RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/34  
 
20 July 2015  
(15-3718)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Trade and Development 
Thirty-Fourth Session on Aid for Trade    
 
                                                                                                  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 29 MAY 2015 
Chairperson: H.E. Mr. Juan Esteban  Aguirre Martínez (Paraguay) 
A. Adoption of the Agenda ........................................................................................... 1  
B. Implementation of the 2014-2015 Aid-for-Trade Work Programme ........................ 1  
1. Resource Mobilization and Im plementation Activities ..................................................... 2  
2. Mainstreaming ......................................................................................................... 2  
3. Regional Di mension .................................................................................................. 2  
4. Private Se ctor .......................................................................................................... 3  
5. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementa tion and Development Effectiveness ................... 3  
C. Other Busi ness ........................................................................................................ 3  
 
A. Adoption of the Agenda 
1. The Agenda, as circulated in WTO/AIR/COMTD/AFT/2, was adopted. 
B. Implementation of the 2014-2015 Aid-for-Trade Work Programme 
2. A video message from the Director-General about the 5th Global Review (5GR) was shown. 
The Director-General, in his message, said that the Review was taking place at a critical moment 
in a landmark year for the global community particularly in light of the upcoming Third 
International Conference on Financing for Development1, the UN Summit on the Sustainable 
Development Goals2, and the WTO's 10th Ministerial Conference3. The Global Review would send a 
powerful message of the central importance to trade and the multilateral rules-based system for 
the realisation of the UN's transformational Post-2015 Development Agenda.4  
3. The Secretariat gave an update on preparations for the 5GR, providing information on the 
structure of the agenda, expected participation by Ministers and Heads of Organizations, the 
reports to be launched at the event, including the joint OECD-WTO Aid for Trade at a Glance 
publication and reports by regional developm ent banks and the UNECA, and the logistical 
arrangements. The representatives of the Europe an Union (EU), Paraguay, and Chinese Taipei 
informed Members of the side events they planned to organize during the event. 
4. The representative of Benin, on behalf of the LDC Group, noted the active engagement by 
all Aid-for-Trade (AfT) stakeholders which had provided the substance for the Aid for Trade at a 
Glance publication and its messages. The 5GR would serve as a framework for discussions on how 
trade costs impact the integration of developing countries, and particularly least developed countries (LDCs), in international trade and would lead to the identification of concrete, pragmatic 
                                               
1 http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/ffd3/ . 
2 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/summit . 
3 http://mc10nairobi.org/en/ . 
4 https://www.wto.org/englis h/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_grid_e.htm ?video_type=subject&bookmark=aid  
 WT/COMTD/AFT/M/34 
 
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  and operational solutions to reduce or eliminate the shortcomings faced by these countries so as to 
enhance their global and regional trade integration. He underlined the importance of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) for the LDCs and welcomed the expected launch of Phase Two of the EIF that would take place at the 5GR. This event would be important for the convening of a 
financial Pledging Conference in the margins of the WTO's Tenth Ministerial Conference to be held 
in Nairobi, Kenya in December 2015. The LDC Group hoped that the imminent 10
th anniversary of 
the Aid-for-Trade Initiative would provide Members with an opportunity to reiterate support for the 
mobilization of additional, predictable, effective and sustainable resources, to conduct an 
assessment of the Initiative's achievements si nce 2005 and to give guidance on its future 
implementation. 
1. Resource Mobilization and Implementation Activities 
5. No item was raised under this sub-item. 
2. Mainstreaming 
6. The representatives of Japan and Australia made statements pursuant to their recent 
Trade Policy Reviews. Japan referred, in particular, to the revision of its Official Development 
Assistance policy framework and its new 2015 "Development Cooperation Charter"5 formulated to 
tackle poverty reduction. Japan also supported African countries through its Tokyo International 
Conference on African Development (TICAD) platform , and provided trade facilitation assistance to 
African and ASEAN countries through its cooperation with international organizations such as the World Customs Organization. Australia noted its financial assistance to the World Bank Group's 
Trade Facilitation Facility and to the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility (TFAF) and Global 
Trust Fund, as well as its support to the EIF and to the activities of the International Centre for 
Trade and Sustainable Development and the International Trade Centre (ITC). Australia also 
informed that it was aiming to increase its AfT investments to reach 20% of its total aid budget by 
2020.6 
7. The representative of the EIF reported on  the key recommendations of the Programme 
Framework for Phase Two of the EIF (2016-2022) and highlighted the strategic changes designed 
to produce a more dynamic and results-driven EIF, demonstrating increased efficiency, 
effectiveness, sustainability and value for money.7  
8. The representative of Benin, on behalf of the LDC Group, expressed the Group's 
appreciation for partners' support thus far to the EIF. The Group urged continued support for 
Phase Two of the Programme so that LDCs could participate in, and achieve the results they 
expected, from the multilateral trading system including with regard to the operationalization of the TFAF. 
9. The representative of the EU noted that, wi th governance and implementation modalities 
now agreed, the EU would be exploring the possibili ty of pledging support to Phase Two of the EIF 
within the time-frame laid out by the EIF Steering Committee.  
3. Regional Dimension 
10. The representative of the Asian Development Ba nk (AsDB) presented a draft report on "Aid 
for Trade in Asia and the Pacific 2015" whic h had been discussed at a joint AsDB/WTO/PIFS 
meeting held in Suva, Fiji titled "Trading Up! Supporting Pacific Niche Exports". The report, which 
had been prepared also with the support of Australia, described how high trade costs and 
inclusiveness were a particular challenge for Pacific countries and looked at how Aid for Trade 
                                               
5 http://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000067701.pdf . 
6 More information on Australia's aid program can be found at http://dfat.gov.au/aid/Pages/australias-
aid-program.aspx . 
7 The full statement by the EIF Secretariat was circ ulated in WT/COMTD/AFT/W /57. Further information 
on the EIF activities can be found at http://www.enhancedif.org . WT/COMTD/AFT/M/34 
 
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  could best be channelled to support the changes and innovation needed to enhance opportunities 
in these countries for trade-driven growth. Th e final report would be launched at the 5GR.8  
11. The representative of Vanuatu expressed apprec iation for the report which highlighted the 
challenges of an often overlooked region and pr ovided information on the potential opportunities 
available to overcome these challenges. 
12. The Secretariat reported on an Expe rt Group Meeting organized by the Economic 
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Accra, Ghana on 7-8 May 2015, to validate the 
ECOWAS Aid-for-Trade Strategy to submit to ECOW AS Trade Ministers. The Strategy was designed 
to provide a better coordinated and harmonized appr oach on Aid for Trade, both at regional and 
national levels, to improve aid effectiveness in West Africa. Expected results were detailed in an Action Matrix covering three pillars: (1) Trade Policy and Regulations; (2) Trade-related 
Infrastructure; and (3) Building Productive Capacity.   
13. The Secretariat also reported on a Regional  Review Seminar organized by the Islamic 
Development Bank (IsDB) in Amman, Jordan on  21-23 April 2015 which served to examine how 
trade costs hindered IsDB Group members' trade and development. Deputy Director-General Agah 
was invited to provide an overview of the Ai d-for-Trade Initiative and the 5GR and the AfT 
monitoring and evaluation exercise. An analysis of the findings and recommendations from the 
Seminar would feed into the IsDB Group's report on "Reducing Trade Costs in IDB member 
countries" to be submitted to the 5GR.9 
4. Private Sector 
14. The representative of the ITC  reported on its ongoing technical assistance support noting, 
in particular, assistance in connection with categorization, notification, ratification and 
implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. Information was also provided on ITC's contributions to the 5GR, and upcoming events including the ITC Women Vendors Exhibition and 
Forum (São Paulo, Brazil, 2-3 September 2015) and the 15
th edition of the World Export 
Development Forum on "Sustainable Trade: Inno vate, Invest, Internationalise" (Doha, Qatar, 
20-21 October 2015).10  
5. Monitoring and Evaluation of Implemen tation and Development Effectiveness 
15. The Secretariat provided information on the Joint OECD/DAC and Working Party of the 
Trade Committee on Aid for Trade (18 May 2015) and the WTO Workshop on the 2015 
Aid-for-Trade Monitoring and Evaluation Exercise and Aid for Trade at a Glance Publication 
(28 May 2015).11 Both events had served as a platform for the authors (OECD and WTO) and 
collaborating agencies (the EIF, ITC, UNCTAD, WBG, and the WEF) to present a preview of the main conclusions of their respective chapters of the Aid for Trade at a Glance publication prior to 
its formal launch at the 5GR. 
C. Other Business 
16. No item was raised under "Other Business". 
17. The meeting was adjourned. 
__________ 
  
                                               
8 The full presentation can be accessed at: https://prezi.com/kzg_tzo mb8ad/aft-pacific-may-
28/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy . For more information on th e joint AsDB/WTO/PIFs meeting 
see: http://aric.adb.org/tradingup . 
9 More information on the Seminar can be found at: http://www.itfc-idb.org/e n/content/preparatory-
seminar-idbgs-parti cipation-5th-global-review-aid-trade . 
10 Information on ITC's acti vities can be found at http://www.intracen.org . 
11 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_may15_e/wkshop_may15_e.htm .