RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
4 May 2018 
(18-2769) Page: 1/9 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Forty -Second Session on Aid for Trade    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING S HELD ON  19 FEBRUARY  AND 23 APRIL 2018  
Chairperson: H.E. Mr Taonga Mushayavanhu (Zimbabwe)  
A. ADOPTION OF THE  AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
B. DRAFT AID -FOR-TRADE WORK PROGRAMME 2018 -2019  ................................ ...........  1 
C. AID-FOR-TRADE ACTIVITIES  ................................ ................................ .....................  7 
I. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities  ................................ .........................  7 
II. Mainstreaming  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  7 
III. Regional Dimension  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 8 
IV. Private Sector  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  8 
V. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation and Development Effectiveness  ......................  9 
D. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 9 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1.  The Agenda, as circulated in WTO/AIR/COMTD/AFT/ 10, was adopted  witho ut amendment s. 
Agenda item B , and the 42nd Session , was suspended on 19 February  2018. The meeting was 
subsequently reconvened  to consider further Agenda item (B)  on 23 April.  
B. DRAFT AID -FOR-TRADE WORK  PROGRAMME 2018 -2019  
2.  The Chairperson  gave an overview of the draft 2018 -2019 Aid-for-Trade  Work P rogramme 
(JOB/DEV/52) recalling that he had outli ned preliminary thoughts on its focus at meetings of the 
Committee on Trade and Development (C TD) Aid for Trad e convened in f ormal  mode  on 
7 November 2017 and informal open -ended mode on 17 January 2018. A draft Work P rogram me 
had been issued on 19 January  2018. He outlined the written comments received from Members 
and indicated how he proposed to take them into account in a revision to the Work P rogramme  
and opened the floor for general comments.  
3.  The representative of Benin , on behalf of the African Group , said that it supported  the theme of 
"Supporting Economic Empowerment and Inclusive, Sustainable Development through Ai d for 
Trade " as it aligned with the African Union's "Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want".  In this respect , 
diversification and structural transformation were  essential  means towards  achieving an end, 
which is empowerment . In this context, the Work P rogramme adequately reflected the 
development priorities of African countries  by focusing on  economic empowerment, structural 
transformation and industriali zation. 
4.  Then, he noted the importance of empowering micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), 
women, youth and peri -urban population s. This could be achieved by creating  jobs, diversifying 
economies and upgrading physical and digital  connectivity . In this context,  the theme "The 
industrial transformation of Africa and trade in the digital era: prod uction infrastructure and 
innovative financing " would be a timely  topic for discussion in a thematic workshop on WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
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  e-commerce . Furthermore , he opined  that the development priorities that he had  listed previously  
aligned seamlessly with the ambitions of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA)  and with the 
objectives  of inclusive and sustainable development . 
5.  As the African G roup no longer wished to limit itself to simple  validation  of the proposal , the 
formulation and choice of theme s of the Work Programme needed  to be inclusive  and follow a 
bottom -up approach . It needed to integrat e the needs, constraints and prioriti es of beneficiary 
countries. This was  in accordance with the Paris Principles on Aid Effectiveness, including in terms 
of alignment and owners hip, and ought to be respected in  the upcoming two-year cycle. He 
pointed to the importance of building productive capacity, as recommended by the Working Group  
in December 2016, and recalled that the proposed evaluation of the Aid-for-Trade  programme by 
the CTD had yet to be executed . 
6.  Referring to  the content of the 2018-2019 Work Programme , he said that the African Group 
encourage d functional relationships, operational activities , as well as the mobili zation of financial 
resources and expertise. The Group  also called for : (i) sharing experience and good practice ; 
(ii) monitoring and evaluati ng the extent to which the  conclusions and recommendations of the 
Global Review and the accompanying  Report  were implemented; and (iii)  analysing African 
challenges and  opportunities.  For him , this would help to make the initiative more practical, 
effective and concrete , and its results more tangible . 
7.  With th ese points in mind, he recommended that the 2018 -2019 Work Programme revolve  
around two elements . First, the follo w-up and the evaluation of how the  findings , conclusions and 
recommendations of the Sixth Global Review  were being  implemented , and second , the process of 
drafting the report on the theme endorsed by Members. To conclu de his statement , he also 
pointed out that the African Group considered it more appropri ate and effective to launch the 
drafting of the Aid -for-Trade report at the beginning of the cycle, rather than at its end. This way, 
the process of elaborating the Work Programme would take in to account re levant information, 
knowledge , recommendations and conclusions derived from the report . This was the rationale 
behind the proposal to reorient the Aid-for-Trade  Initiative. He asked for the above comments to 
be integrated in the 2018 -2019 Work Programme.  It would be a transitional programme which 
would lead  to a relevant and realistic 2020 -2021 Work Programme that would further integrate the 
criteria and orientations indicated.  
8.  The representative of Bangladesh  referred to WT/AFT/1 in which the Aid-for-Trade  Task Force 
had define d the categories of Aid for Trade , recommend ed global periodic review s conducted by a 
monit oring body in the WTO based on reports from several different sources , and called  for annual 
debate s on Aid for Trade  that would be  convened by  the General Council in order to give political 
guidance on Aid for Trade . He then s uggested  that, since 2013, the focus of the Global Review s 
had taken on a different direction  which , in his opinion,  did not link with the scope of Aid for T rade 
as identif ied by  WT/AFT/1 . Although the propose d theme of the new Work P rogramme was  
importan t, he questioned its relevance to the initial  definition s set out by the Task Force . Before 
adopting the Work Programme, he called for clarity on whether the scope of Aid fo r Trade was 
being subjected to  modification  and whether it was appropriately reflected in the programme . 
9.  The representative of Rwanda  supported  the statement made by Benin on behalf of the African 
Group . He also referred to "Agenda 2063:  The Africa We Want " – a vision underpinned by 
structural transformation. He praised the draft Work Programme for rightly referring to the 
challenges that the 2017 Global Review had identified in the context of the 2030 Agenda for 
Sustainable Development . He summarized it as  "pursuing structural transformation and export 
diversification in the context of the transition to the green economy ". This adequately captured  the 
constraints to industrial capacity growth – an issue of particular importance to Africa with regard 
to its main priorities,  i.e. structural transformation and industriali zation. He also proposed a 
thematic workshop on Africa's industrial transformation and trade . 
10.  The representative of India recall ed the original mandate of the Aid-for-Trade Initiative when 
it had been launched at the 2005 WTO Hong Kong Ministerial . It aimed to address  the supply side 
and trade -related infrastructure constrains that hamper ed developing countries' participation in 
global trade. He recalled th at in 2006, t he Task Force recommen ded that Aid for Trade should 
focus on identifying the needs within recipient countries, respon se from donors and acting as a 
bridge between donors and developing countries. He underscore d the importance of maintaining 
focus on the primary goals of what he qualified  a very important programme . He identified these WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
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  goals as  addressing supply side and trade -related infrastructure constraints . This was all the more 
crucial  at a time when additional , predictable, sustainable and effective financing of the 
progra mme continued to be a challenge.  
11.  He then recommended build ing on the insights of the Global Review of Aid for Trade which 
looked into physical and digital connectivity . Both were critical for sustainable growth and poverty 
reduction.  He also recalled  that the report focus ed on the need for technical and financial 
assistance to build the human, institutional and infrastructure capacities needed to connect to , and 
compete in , international markets. Finally, he enumerated developing count ry Aid-for-Trade 
priorities as identified in their response s to the 2017 monitoring and evaluation (M&E) exercise. In 
his opinion , these priorities needed to be adequately reflected and adequately captured as focus 
areas in the Work P rogramme.  
12.  The representative of Nigeria  underscore d two main points. First, that the basis of the R eview 
should be the Task Force recommendation s. Drawing attention to the Paris Principles on Aid 
Effectiveness, he said that more importantly, it should look at t he trade -related priorities of 
recipient countries , as enshrined in the ir national development strategies . Second, that gender , 
which was commonly  highlighted as a factor for sustainable development , should be viewed  as 
cross-cutting. Finally, he asked for an inclusive drafting of the Work Programme . This w ould help 
to continue ensuring that Aid for Trade deliver ed on the business of its mandate.  
13.  The representative of Pakistan  welcome d the 2018 -2019 Work Programme on Aid for Trade 
and its focus on youth, women and MSMEs. He called for attent ion on  the issues faced by MSMEs 
in developing countries , on the necessary skills and infrastructure availability  to allow them to 
access global value chains . To conclude his address, he joined other Members  in stressing that the 
Work Programme should be as inclusive as possible.  
14.  The Chairperson  welcomed in terventions  from Members and invited the African Group to 
further elaborate its comments.  
15.  The representative  of Benin,  on behalf of the African Group , said that the Sixth Global Review 
of Aid for Trade had generated a wealth of inf ormation that merited follow -up, rather tha n 
engaging in drafting a new Work Programme  altogether . He added that a framework  created 
within the current programme could have enabled  the CTD  to implement the conclusions of the 
Review , hence why he had suggested that the 2018 -2019 Work Programme was a transitional  one. 
Recommendations for the future needed to f eed into the 202 0-2021 cycle. In the interest of 
pragmatism, t he report for that period would be better  at the beginning of the cycle rather than at 
its end , and c onclusions drawn at the end of the report w ould help draft the next Work 
Programme . This way, i n the 2020-2021 Work P rogramm e, all should be done to ensure 
implementation by : (i) setting up the appropriate infrastructure, or (ii) by mobili zing the necessary 
funding to implement the report recommendations . Using this approach , the programme would 
align with  the recommendations of the Global Review and take on boa rd the Paris Declaration on 
Aid Effectiveness.  
16.  The representative of Guatemala  requested that the Secretariat circulate a document 
reflecting the proposed changes. The representative of Dominica  requested a similar process to 
facilitate Members' work.  
17.  Before suspending consideration of this agenda item at the 19 February meeting, the  
Chairperson requested Members to submit comments  made at the session  in writing  by 
Friday  23 Februa ry 2018. A fter the meeting , the Secretariat would update the Work Programme, 
including  the changes that he had proposed to make to address the written comments he had 
received in advance of the meeting.  He stated that a  further informal session would be organi zed 
on Thursday , 1 March. On the basis of written comments  received , he w ould explore the possibility 
of issuing a second revision to the Work P rogramme  (JOB/DEV/52/Rev.2) . The Chair suspended 
consideration of this agenda item so as to allow further time for informal consultations.  
18.  On 23 April, Members reconvened to consider ag enda item B.  The Chair person  informed 
Members that he would seek to finali ze the Work Programme as circulated under 
JOB/DEV/52/Rev.3.  He then gave an overview of consultations  that he had undertaken . These had 
consisted of three informal open -ended meeting s which took place on 19 January, 1 March and WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
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  21 March  2018. The Work Programme had also been discussed at the formal meeting on 19 
February  2018. He also recalled his three consultations in a sma ll-group format convened on 21 
March, 27 March and 11 April  2018. The small group had been composed of those delegations 
which  had been active in the formal and informal meetings of 19 February and 1 March 
respectively. He also noted that the meetings had remained open to all Members that wished to 
participate and that the compositions of the small group had expanded after the formal meeting of 
21 March. The Chair added that he hoped to finali ze the Work Programme before the end of his 
tenure so he could su bmit it to the General Council.  
19.  The Chairperson  then outlined steps that had led to the version of the Aid-for-Trade Work 
Programme under discussion. A first draft Work Programme had been issued on 19 January 
(JOB/DEV/52) before being revised once on 20 February (JOB/DEV/52/Rev.1). A furt her second 
revision had been issued on 27 February (JOB/DEV/52/Rev.2). Consultations had focused on 
ensuring that issues of concern to different Members and Groups appear ed in the Work 
Programme; on discussing how the review of Aid -for-Trade achievements s hould be conducted, 
both procedurally and substantively; and striking the appropriate balanc e in the document on 
different issues of concern. The consultations had latterly  focused on how to reflect the mandate 
on Aid for Trade emanating from t he Sixth Min isterial C onference , as well as the status of  the Task 
Force recommendations.  
20.  The Chair person  then highlighted two points: first, that paragraph 1.1 used factual text from 
the previous Work Programme (WT/COMTD/AFT/W/60). Second, the descriptions of proposa ls and 
recommendations in paragraph 3.1 were factually correct in stating  that substantive comments 
and suggestions had been made "by Members and a Group of Members ". Proposals made by the 
Group would also be reflected in the summary note of the meeting. F urthermore , the Group 
retained the possibility of circulating its proposals in the form of a Committee document. The Chair 
then recalled the changes made in paragraphs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6. He proposed to submit the 
Aid-for-Trade Work Programme for 2018 -2019, as contained in JOB/DEV/52/Rev.3 , to the next 
General Council.  He further noted that d uring the process, he had been  asked to confirm that he 
was working on the basis of consensus. He reconfirm ed this understanding , including in relation to 
the point that the parameters of the review of Aid -for-Trade achievements should be agree d by 
consensus.  
21.  The representative of the United States  commented on the arduous nature of the discussions 
that had taken place  in revising  the Work Programme, and that the process  had been,  in her 
delegation's view, less than ideal. However, this reflected the fact that the Work Programme was a 
compromise document resulting from collaboration and partnership. She thanked the Chair for 
confirming that the r eview of Aid-for-Trade achievements and the 2018 -2019 Work Programme 
would be agreed by consensus.  The United States  could r eluctantly acce pt the revised text as 
drafted . She added that Aid for Trade had always been an area of work marked by good 
collaboration. She expressed  concern that certain Members had injected terms that were 
politicized elsewhere  and stated  that this rhetoric damaged confidence and trust . She added that 
the United States  viewed the process as a step backward s in an important initiative.  
22.  The representative of Central African Republic , on behalf of the LDCs , said that the LDC Group 
took note of the effort that had gone into the elaboration of the 2018 -2019 Work Programme . He 
noted that progress had been made and concerns taken into account , notably  with regard to 
industrialization and structural transformation . The Group felt that it was important that the 
Aid-for-Trade Initiative and the programme take on board the concerns of LDCs and the priorities 
as identified in the 2006 Task Force Recommendat ions and  agreed by the General Council.  
23.  The representative of Bangladesh  urged Members to continue deliberations on the Work 
Programme , particularly in relation to footnote 2 of the document th at referred to  
"Recommendations of the Task Force on Aid for Trade, WTO/AFT/1, 27 July 2006". He wished to 
add text in the footnote that referred to  "the decision of the General Council contained in 
WT/GC/M/104 , paragraph s 36 and 37 ". 
24.  The Chairperson  responded that the text as presented attempted to strike a balance b etween 
the concerns of all Members and that his intention  was to present it to the General Council on his 
own responsibility. He added that there would not be enough time left under his tenure for him to 
do so should the Programme remain open for further additions . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
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  25.  The representative of  the European Union  expressed her surprise at some of the questions  
encountered in the elaboration of the Work Programme . For her , it was now time to commence  
work and to ensure that Aid for Tr ade was effectively implemented. She highlighted that value 
could be added to it  through the work of the Committee . In this vein, the European Union  would 
agree  to the text  as presented in JOB/DEV/52/Rev.3 . 
26.  The representative of India suggested the removal o f "and" in paragraph 1.3, line 5  of the text 
and explained that this was a grammatical change, not a substantive one . Although India would 
have preferred a different document, in a spirit of collaboration  he stated that India c ould agree  to 
the text as dra fted. 
27.  The representative of Canada  identified Canada  as one of the Members which  had requested 
to participate in the small -group consultations. Canada  certainly hope d for a positive outcome and 
acknowledge d the flexibility of Members that had resulted in t he compromise document – one that 
Canada could support.  
28.  The representative of South Africa , on behalf of the African Group, expressed the Group's  
deep disappointment. She recalled that the African Group had submitted comments and entered 
into consultations with a view to  finalizing the Work Programme in accordance with the Task Force 
recommendations , and priorities of the African Group.  She r egret ted the  situation in which the 
Recommendations adopted by the General Council on 1 2 October 2006 in WT/GC/M/104  were now 
being called into question. It was the Task Force R ecommendations that had given life to the 
Aid-for-Trade Initiative, the Global  Review, and successive Work Programmes . Turning to 
JOB/DEV/52/Rev.3, the African Group would  issue a formal document that was expected to be 
footnoted in the Work Programme. This was a condition for the African Group to agree  to the Work 
Programme . The African Group remained committed to reaching a Work Programme that balanced 
out the priori ties of all Members.  
29.  The Chairperson  raised two points that he thought he needed to  address before the meeting 
could proceed further: first , the issue raised by Bangladesh regarding a proposed footnote ; and 
second , the referencing of the document of  the Af rican G roup. 
30.  In reply, the  representative of the  United States  said that she would  need to take any new 
proposed changes back to capital  for approval . 
31.  The representative of Haiti commented on the lengthy discussions  that had occurred in the 
small -group consultations. Haiti supported the statement made by Bangladesh  and found it 
regrettable that Members had not been able to move forward on a point that had already been 
decided by the General Council.  
32.  The representative of Bangladesh  lamented the fac t that it was not possible to refer to a point 
already  decided by the General Council. However , to assist the adoption of the Work Programme , 
he then withdrew his request for additional text in footnote 2.  
33.  The representative of Benin  said the Hong Kong  Ministerial Declaration  had been very clear 
with regard to the Aid -for-Trade  Work P rogramme. The Task Force has been established  following 
instructions from  Ministers and composed  by the Director -General. He supported the  statement 
from Bangladesh that it was  not necessary to refer to capital for a fact that , to him , was self -
evident. The representative of Benin  asked for flexibility and for Members to honour decisions for 
reasons of logic and political consistency.  The representative of Benin  recalled that the African 
Group had made ten proposals at the informal CTD Aid for Trade open-ended meeting held on 
1 March  2018. Under the responsibility of the Chair, the Secretariat had suggested the inclusion of 
these proposals in a footnote.  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
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  34.  The prop osals made by the African Group at the informal CTD Aid for Trade open-ended 
meeting  on 1 March were as follows : 
a. In paragraph 2.8 , text should be added to the third line "including the successful 
implementatio n of digital industry policies".  
b. In paragraph 2 .9, the  second sentence in the sixth line should be completed by  "and 
SDG9 relating to the construction of resilient infrastructure, promotion of inclusive and 
sustainable industrialisation and strengthen innovation. Access to electricity that 
suppo rts str uctural transformation ". 
c. In paragraph 3.2, complete the second sentence in the third line with "with the objective 
of improving and strengthening the transparency mechanism in the Aid -for-Trade 
Iinitiative. This may include the following points:  
d. Analyses e manating from the 2017 Global Review of Aid for Trade;  
e. A global evaluation of the Aid -for-Trade Initiative since its inception;  
f. An assessment of how recipient countries ' priorities are taken into account, as well as 
mapping Aid -for-Trade flows;  
g. Impact of Aid for Trade on supply -side capacity building and on trade -related 
infrastructure to facilitate markets access for recipient countries, and to strengthen their 
export capacity;  
h. Reframe the initiative in relation to its objectives in line with the recommen dations of the 
Task Force on Aid for Trade;  
i. Establish a monitoring mechanism that will involve the WTO Secretariat, the OECD, 
international organizations, and technical and financial [development] partners to assess 
the priorities of recipient countrie s, and the orientation of flows "; 
j. New paragraph added by the African Group: "The Committee on Trade and Development 
will convene Informal Sessions to exchange views on the reorientation of the Aid for 
Trade Initiative, which will lead to the launch of the Aid for Trade Report at the 
beginning of the next round rather than at the end of it. The next Work Programme 
should constitute a framework for implementing the conclusions and recommendations 
of the said Report, as well as those to be formulated during the 7th Global Review of Aid 
for Trade ". 
35.  Discussions  had then culminated in the small group  not being able to maintain 
recommendations  d-j as a footnote  in the new text . Yet, t hese were recommendations of the Task 
Force and could be found in section H of WT/AFT/ 1. Another Member  had then suggested  the idea  
that a second submission of proposals could be made by the African Group and that this document 
would be referred to in the Work Programme.  The Chair  would then report to the General Council 
and a decision woul d be taken . The African G roup was flexible and open to both options: the 
footnote or the separate document. In the interest of balance,  the representative of Benin  urged 
Members to support either one of t hese two options.  
36.  The representative of the United S tates said that a Member could submit a proposal  and 
request its circulation,  but a reference to a future proposal  should not been i nserted in a 
consensus  document such as the Work Programme . 
37.  The representative of Benin  said that  the concept of consensus was not relevant  and that, by 
not inserting the footnote, consensus was de facto  missing . There was agreement  in the sense that 
the African Group could make a submission. He added that as the  minutes  of the meeting  had not 
been seen , it was not possible to take a decision and there was no consensus as yet. WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
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  38.  The representative of the  United States  stated  that any Member was able to circulate its views 
on the Tas k Force Recommendations, but that these should not be referenced in the Work 
Programme as there was no consensus in the Committee on this issue. 
39.  The representative of South Africa  asked for a time extension for the African Group to consult 
with regards to the footnote . 
40.  The represe ntative of Bangladesh  enquired whether its suggestions on footnote 2 could still be 
considered , to which the  Chair responded with an appeal to leave it withdrawn . 
41.  The representative of the United States  reiterated  that his delegation  would not accept further 
revisions  to the Work Programme.  
42.  In conclusion, the Chairperson  indicated that he would issue a third revision to the  Aid for 
Trade Work Programme for 2018 -2019 as JOB/DEV/52/REV.3 , includ ing the textual revision 
proposed by India and accepted by Members . He noted that he looked forward to an indication of 
the decision of the African Group at the meeting of the CTD that would follow on 24 April 2018 . 
C. AID-FOR-TRADE ACTIVITIES  
I. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities  
43.  The representati ve of Japan  introduced a new initiative on the dev elopment aspects of 
e-commerce. On Friday 8 December  2017, the Government of Japan had made a pledge to provide 
approximately US$300 million over three years to support the development of information and 
communication technologies ( ICTs) in developing countries.  Japan hope d that this assistance 
would  help developing countries benefit from e -commerce through building their ICT capacity and 
infrastructure. Improve d infrastructure, both soft and hard, would create an environment that 
enable d affordable access for all and facilitate d the participation of businesses ( particularly 
MSMEs ), in digital trade. As an active participant in the discussions on e -commerce in the  WTO, 
Japan hope d that the new initiative would  encourage developing countries to actively engage in 
future discussions on e -commerce and the digital economy.  
44.  The representative of the European Union  drew attention to the  European Union's  Aid-for-
Trade Monitoring Report  2017 which ga ve a detailed account on  the activities  funded , geographical 
cover, includ ing case studies with field qualitative assessments . Trade facilitation  projects were 
particularly highlighted.  At a future  meeting , she said that the European  Union  would present the 
new strategy and explain its guiding principles . 
II. Mainstreaming  
45.  The Chairperson  noted that since the last CTD meeting in October 2017 , Bolivia, Cambodia, 
The Gambia and Malaysia had completed their Trade Policy Reviews (TPRs) . He then invited  these  
representatives  to update the CTD on their Aid -for-Trade activities.  
46.  The representative of Cambodia  updated Members on Cambodia's  TPR held on  21 and 
23 November 2017. He recogni zed Aid for Trade as an important factor for LDCs in overcoming the 
challenges of integrating  into the multilateral trading system. The Cambodia Trade Integration 
Study  (CTIS) had been  updated twice (in 2007 and 2014 ) and had helped to support Cambodia's 
engageme nt in, and pa rticipation to , the WTO. Exports we re being diversified, trade cost s reduced, 
and reforms put in place.  Reliance on preferential market access was progressively declining and 
being replaced by industrial development  and increased competitiveness.  
47.  All itera tions of the CTIS ha d been incorporated in the Cambodia's National Strategic 
Development Plan (N SDP).  They had laid the ground work for the formulation of various 
trade -related projects/programmes in Cambodia:  (i) the Trade Sector -Wide Approach (Trade 
SWAp ) and its supporting program called Tra de Development Support Program ; (ii) a World Bank 
managed  multi-donor trust fund project ; (iii) various EIF-funded projects ; and (iv) a  recent IFAD 
loan-supporting project : the Accelerating Inclusive M arkets for Smallh olders . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
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  48.  The Trade SWAp  had produced substantial a chievements in addressing a number of 
cross-cutting issues including policy formulation, legal r eforms, trade facilitation, and SPS and TBT. 
It had contributed to the development of the Government's ca pacity in trade policy formulation 
and monitoring, as well as the promotion and development of key export value chains. He 
concluded that t he upcoming third update of Cambodia 's CTIS would outline a strategy for trade 
development , contribut e to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and formulat e a resource -
mobili zing framework that would look to provide long -term impact and was aligned with policies of 
development partners , either bilaterally or multilaterally.  
49.  The Chairperson  listed the TPRs of Egypt, the Philippines, Colombia, Montenegro, and Norway 
that would be conducted before the next CTD Aid for Trade meeting . An opportunity would  be 
given to  them, as well as Malaysia , to make a statement  at the next meeting . 
50.  The representative of the Enhanced Integrated Framework  (EIF) made a statement on the 
EIF's funding , projects  and activities.  On f unding, s he recalled that  the United Kingdom  had made 
a US$ 21.3 million commit ment to the EIF Trust Fund  in December 2017 . On n ew projects , the EIF 
had recently invested US $5.6 million in four product ive capacity -building projects : on improving 
export competitiveness in Bangladesh;  strengthening n ational quality infrastructure in Guinea;  
enhancing agricultural trade in Taro and Cassava in the Solomon Islands;  and establishing a n 
electronic single window in Vanuatu.  In addition, four new institutional  capacity -building projects 
had been provided in Guinea -Bissau, Chad, Mauritania and Uganda since the last CTD meeting . EIF 
had also joined forces with UNCTAD to s upport e -readiness assessments in several LDCs.  
51.  The Global EIF platform was tentatively scheduled  on 12 -15 June 2018 , in conjunct ion with 
the EIF  board meeting and the EIF steering committee. The EIF plan ned to launch a new strategic 
plan for 2019 -2022. She announced the launch of Trade for Development News – an online news 
platform to share stories on the ground, across LDCs, recently graduated countries , and several 
themes and sectors.  
III. Regional Dimension  
52.  The Secretariat  provided an update on the Asia n Development Bank (ADB) outreach activity 
for Pacific Island States held in Suva Fiji on 7 -8 February 2018. The event was held  jointly 
between the  WTO, the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat  (PIFS) , the Government of Australia and 
the University of the South Pacific (USP). Aid -for-Trade flows to t he Pacific region totalled 
US$3 .4 billion over the period 2006 -2016, and had been on an upward trajectory in recent years. 
Most funding disbursed to date ha d been aimed at  reducing physical trade costs – consist ently 
mentioned as the major impediment to trade growth. Examples of projects and programmes cited 
during the two days suggest that support was impactful. Among the constraints discussed was 
promoting digital connectivity and taking action to improve affor dability of internet connection.  
53.  The ADB's 2019 annual meeting would  be held in Fiji, a first for the Pacific . Also of note was 
the ongoing process to update the PIFS regional Aid -for-Trade Strategy which was set to be 
completed in 2018 . Lastly, the work o f the EIF in S amoa was praised by  a representative of the 
Samoan Government.  
54.  The representative of Australia  said that , Aid for T rade remain ed a key focus in  Australia’s 
overseas aid  policy and budget  and accounted for nearly 20% of the total aid budget . He added 
that Australia wa s a donor to the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, a busine ss-led initiative 
which supported countries in  Trade Facilitation Agreement  implementation . Australia was also the 
first donor to fund the Global Trade Professionals Alliance (GTPA), provid ing initial seed funding of 
AUD 2.5 million from 2017 to 20 20. The GTPA would  build support services for small businesses, 
including women entrepreneurs, through industry bodies in developing countries , and create a 
global network of  trade practitioners and certifying organi zations.  
IV. Private Sector  
55.  The representative of the International Trade Centre (ITC)  drew attention to the Buenos Aires 
Declaration on Women and Trade  signed at MC11 . Further on Gender, he invite d Members  to 
SheTrades Global at Liverpool in June  2018. Also, he mentioned  SheTrades MENA, a n innovative 
hub that aimed to catalyse stakeholders’ efforts to support a conducive envir onment for women WT/COMTD/AFT/M/42  
 
- 9 - 
 
  entrepreneurs.  With WTO and UNCTAD, ITC had  launched the Global Trade Hel pdesk1, a new tool 
to help  businesses benefit from trade . With WTO , it had also launched the Cotton Portal, an on -line 
platform to provide market intelligence for cotton products . Some  80% of ITC's interventions were 
in Africa, landlocked developing countries , least developed countries , small  islands and fragile 
states. He also provided an outline of ongoing technical -assistance projects around th e world to 
help women, youth and vulnerable population s' trade . He invit ed Members to the Joint Advisory 
Group (JAG) meeting on 10 July 2018 at the WTO, and to the World Export Development Forum 
(WEDF) in Zambia,  in the week of 3  September  2018. Finally, he drew attention on  the SME 
Competitiveness Outlook  publication  to be launched on 20 September  2018. 
V. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation and Development Effectiveness  
56.  No item was raised under "Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementatio n and Development 
Effectiveness ". 
D. OTHER BUSINESS  
57.  No item was raised under "Other Business".  
58.  The meeting was suspended  at this  point on 19 February. The reconvened 42nd Session was 
adjourned  on 23 April  after further consideration of Item B . 
__________  
                                                
1 helpmetrade.com