PRESS RELEASE 
 
PRESS/560 
29 June 2009 
 
(09-3141) 
AID FOR TRADE  
WTO launches second global  review of Aid for Trade  
The WTO, its members and key international aid and development organizations will conduct the 
Second Global Review of Aid for Trade –aimed at expanding the trade capacity of developing 
countries—on 6-7 July 2009 in Geneva. 
 The Second Global Review will evaluate progress made since the First Review, held in November 
2007, and scrutinize how Aid for Trade is being put into operation in the field. Progress in securing 
additional, predictable financing will be discusse d and views exchanged on how aid flows can be 
maintained against the backdrop of the global recession. 
 
The four key objectives of this  Second Global Review are: 
 
• Moving from commitment to implementation : The meeting will asses how is Aid for 
Trade making good on its promise as th e agenda moves from commitment of funds 
(increase of 10% annually since 2005 and funding pledges today standing at more than 
$25 billion annually; non-concessional loans add an additional $27 billion) to 
implementation in concrete project at multilateral, regional and national level. 
 
• Integrating trade in national an d regional development strategies : The meeting 
will analyze how can trade be better integrated into core national and regional development strategies, what are the obstacles and how this process can be encouraged. 
 
• Sustaining aid flows during the global economic downturn: This Review will study 
the impact that the global economic downturn is having on Aid for Trade flows, how can 
donors be persuaded to engage long term th rough additional and predictable financing, 
and what role can emerging South-South donors can play in Aid for Trade. 
 
• Assessing the effectiveness of Aid for Trade: The Geneva gathering will try to find 
what conclusions are emerging on the results and effectiveness of Aid for Trade so far. The second joint OECD/WTO monitoring report “Aid  for Trade at a Glance”, to be published 
coinciding with the Second Global Review, highlights that the Aid for Trade initiative has 
already made remarkable progress. 
 
“This Aid for Trade meeting is designed to support developing countries as they seek to better 
integrate into the multilateral trading system and to take advantage of export opportunities. This is even more relevant today: Aid for Trade is needed to prepare poor countries to exit the crisis. 
This is no time to fail our development promises,” said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy. PRESS/560 
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“The Doha Development round will result in conc rete market opening opportunities for developing 
countries but without adequate capacity, many countries will be unable to seize these opportunities and consequently be unable to use trade as a tool for development and poverty 
alleviation”.  
 “Countries need infrastructure, enhanced producti on capacity and trade-related training which is 
essential if trade is to be streamlined into development and poverty reduction strategies in the 
developing world. The Aid for Trade initiative is designed to go hand-in-hand with an ambitious and development friendly outcome to the Doha round,” Mr. Lamy said. 
 
Mr. Lamy said the WTO and its Aid for Trade partners needed to build upon the progress achieved so far in regional and international aid for trade forums while enhancing the role of the private 
sector, private foundations and civil society to broaden the base of experiences and resources 
devoted to trade and development.  
 
 
END