WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/COMTD/AFT/W/18/Add.3 
11 October 2010 
 (10-5186) 
Committee on Trade and Development 
Aid for Trade  
 
 
 
PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2010-2011  
AID-FOR-TRADE WORK PROGRAMME 
 
Background Note prepared by the Secretariat1 
 
Addendum  
  
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. This background note has been prepared to  update Members on the progress that has been 
made in implementation of the 2010-2011 Aid-fo r-Trade Work Programme since the Committee on 
Trade and Development's (CTD) Session on Aid-for-T rade which was held on 19 July 2010.  The 
note follows the same structure as the Work Progr amme found in document WT/COMTD/AFT/W/16.   
2. The background note is not a comprehensive an alysis of ongoing Aid-for-Trade actions.  It 
covers only the activities of international organizati ons, as reported to the WTO, which are in support 
of the implementation of the 2010-2011 Aid-for-Trade Work Programme.
2  Members are encouraged 
to complement this note by reportin g on their activities at the CTD's 17th Session on Aid for Trade to 
be held on 26 October 2010.   
II. RESOURCE MOBILIZATION  
3. The Group of 203 (G-20) will hold its Fifth Summit in Seoul, Korea on 11 and 
12 November 2010.  The theme of the summit will be "G-20's Role in the Post-Crisis World" and 
discussions will focus on several mid- and long-term policy issues, including:  ensuring global economic recovery;  framework for strong, sustaina ble, and balanced global growth;  strengthening 
the international financial regulatory system;  mode rnizing the international financial institutions;  
global financial safety nets;  and development issues. 
4. The World Bank International Development A ssociation (IDA), which provides financial 
support to the poorest countries is currently conducting its sixteenth round of replenishment 
negotiations to decide on the financial contribut ions of donors for the period 2011-2014.  The most 
recent replenishment meeting took place in Bamako,  Mali on 16-18 June  2010.  A third meeting is 
expected to take place during the annual meetings of the International Mone tary Fund (IMF) and the 
                                                     
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and without prejudice to 
the positions of Members and to their rights and obligations under the WTO. 
2 As such, the note omits many of the Aid-for-Trade activities of international organizations and 
excludes the activities of bila teral donors.  It should be  noted that bilateral Aid-fo r-Trade activities accounted for 
75 per cent of Aid for Trade in 2007.  
3 Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Fr ance, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the 
United States, and the European Union.  WT/COMTD/AFT/W/18/Add.3 
Page 2  
 
  World Bank Group on 8-10 October where discu ssion will focus on a final IDA-16 financial 
framework, a final review of the IDA-16 replenishment report, and other outstanding issues.
4   
III. MAINSTREAMING  
5. Consultations launched by the World Bank in Ap ril 2010 with regard to the development of 
its Group-wide Trade Strategy are nearing completion.   The consultations gene rated significant input 
from various stakeholders including, inter alia , member governments, the private sector, civil society, 
academia, international organizations as well as donor agen cies.  A draft strategy paper is expected to 
be available shortly.  It will be posted on the Wo rld Bank's website for public comments before being 
revised for consideration by the World Bank Board of Executives.  The final strategy document is 
scheduled to be completed in late 2010.  Further information can be found at the World Bank website 
http://www.worldbank.org . 
6. Analysis of Aid for Trade within the TPR process, as specified in the 2010-2011 
Aid-for-Trade Work Programme, is continuing.  Wo rk has been completed on five of the six pilot 
TPRs that were identified in the Work Programme (China, Honduras, Malawi, the United States, and 
the joint review of Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali) and work is approaching completion on the 
remaining pilot TPR (Belize).5  Work is also progressing on integrat ing an Aid-for-Trade analysis into 
TPRs for non-pilot Members including Paraguay, the Gambia, Sri Lanka, Papua  New Guinea, and the 
Democratic Republic of Congo. 
7. The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Boar d held its second meeting on 7 July 2010.  
Decisions taken by the Board included approval of the Trust Fund Manager's (TFM) progress and 
financial reports, approval of an automatic extensio n of full EIF benefits to graduating LDCs for an 
initial three years, with the possibility of an ex tension of up to two years based on a case-by-case 
basis, approval of the inclusion of a TFM Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTIS) disbursement clause in approving a new entrant to the EIF programme , approval of the delegation of authority to the 
EIF Executive Director to initiate DTIS updates up  to US$200,000, subject to the EIF country 
fulfilling the procedures outlined in the Executive S ecretariat (ES) and TFM guidelines (requests for 
DTIS updates exceeding US$200,000 would need to be authorized by the EIF Board), and approval of 
the revised Partnership Agreement between UNOPS and UNDP.  The EIF Board also approved that 
the WTO be represented by two persons in mee tings where synergies between the EIF and STDF 
would be discussed.  The EIF is actively involve d in the Trade Policy Review process for LDCs 
providing a vital link to the wider Aid-for-Trade agenda. 
8. Funding for the multi-donor Trust Fund of the EIF programme has continued to increase with 
the number of donors reaching 22, and the total am ount received in the Trust Fund currently amounts 
to just over US$106 million. The funding secured (received and committed through signed agreements) totals US$183 million.  It is important that donors con tinue their active engagement and 
support the programme to ensure that the growing number of beneficiary countries (now at 47) and 
growing demand for the EIF through upcoming projects can be actively supported.  Under the EIF 
Trust Fund Tier 1, aimed at institutional capacity  building for EIF implementation, a total of 
24 projects, with a funding commitment of US$16 milli on, have been approved to date.  Six of these 
projects are pre-DTIS projects, three are funding preparations of the Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTIS) and 15 are projects supporting th e National Implementation Arrangements (NIA) put 
in place to mainstream trade and ensure coordinate d implementation of priority activities proposed by 
                                                     
 
4 For more information on the IDA- 16 replenishment exercise, see: 
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXT ABOUTUS/IDA/0,,contentMDK:22495227~menuPK:68
27445~pagePK:51236175~piPK:437394~theSitePK:73154,00.html . 
5 See WT/TPR/251/Rev.4 for the programme of reviews for 2010.  WT/COMTD/AFT/W/18/Add.3 
 Page 3 
 
 
  the DTIS Action Matrices.  In addition to more countries preparing Tier 1 NIA-projects, Tier 2 
projects are also in the pipeline which aim at building up the LDCs overall trade capacity. 
9. Two EIF Regional Workshops, for Western and Ce ntral Africa and for Eastern and Southern 
Africa, will be organized before the end of the year.  The Workshops will focus on issues of key 
importance to the respective groups of countries a nd aim at providing the primary stakeholders with 
an enhanced understanding of the processes involve d in mainstreaming trade and with improved 
capacities to implement their Aid-for-Trade agendas.  In addition to the regional delivery of the EIF 
Capacity Building Programme, the EIF ES is in the process of identifying pilo t countries for the in-
country delivery of the Programme.  The Capacity Building Programme is a joint undertaking by the 
ES, the EIF Trust Fund Manager UNOPS and the EIF Partner Agencies.  The ES is partnering with 
different organizations in support of the programme:  The University of Wolverhampton is developing 
a project development-module, UNDP is developing a trade mainstreaming-module, and ITC is producing a gender mainstreaming-module. 
10. The United Nations Industrial Organization (UNIDO), has published a second edition of the 
TCB inter-agency Resource Guide.  This second ed ition will be a valuable resource for developing 
countries.  Further information on the UN-CEB Inter-Agency Cluster on Trade and Productive 
Capacity, including the 2010 edition of the Resource Guide can be found at 
http://www.unctad.org/Templates/StartPage.asp?intItemID=4793&lang=1
. 
11. In preparation for the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries 
(LDC-IV) to be held in Istanbul, Turkey in May 20 11, a number of pre-conference events are being 
organized.  UNCTAD is organizing an event on "Bui lding productive capacities in LDCs for inclusive 
and sustainable development" which will take plac e on 27-29 October 2010.  The event will provide a 
forum for discussing challenges and opportunities that LDCs will face in building productive 
capacities, in particular during the period following  the financial and economic crisis, and examine 
trade and development opportunities that could be exploited competitively on the basis of strong and 
efficient national productive capacities.6  The World Bank and the UN Office of the High 
Representative for the Least Developed Countries,  Landlocked Developing Countries and Small 
Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) are organizing a workshop on 13 December 2010.  
Discussions at the workshop will focus on the challe nges and priorities of the global Aid-for-Trade 
agenda, as they relate to trade facilitation and competitiveness in the least -developed countries. 
12. A workshop on Aid for Trade and Mainstreami ng is being organized on 26 October 2010 to 
examine what lessons can be learn from mainstream ing initiatives and to discuss what lessons can be 
learnt for Aid for Trade.  Discussions will be based, inter alia , on presentations on Aid for Trade and 
the Trade  Policy Review (TPR) process in the Americas, on TPRs and mainstreaming in LDCs, on an assessment of mainstreaming at a national and global  level, and on mainstr eaming a gender dimension 
into Aid-for-Trade interventions.
 
13. An Expert Roundtable on the "Ge nder Dimension of Aid for Trade"  is being jointly organized 
by the International Trade Centre and the WTO on 25 October 2010 to show case actions for gender 
mainstreaming and to further consideration of the gender perspective in the Aid-for-Trade initiative.  
The Roundtable will be organized around the presentati on of a series of case stories sharing national 
experiences of gender impacts in different areas of Ai d-for-Trade support.  One particular focus of the 
Roundtable will be to take stock of the work bei ng done on mainstreaming ge nder into the Enhanced 
Integrated Framework.  
                                                      
6 For further information on UNCTAD's pre-conference event see 
http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Meeting.as p?intItemID=2068&m=20345&info=&lang=1 . WT/COMTD/AFT/W/18/Add.3 
Page 4  
 
  IV. IMPLEMENTATION 
14. The Regional Technical Group (RTG) on Aid for Trade for Asia and the Pacific has met three 
times since its formation in 2007:  in Manila , Philippines on 3 March 2009, in Bangkok, Thailand on 
12 and 13 November 2009, and in Tokyo, Japan on 10 and 11 May 2010.  The RTG co-Chair's report – "Aid for Trade in the Asia-Pacific:  Its Role in  Trade-Driven Growth" – is nearing finalization and 
an overview of the report will be provided at th e Committee on Trade and Development Session on 
Aid for Trade on 26 October 2010.  A fourth RTG mee ting is expected to take place in early 2011 to, 
inter alia , discuss a work plan for the RTG for 2011-2012.
7 
15. The African Development Bank, in cooperation with the WTO, UNECA, CEMAC and 
ECCAS, is continuing to develop the Aid-for-Trade  roadmap adopted at a planning and organization 
meeting held in Douala, Cameroon on 30 June a nd 1 July, with a view to organizing a regional 
Aid-for-Trade regional review for Central Africa8 in late 2010.  
16. The Steering Committee9 established to prepare for the Ministerial meeting to be organized in 
the context of the Aid-for-Trade Roadmap for the United Nations Special Programme for the 
Economies of Central Asia (SPECA)10 is finalizing arrangements for the meeting which will be held 
in Baku, Azerbaijan from 1 to 2 December 2010.11 
17. The World Bank Global Facilitation Partnershi p for Transportation and Trade (GFP) is 
composed of interested parties from the public and private sectors and from the national and international community who want to help achieve  significant improvements in transport and trade 
facilitation in World Bank member countries. The Pa rtners have together agreed to design and 
undertake specific programmes towards meeting th is objective, making use of their respective 
comparative advantage in the subject matter in a coordinated fashion.  A bi-annual meeting of the 
GFP, entitled "Leveraging Trade Facilitation Reform s through Sustainable Partnerships" will be held 
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 7 and 8 October 2010.  The meeting will inform participants on recent 
international developments and emerging practi ces in the Asia-Pacific region and allow for a 
discussion on trade and transport facilitation issues as well as the role of the private sector.  Further 
information can be found at http://www.gfptt.org/
. 
V. MONITORING AND EVALUATION 
18. At the 19 July 2010 CTD-AfT meeting, the WTO Director-General highlighted that in order 
for the Aid-for-Trade Initiative to maintain po litical support there was a need to clearly and 
convincingly demonstrate that Aid for Trade is work ing on the ground, both at the regional and local 
level.  The need to show that Aid for Trade is  working was already discussed at the First Global 
Review in 2007, and one of the strong conclusions  emerging from the Second Review in 2009 was the 
need to highlight the impact of Aid for Trade. 
19. The focus of the Third Global Review in July  2011 will be on outcomes and impacts of Aid 
for Trade.  The focus will be informed by case stories and completed self-assessment questionnaires  
                                                      
7 For further information see http://www.aric.adb.org/aid-for-trade-asia/ . 
8 The AfDB's operational definition of Central Afri ca covers both CEMAC (Cameroon, Central African 
Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon) and ECCAS (Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, 
Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, the De mocratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, 
Gabon, and Sao Tome and Principe).  
9 The Steering Committee is composed of representa tives from the ITFC, ITC, UNIDO, UNDC and 
UNDP.  
10 SPECA economies include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, 
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 
11 Further information can be found at http://www.itfc-id b.org/node/216 .  WT/COMTD/AFT/W/18/Add.3 
 Page 5 
 
 
  from partner countries, donors, South-South partne rs, and regional economic communities.  The case 
story approach is being used to highlight concrete stories of successes – and failures – in Aid for 
Trade at a national and regional leve l and should be considered as a fi rst step towards more in-depth 
assessments.  The call for case stories was launc hed by the WTO Director-General and OECD 
Secretary General on 26 July 201012 and the deadline for submission of case stories is 
31 January 2011.  In parallel four questionnair es have been developed for the monitoring and 
evaluation exercise of the Third Global Review in  July 2011.  The final OECD/WTO Aid-for-Trade 
questionnaires for partner countries, donors, S outh-South partners, and regional economic 
communities are under preparation and will be circ ulated by mid-October 2010.  The deadline for 
receipt of completed questionnaires is 31 January 2011. 
20. In order to assist developing-country members and observers engage in the monitoring and 
evaluation exercise which will underpin the Third Global Review, the WTO, in collaboration with 
relevant regional partners, is pl anning a number of regional training activities.  Events are scheduled 
for Francophone African countries in Libreville, Gabon from 6-8 October 2010;  for the Asian region 
in Hanoi, Viet Nam from 9-11 November 2010, an d for Latin America in Quito, Ecuador from 
30 November-2 December 2010.  UNECA is orga nizing an event for Anglophone African countries 
which is tentatively scheduled on 16 and 17 Novemb er 2010.  An event for the Caribbean region, to 
be organized in collaboration with the Inter-America n Development Bank, is tentatively scheduled for 
January 2011.  The focus of these events w ill be on the completion of the self-assessment 
questionnaires and submission of case stories. 
21. OECD is organizing an expert meeting on 22 October 2010 to advance discussions on a menu 
of indicators that could be used to track im pacts and outcomes of Aid-for-Trade projects and 
programmes.  The meeting will provide an opportunity  to review existing indicators and to discuss 
and share views on those indicators that could be suitable to quantify and measure results across all programmes that fall within the Aid-for-Trade initia tive.  The aim of the discussions is to reach 
agreement on measuring progress through a set of standardized Aid-for-Trade indicators.   
VI. PRIVATE SECTOR 
22. The ITC is continuing to promote the role of small- and medium-sized enterprises and 
micro-enterprises within the Aid-for-T rade initiative.  Its strategy in this respect focuses on engaging 
the private sector in Aid for Trade at regional even ts as well as on engaging them at an operational 
level through its technical assistance activities aimed at building institutional capacity and enterprise 
competitiveness for exports.  An African Pr ivate Sector Forum on Creating new business 
opportunities in the aftermath of the global economi c and financial crisis was held in Kampala, 
Uganda on 22 and 23 July 2010 which provided busin ess leaders with an opportunity to discuss ways 
of enhancing competitiveness by exchangi ng views on issues such as Aid for Trade.
13  
__________ 
                                                      
12 WT/COMTD/AFT/W/22 . 
13 Information on ITC's Aid-for-Trade related activities can be found at 
http://www.intracen.org/AidforTrade/   For more details on the African Private Sector Forum see 
http://www.unglobalcompact.org/newsandevents/upcoming_events_2010.html#jul .