WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/COMTD/AFT/W/11 
13 February 2009 
 
 (09-0735) 
Committee on Trade and Development 
Aid for Trade  
 
 
 
ANNOTATED 
2009 AID-FOR-TRADE ROADMAP1 
 
 
I. OBJECTIVES 
• Ensure that the current momentum on Aid fo r Trade is maintained during the economic 
downturn. 
• Increase developing country ownership of Aid for Trade. 
• Move from commitment to implementation of Aid for Trade. 
• Monitor implementation - with a focus on country, regional and sectoral priorities. 
• Finalize the work on the performance indicator s and further strengthen the self evaluation 
process. 
 
II. GLOBAL MONITORING – QUESTIONNAIRES 
 The 2006 report of the Aid-for-Trade Task Force (WT/AFT/1) calls for strengthened 
monitoring at all levels – multilatera l, regional and national – and for th e various inputs to be reflected 
in periodic global reviews of Aid for Trade.  Three levels of monitoring were  identified by the Task 
Force:  (1) global monitoring, carried out by the OECD (using the OECD DAC Creditor Reporting 
System (CRS));  (2) donor monitoring, in the form of self-evaluations;  and (3) in-country monitoring, 
also in the form of self-assessments (using the resu lts of the responses to partner (recipient) country 
questionnaires).  In the context of the third elemen t of this monitoring, the donor and partner-country 
questionnaires used for the 2007 monitoring exerci se were revised to improve the quality, the 
timeliness and the usefulness of the information that  partner (recipient) countries can provide for the 
monitoring exercise. 
 
• Ensure that responses to the questionna ire are received in a timely manner. 
 
o Final updated partner-country questionnaire and CRS data on individual countries' 
Aid-for-Trade flows were sent to tr ade and finance ministers on 15 December 2008 
and copied to Heads of WTO Member and Observer delegations and Enhanced 
Integrated Framework (EIF) contact poi nts.  The deadline for completion and 
submission of partner-country responses is 20 February 2009. 
o Final updated donor questionnaire and CRS data on individual countries' 
Aid-for-Trade flows were also sent on 15 December 2008.  The deadline for 
completion and submission of d onor responses was 6 February 2009. 
o The UNDP, Regional Development Banks, ITC, and other Aid-for-Trade Advisory 
Group members; as well as the EIF Secret ariat have been requested to assist 
developing countries in completing the partner-country questionnaire (country responsibilities are being divided amongst the different agencies).  
 
                                                     
 
1 Bulleted text in italics indicates work in programme. WT/COMTD/AFT/W/11 
Page 2  
 
  • Analyse the responses to the donor and partner-country questionnaires. 
 
o Responses to the questionnaires will be u sed to elicit information on trade 
development strategies, gaps between needs and actual support, and transaction 
costs.  An analysis of the data collected  will be carried out by the OECD and 
published in a joint OECD/WTO "Aid-for -Trade At-A-Glance 2009" report to be 
presented at the 2
nd Global Review. 
 
• Build on existing work to include Aid-for-Trade sections in TPRs. 
 
o Trade Policy Reviews relating to both  donor and beneficiary countries and 
economies include chapters on Aid for Trade w ithin Section II of the reports.  Trade 
Policy Reviews which should be completed before the Second Global Review on 6 and 7 July  2009 include:  Brazil (review date – 9 and 11 March), Fiji (review date – 
25 and 27 March);  the European Community (review date – 6 and 8 April);  
Mozambique (review date 22 and 24 April); the Solomon Islands (review date –  6 and 
8 May);  New Zealand (review date – 10 and 12 June), Morocco (review 
date - 24 and 26 June).  
 
III. GLOBAL MONITORING – INDICATORS  
 At the first Global Review of Aid for Trade in November 2007 it was suggested, inter alia , 
that future monitoring should tr ack progress in the implementation and the impact of Aid for Trade.  
A "Symposium on Monitoring and Evaluation – Identif ying Indicators for Monitoring Aid for Trade" 
was held on 15 and 16 September 2008 to help identif y a suitable cluster of indicators to benchmark 
progress in building trade capacity and monitor the WTO work programme on Aid for Trade (WT/COMTD/AFT/W/9).  
A preliminary draft mock-up table of indicators with sections on aid-for-trade flows, trade 
performance, trade capacity, and incen tives has been prepared and consultations to refine this draft are 
ongoing.    
• Continue consultations on the indicators with donor and partner countries. 
 
o Informal consultations will continue w ith Members of the Committee on Trade and 
Development (CTD) with a view to presenti ng a revised template at the CTD meeting 
scheduled for 2 April 2009. 
 
• Establish an Aid-for-Trade "knowledge network"  using information technologies to establish 
contact points, highlight activities, share best practices, etc. 
 
o The OECD is consulting with UNDP and ITC regarding the host for the 
Aid-for-Trade knowledge network.  UNDP  is drafting a proposal for a multi-agency 
knowledge network.  
 
IV. NATIONAL AND SUB-REGIONAL REVIEWS 
 In the last Aid-for-Trade Roadmap (WT/COMT D/AFT/W/6), it was proposed that a series of 
selected national and sub-regional Aid-for-Trade Re views should be held in Africa, Latin America 
and the Caribbean, and Asia and the Pacific.  The Reviews are to be focused, technical, and 
results-oriented, with the aim of assisting in adva ncing – and then monitoring – the implementation of  WT/COMTD/AFT/W/11 
 Page 3 
 
 
  concrete national and sub-regiona l strategies.  The objective of the Reviews is to showcase 
Aid-for-Trade strategies and to creat e incentives for others to follow.   
 
• The following reviews have been scheduled:   
  Inter-American Development Bank 
 
o National Review to be held in Lima, Peru on 3 March 2009. 
o National Review to be held in Honduras on 9 or 10 March 2009. 
o Latin America and the Caribbean Review to be held  in Montego Bay, Jamaica on 4 
and 5  May 2009. 
 
 Asian Development Bank 
 
o First meeting of the AsDB Regional Technical Group (RTG) to be held in Manila on  
3 March 2009.   
o The RTG will provide input for the Second Global Review and discuss convening 
national and sub-regional Reviews as appropriate. 
  African Development Bank 
 
o Second meeting of the AfDB Technical Working Group was held in Tunis on 
30 January 2009 at which plans for Aid- for-Trade events in 2009 were discussed.  
o COMESA-EAC-SADC North-South Corridor Aid-for-Trade Conference to be held in 
Lusaka, Zambia on 6 and 7 April 2009. 
o Discussions are on-going about sub-regional events to be held in West Africa and 
Central Africa. 
  Islamic Development Bank 
 
o Discussions are on-going about sub-regional events for IsDB members (to begin with 
for the Central Asia, and Arab and Middle East countries).  
 
V. GLOBAL REVIEW 
 In the 2008 Aid-for-Trade Roadmap, it was also proposed that the second Global Review be 
held in 2009 to provide political guidance, moment um and the "big picture" on implementation and 
evaluation of Aid for Trade. 
 
• Dates fixed for 6 and 7 July 2009. 
 
o A draft outline of the programme for the R eview will be posted shortly on the WTO 
Aid-for-Trade Website. 
 
• Committee on Trade and Development 
 
o Formal meeting of the CTD tentatively scheduled for 27 February 2009 to discuss, 
inter alia, preparations for the Global Review.  
o Formal meeting of the CTD planned for 2 April 2009 to discuss progress in 
national/regional reviews, preparations for the 2
nd Aid-for-Trade Global Review, and 
provide an update on indicators and responses to questionnaires.  
  WT/COMTD/AFT/W/11 
Page 4  
 
  • Aid-for-Trade Advisory Group  
 
o The next meeting of the Aid-for-Trade Ad visory Group is tentatively scheduled for 
2 April 2009 and will take place back-to-back with a formal meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development. 
 
• A meeting of the Joint OECD DAC-Trade Committ ee Working Party (TCWP) will be held on 
20 May 2009 to discuss, inter alia , the draft OECD/WTO "Aid-for-Trade At-a-Glance" report 
to be prepared in advance of the Review.   
 
__________