ASEAN and with the Pacific Island countries had included AfT support. She added that New Zealand's trade policies were complement ed by investments detailed in the 2015 New 
Zealand Aid Programme Strategic Plan.
4 Sustainable economic development and support to the 
Pacific region were two focus areas for New Zealand. 
10.   The representative of the Enhanced Inte grated Framework (EIF) reported on trade 
mainstreaming activities noting that of seven requests received, three were currently under 
implementation. Lao PDR had received support in  developing a Trade and Development strategy 
for 2013 and in mainstreaming trade into the National Economic and Social Development Plan 2016-2020. Cambodia had been supported by UNDP in the formulation of a medium-term trade 
mainstreaming programme, the inclusion of trade markers in sectoral strategies and the 
formulation of bankable AfT project concepts. In Togo, trade mainstreaming into national and sectoral development strategies had been undertaken as part of the 2015 Diagnostic Trade 
Integration Studies (DTIS) updating process. The EIF was in the process of approving funding for 
mainstreaming The Gambia's DTIS Action Matrix. The Solomon Islands would be focusing on trade mainstreaming in their 2016 DTIS update. The EIF had also received a mainstreaming request from Guinea and would discuss specific assistance needs at their 2015 DTIS Update Validation 
Workshop. The EIF was also cooperating with UNCTAD in supporting the mainstreaming agendas 
of Lao PDR, Bhutan, Kiribati, Senegal, Ethiopia an d Lesotho. With regard to Phase Two of the EIF, 
he referred to a new efficiency plan aimed at in creasing its effectiveness, dynamism and result 
orientation. He announced that a pledging conference would be held at the outset of MC10 on 
14 December 2015. Averaging US$39-46 million a year, the EIF budget for Phase Two (2016-2022) was estimated at US$274-320 million, or respectively, 0.07% and 0.8% of the total 
2013 AfT donor commitments.
5,6 
3.  Regional Dimension 11.   No item was raised under this sub-item. 
4.  Private Sector 
12.   The representative of the International Trade Centre (ITC) highlighted the launch of the new 
"SME Competitiveness Outlook 2015"7 report. The report presented a new framework within which 
to measure and enhance SME competitiveness. A new report on tourism and trade was also 
profiled. ITC was engaged in the Blue Number Initiative. Aimed at better connecting farmers to 
markets, it provided farmers with a geo-location number that included the farmer's name, gender, product, and email address or mobile number. The ITC had held a successful World Export 
Development Forum, attended by more than 700 people from 92 countries, generating business 
deals in the food and beverages, plastics, servic es and tourism sectors. The ITC would host the 
International Forum on Women in Business on the margins of MC10. He also referred to support to over 30 countries in implementing the TFA, the NTM Business Survey website
8, the annual Trade 
for Sustainable Development (T4SD) Forum, WTO accession support for Afghanistan and the 
launch of ITC's updated corporate video.9 
5.  Monitoring and Evaluation of Impl ementation and Development Effectiveness 
13.   The Secretariat reported on a workshop held on 29 October on the Sustainable Development 
Goals (SDGs), Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) and the Aid-for-Trade Initiative. At the 
workshop, a representative of the WTO Secretariat provided an overview of the 17 SDGs found in 
the 2030 Agenda. Trade was considered as a means to achieve sustainable development and 
contribute to the elimination of hunger, to sustainable fisheries, public health, water and 
                                               
4 http://www.aid.govt.nz/webfm_send/815   
5 Source: OECD Creditor Re porting System Database 
6 Further information on EIF activities can be found at http://www.enhancedif.org  
7 http://www.intracen.org/publicatio n/SME-Competitiveness-Outlook-2015/  
8 http://www.ntmsurvey.org/  
9 Information on ITC's acti vities can be found at http://www.intracen.org  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/35 
- 4 - 
  sanitation, strengthening of environmental technology capacities, access to financial services, and 
trans-border infrastructure. As cited in SDG8, Aid for Trade was a key element in ensuring progress on the SDGs and communication an d feedback between trade and development 
stakeholders.   
14.   A representative of the United Nations Co nference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 
had discussed the evolving monitoring and review system for tracking progress on the SDGs. 
System-wide coherence would be achieved thro ugh annual High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 
meetings under ECOSOC and quadrennial UN Gene ral Assembly and would consider concurrently 
the economic, social and environmental dimens ions of the SDGs, drawing on voluntary, 
country-led national and regional assessments. She discussed alternative funding scenarios for the SDGs, highlighting the significant investment gap and projecting different scenarios for private and 
public sector financing. In considering financing fo r development, systemic issues such as capacity 
building, technology and innovation needed greater attention, including as part of AfT efforts. 
15.   Another representative of the Secretariat had outlined the role of trade and investment in 
the AAAA. He emphasized that trade finance, trade, capacity building and technology were 
enablers in realising the SDGs in all developing countries and LDCs. The projected costs were estimated at between US$3.3 to US$4.5 trillion per annum over the next 15 years. Seven areas 
were identified in the AAAA as sources of finance, including domestic public resources, the private 
sector, international development cooperation, trad e as an engine for growth, debt sustainability 
measures, systemic global governance, and the digital divide and IT connectivity . 
16.   Representatives of the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) 
had focused on the importance of leveraging serv ices and investment to achieve the 2030 Agenda. 
A detailed explanation was given of how services featured prominently across different SDGs. Also presented were estimates on economic and welf are gains from improving the performance of 
various services sectors – with sustainable tourism for LDCs being particularly highlighted. The 
representatives argued that economic and welfare gains would only be achieved if accompanied by 
appropriate services regulations. They recommended  greater AfT attention to the issue of services, 
and that greater support should be directed to enabling appropriate regulatory environments. 
17.   The representative of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) 
highlighted ten years of significant achievements  of the Aid-for-Trade Initiative. Noting the 
effectiveness of Aid for Trade in general, and regional programmes in particular, he suggested 
possible areas for future work. The Aid-for-Trade work programme should continue to break down 
silos between the trade and development communities and could focus future efforts on improving connectivity, driving down trade costs to help  the poor connect to markets, and boosting 
sustainable investment to help deliver on the SDGs. In closing, the Secretariat recalled that the 
29 October workshop10 was the final thematic workshop foreseen in the 2014-15 work 
programme.  
C.  Other Business 
18.   Under "Other Business", the Chairman outlined how he would approach the elaboration of a 
new Aid-for-Trade work programme for th e biennium 2016-2017. He recalled the 
Director-General's closing remarks at the Fifth Global Review (5GR) that Aid for Trade was a topic 
on which Members remained actively committed and engaged. In the closing plenary session of 
the 5GR, many delegations had provided sugge stions on future work priorities such 
as: implementation of the TFA, engagement of the private sector, infrastructure financing, 
alignment with the SDGs, gender equality, the services dimension, digital commerce, South-South 
cooperation, the specific needs of LDCs and SVEs and climate change, and the issues of access to, 
and variability of, AfT funding. In the context of trade's role in achieving the SDGs, the Chairman 
recalled that the Workshop on Sustainable Development had also stressed the issue of connectivity 
and trade costs, with the services dimension to connectivity and the SDGs being of particular relevance. 
19.    The Chairman announced that the Secretariat was ready to meet with Members in different 
groupings before MC10 and then indicated his in tention to convene informal CTD-AfT meetings 
                                               
10 Information regarding the Workshop – including copi es of the agenda and presentations and an audio 
podcast – can be found on the WTO website at: https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel _e/a4t_e/wkshop_oct 15_e/wkshop_oct15_e.htm  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/35 
- 5 - 
  early in the New Year of 2016 to solicit Members' views on the new work programme. He said he 
would aim to submit the new work programme to the General Council before its second meeting in 2016, under his own responsibility. 
20.   The Chairman recalled that a decision on Aid for Trade had been agreed at MC9. He 
suggested that if Members were so minded, a similar decision on Aid for Trade could be agreed for 
Nairobi. Such a decision, if required, could: take note of the deliberations and outcomes of the Fifth Global Review of Aid for Trade, cite the continuing need for Aid for Trade, and recommend 
the development of a new work programme. The Chairman also encouraged Members to 
communicate inputs on Aid for Trade into the ongoing consultations on a Nairobi Ministerial Declaration. 
21.   The meeting was adjourned. 
 
__________