devinitorg/iati-policy-markers huggingface dataset:
GreenToCompete Hubs The GreenToCompete Hubs act as a one-stop shop offering integrated sustainability solutions supporting MSMEs to transition to a green economy. Providing knowledge, practical expertise and a global network, the Hubs support small businesses go green while strengthening their competitive advantage. 
The Hubs mobilize local institutions and organizations, private sector, and government to provide an enabling business environment and support services for small businesses. The Hubs are hosted by local Business Support Institutions (BSOs) at the country level. ITC established seven Hubs in the Caribbean, Ghana, Kenya, Laos, Nepal, Peru and Vietnam.
The Gambia: Strengthening community coping mechanisms to mitigate risks of conflicts and reduce climate-related tensions The project aims to mitigate growing conflict and tensions occurring among rural Gambian agricultural communities, which are affected by increasing impacts of climate change. This includes changes in precipitation patterns, declining agricultural yields, shorter growing seasons or rising sea-levels. The project provides solutions for climate conflict through reducing the impact of its drivers by rehabilitating and protecting arable land, diversifying away from conflict drivers, developing income sources not reliant on rain-fed agriculture and solving existing conflicts through the strengthening of conflict resolution mechanisms. The project will be implemented by ITC, UNFPA and WFP in partnership with local implementing partners.ITC's interventions include the strengthening of local conflict resolution mechanism, the introduction of production techniques to improve the yields, developing new market solutions for agro-processing products and facilitating participation in trade fairs for communities. ITC will roll out vocational trainings to upgrade the skills of women and youth to adopt new sources of income generating activities.
COMESA Cross Border Trade Initiative: Facilitating Small-Scale Trade Across the Borders This project is designed to implement selected activities of the COMESA Cross Border Trade Initiative (CBTI) programme, which aimed at facilitating small-scale trade across borders of targeted countries. The initiative is funded by the European Commission under the 11th European Development Fund. The project will be implemented within the framework of the Co-delegation agreement signed between COMESA and ITC in June 2018. The project has a general objective of increasing formal small-scale cross-border trade flows in the COMESA/tripartite region, leading to higher revenue collection for vernments at targeted borders as well as increased security and higher incomes for small-scale cross-border traders. It has a specific objective of facilitating small-scale cross border trade flows between targeted countries through institutional capacity building and better data collection and monitoring.
Myanmar: Trade-Related Technical Assistance (ARISE+ Myanmar) ARISE Plus Myanmar aims at contributing to inclusive and sustainable growth in Myanmar. It supports greater connectivity and economic integration between Myanmar and the rest of the world, with a focus on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in line with the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025. It is the national Myanmar component of the ARISE Plus regional programme and consolidates and enhances the results already achieved under past and ongoing trade-related technical assistance programmes. The specific objective of the project is to increase trade diversification and integration, regionally (ASEAN) and internationally (EU and global markets), with a focus on gender-inclusive market-led value chains.
South Sudan: Jobs Creation and Trade Development This project emanates from the technical assistance request of the vernment of South Sudan to the International Trade Centre. It has specific objectives of improving the competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and increasing employment opportunities for the South Sudanese labour force, with a focus on youth and women. In particular, it aims to provide an integrated and holistic assistance for the development of MSMEs in the fruits and vegetables value chains to create quick-win economic and employment opportunities for South Sudanese population targeted under the project. It will address the main challenges of the fruits and vegetables subsector along the value chains by improving production, processing and handling practices; building capacities of MSMEs to comply with mandatory market requirements and standards for enhanced access to markets; enhancing human skills as well as strengthening producer cooperatives. It will also address the employment problems of youth and women by building entrepreneurship and business management capacities and implementing innovative schemes to facilitate access to finance for youth entrepreneurs and youth-owned businesses.The project has an overall objective of improving the livelihoods of targeted South Sudanese populations through the creation of jobs and income.
SheTrades Commonwealth Programme The SheTrades Commonwealth project aims to increase the participation of women-owned businesses in trade in order to increase economic growth and job creation in Commonwealth countries. With interventions at the beneficiary-, firm-, institutional-, national- and inter-national level, it will: (i) address policy change at the national level, making trade-related policies gender responsive; (ii) facilitate new/better linkages with buyers and investors internationally; connecting women to opportunities and facilitating gender sensitive business practice; (iii) support BSOs and the private sector to strengthen the business environment for women owned businesses; (iv) support BSOs to target women owned business directly to improve capacity; combining face to face training with coaching, mentoring and exposure to buyers.
Central America: Linking women business enterprises (WBEs) with the global gifts and home decoration market The overall objective of this Initiative is to strengthen Central America capacity to trade in ods and services in view of taking advantage of the EU-Central America Association Agreement (AA).The specific objective of the Initiative is to enhance the export competitiveness of Central American Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) producing craft products for the gifts and home decoration industry to sell their products on‑line.The expected result is to increase the craft products for the gifts and home decoration industry sold on‑line by the Central American WBEs. It is expected that increased sales by WBEs will also have a positive effect on the final beneficiaries: the rural and urban households involved in the production of crafts will receive more orders from WBEs and will be better connected with market trends by producing crafts based on WBEs new designs.
Eswatini: Promoting growth through competitive alliances I Project Summary: CountryKingdom of EswatiniDuration5 yearsPeriodOctober 2020 – October 2025BudgetUSD 5.63 millionFunded byEuropean UnionImplemented byInternational Trade Centre (ITC)Overall ObjectiveImprove livelihoods of smallholder farmers and workers in Eswatini by creating better jobs and growthBackground & ContextThe Promoting growth through competitive alliances I project works to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of the Eswatini MSMEs, Social Enterprises and Producer Associations through the reinforcement of the support institutions, the establishment of public-private alliances, and the improvement of the access to finance and investments.The specific objectives are the following:Specific Objective 1 (SO1): Competitiveness’ of the value chain actors assessed and capacity of support ecosystem analysedSpecific Objective 2 (SO2): Public Private alliances convened in selected value chains resulting to improved jobs and growthSpecific Objective 3 (SO3): Capacities of business support institutions and associations enhanced with improved and a more inclusive delivery of support services to MSMEsSpecific Objective 4 (SO4): MSMEs, SEs and Producers association investment strategies developedThese objectives are aligned with the ITC’s Alliance for Action (A4A) methodology that brings together public and private actors with the aim to promote competitiveness and income-risk diversification for MSMEs, SEs, Producer Associations and smallholder farmers, improving sustainable commercial linkages between value chain operators at the national, regional and international levels.The project objectives are also in line with broader agenda and development objectives as stipulated in the Eswatini National Development Strategy and Vision 2022; the 2008 Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Plan; the National Development Plan 2019-2022; the Strategic Roadmap 2019-2022; the Industrial Development Policy; the Financial inclusion strategy and of course the recently developed the Economic Recovery plan of 2020 responding to the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. The project recognizes the need to promote a broad based industrialization by increasing the participation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in manufacturing among other objectives. Similarly, the objectives outlined pays particular emphasis on boosting competitiveness and support the key actors, the Private sector and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).ITC will be implementing two complementary actions funded by the EU: Eswatini: Promoting growth through competitive alliances I and II.
Programme Management: UK Trade Partnerships Programme The UK Trade Partnerships Programme is designed to ensure countries maximize the benefits of the UK's Economic Partnership Agreements and the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). The programme will increase awareness on EPA preferences by increasing availability and uptake of trade intelligence and build capacity of targeted firms/products to export to UK/EU market in selected countries. ITC will measure impact in two ways: (1) increased trade between EPA partner countries and the UK and EU markets and (2) increased jobs supported through that trade.
Strengthening Responsible Business Conduct through due diligence and alignment of SMEs The proposed project will scale up the alignment assessment of multi-stakeholder initiatives and individual companies and uptake of OECD Due Diligence Guidance. Building on the ITC Standards Map database and online portal, the project will map relevant multi-stakeholder initiatives and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance on Responsible Supply Chains in Garment and Footwear sector. ITC will then develop an online customized application that facilitates the self-assessment of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) against the due diligence guidance and support the official alignment assessment process. ITC will leverage the existing database of Standards Map to map the multi-stakeholder initiatives and OECD due diligence guidance, and assist MSIs with regards to data collection, maintenance, updates, and adaptations related to due diligence; self-assessment, review, and correspondence with OECD due diligence, application to official alignment assessment and uptake of due diligence by multi-stakeholder initiatives and individual companies.
Ecuador: Promoting Gender-Responsive Public Procurement for Agricultural Products (SheTrades) The SheTrades: Promoting Gender-Responsive Public Procurement for Agricultural Products project aims to deliver innovative solutions to help women in agricultural value chains benefit from government procurement opportunities. Target beneficiaries and partners include women entrepreneurs, governments, women's business associations, and research partners. Project activities include an awareness campaign, creating knowledge resources on leveraging inclusive procurement strategies for economic development, analysis of barriers and opportunities for women's participation in public procurement in agricultural value chains, training for women and government stakeholders on identified opportunities, creating national-level dialogues, and sharing of experiences and good practices across countries. Activities will be focused in 1 selected BMZ/GIZ priority countries.
SheTrades Latin America: Supporting women businesses‘ transition towards the post COVID digital age SheTrades Latin America is a pilot initiative of ITC's SheTrades Global and ecomConnect programme running from June 2021 to June 2023 with the objective of increasing the digitalisation of women-led-businesses in Latin America to enable them to sell online. ITC will work with technical partner institutions specialized in digital commerce in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay to develop and pilot with them tools and methodologies in Spanish. The project aims to guide and assess a total of 1,000 beneficiary companies in their e-commerce journey on the virtual learning platform developed by the project. Doing so, the initiative will contribute to SDG 5 and the ITC target of "Connecting 3 Million of Women to Markets". 

SheTrades Latin America es una iniciativa piloto de SheTrades Global y ecomConnect del ITC que se está ejecutando entre junio 2021 y junio 2023. Su objetivo es aumentar la digitalización de las empresas latinoamericanas lideradas por mujeres para vender en línea. El ITC trabajará con las instituciones técnicas especializadas en comercio digital en Argentina, Chile, Colombia y Uruguay para desarrollar y probar las herramientas y metodologías en español. El proyecto aspira a capacitar a un total de 1.000 empresas beneficiarias en su ruta para vender en línea utilizando la plataforma de aprendizaje virtual desarrollada en el marco del proyecto. La iniciativa contribuirá al ODS 5 y al objetivo del ITC de "Conectar a 3 millones de mujeres a los mercados".
Youth & Trade: Entrepreneurship and Employability ITC's Youth & Trade Programme takes a market-led approach to improve the employability of young people and promote entrepreneurship while utilizing economic opportunities along value chains. The programme supports young people and youth-owned micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in collaboration with trade and investment support institutions, hubs, technical and vocational education training institutions and private sector partners. In response to UN SDG 4, the Y&T Programme provides support measures ensuring that more young people are equipped with the skills needed to compete in today's market for talent and entrepreneurship. The Y&T Programme is also one of ITC's many efforts to ensure the achievement of SDG 8 on promoting inclusive growth and decent work for all by fostering youth entrepreneurship. This work positions ITC as a connecting force between SDG 4 and 8. As part of ITC's 2018-2021 strategy, the programme's objective is to equip 100'000 youth with market relevant skills.
Eastern Partnership: Ready to Trade - an EU4Business initiative The project aims to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) from Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries integrate into global value chains and access new markets with a focus on the European Union (EU). The intervention will assist SMEs in producing value-added ods in accordance with international and EU market requirements; while linking them with buyers from global value chains and markets, in particular within the EU. As part of this process, the assistance will improve sector specific services to SMEs along the selected value chains by strengthening the capacity of local business support organisations (BSOs). The two main project focus sectors are agro-processing, and textile and clothing.
Nepal: Trade-Related Assistance The project contributes to Nepal’s sustainable and inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction, and more specifically aims to increase trade and participation in regional and global value-chains. Next to support in trade policy and facilitation, the project focuses on expanding Nepal’s export base in coffee and pashmina value chain, by linking rural producers to exporters and connecting those to regional and international markets.
Burkina Faso et Bénin: Création d’activités génératrices de revenu alternatives pour les communautés vivant autour du complexe w-arly-penjari Le projet a opté pour une approche régionale afin de créer un réseau solide de transformateurs artisanaux de coton, de favoriser la collaboration entre les communautés et ainsi renforcer le tissu social dans une zone fragilisée par le terrorisme et l’enclavement. C’est une approche qui permettra aux communautés Béninoises de bénéficier de l’expérience du Burkina Faso à travers la mise en relations entre les deux partenaires de mise en œuvre CABES au Burkina Faso et Espace de Tissage Djougou au Benin. La transformation artisanale du coton à travers ce projet est utilisée comme outil de remédiation aux problèmes de chômage et plus généralement de pauvreté. Etendre le projet au-delà de la frontière Burkinabè et surtout dans la région Nord du Bénin permettra une meilleure contribution à la réduction des pressions humaines exercées sur l’environnement et ce, sur une plus large superficie. A travers la création de coopératives villageoises et l’appui technique aux agriculteurs familiaux, le projet entend renforcer le capital humain dans la zone, et ce, en s’appuyant sur les connections établies depuis quelques années par EFI (Ethical Fashion Initiative) dans la région et en s’inspirant de l’application du modèle d’entreprise d’EFI au Burkina Faso et plus récemment au Benin. Dans la première phase du projet, EFI se focalisera sur la création et le renforcement des capacités productives des artisans. La base de l’action consiste à développer une chaine de valeur liée à la transformation du coton dans les régions concernées et assurer les débouchés de ces produits de qualité. Il s’agit d’une nouvelle approche au développement de la ressource coton, qui est maintenant intégré dans le cadre plus général de la gestion des ressources naturelles. C’est une approche holistique qui permet de valoriser la transformation du coton en évitant les dommages des exploitations classiques. Elle permettra ainsi d’encourager la consommation responsable des ressources naturelles et de réduire l’utilisation de produits chimiques. Le projet se veut promoteur de l’utilisation durable de la ressource coton et protecteur du complexe environnemental W qui constitue un atout pour le stockage du carbone. Le projet cible principalement les femmes rurales/artisans vulnérables vivant autour du parc. L’objectif général/Impact : Contribuer à l’amélioration des conditions de vie des communautés vivant autour du complexe environnemental W-Arly-Penjari ; l’objectif spécifique/Outcome: Augmenter les revenus et la compétitivité des artisans et des producteurs impliquées dans la chaine de valeur du coton.
Value Added to Trade This project presents deliverables for 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 to support implementation of the Value Added to Trade (VA2T) programme. This project expands scale, increases partnerships and delivers thought leadership on creating value in line with ITC’s strategic plan. In 2018, VA2T developed or consolidated methodologies including for Alliance for Action (A4A) and green finance; launched new approaches to “de-commoditization” and circular economy in textiles and clothing; and built a range of partnerships including with impact investors and the World Economic Forum. In 2019, VA2T developed new methodologies including A4A approaches to farmer organizations and responsible investment; applied A4A to field projects in Ethiopia and Ghana benefiting thousands of farmers; applied de-commoditization and circular economy approaches in the field; developed new VA2T methods for the Tech Sector; and supported an ITC-wide review of SME competitiveness. In 2020 and 2021, VA2T developed new methodologies in MSME Competitiveness (small business internationalization, entrepreneurship, sustainable finance, optimization of production and waste reduction), in transforming and marketing coffee for African producers, create a Community Based Tourism (CBT) toolkit and structured its the ITC Tourism offer. These methods and partnerships contribute to VA2T’s approach to supporting SMEs in increasing value added to their products and services and removing bottlenecks along value chains.
ONE TRADE AFRICA: Connecting the African business community with the AfCFTA The African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) is now a reality and the International Trade Centre (ITC) is poised to play a central role in&nbsp;its implementation..ITC has developed an umbrella programme, the ONE TRADE AFRICA (OTA) to empower MSMEs, women and youth to access the opportunities unfolding under the new single market.&nbsp;OTA is an integrated package of technical assistance solutions that ITC is offering to the African business community operating in both the formal and informal sectors to enable them to understand the opportunities of the AfCFTA and to build the capacity of enterprises and entrepreneurs to export across Africa and beyond.&nbsp;
Rwanda: Enabling the future of e-commerce The project aims to open e-commerce opportunities to SMEs in Rwanda, through building capacities to understand and prepare the online marketing of goods and services toward consumers and professional buyers.

By joining forces with GIZ, ITC is able to build on a solid base from which to work with small businesses and institutions in Rwanda. The EcoEmploi project run by GIZ in Rwanda is a mature programme with a solid network of trainers and contacts in local public and private institutions. Through linkages to the German Government, the project can also leverage high level partnerships with firms such as DHL and related projects to increase the digital capabilities of Rwanda.

Together, ITC and GIZ supported by DHL and in partnership with MINEACOM aim to boost understanding among small firms and service partners in Rwanda of what it takes to succeed in e-commerce, enabling access to markets and providing them the tools and support to do so. Wherever possible, private sector firms will take the lead in running solutions - and these solutions will eventually be owned and managed entirely by the private sector. By financing activities which are unknown or considered risky to small firms, ITC and GIZ aim to initiate a positive cycle of learning and investment that will support the Rwandan Government in its objectives to be a leader in digital business in Africa.
Culture project: Identity Building and Sharing Business Initiative Identity Building and Sharing Business Initiative: an Ethical and "Glocal" Approach to Job Creation and Sustainable Development (2018-2023), known as IBSBI, benefits artisans and artists in East and West Africa and Central Asia. The project aimed to create jobs, promote sustainable sources of income and secure access to trade for artisans, micro-producers and creatives from developing countries, by connecting individuals and companies with a strong and distinctive ‘identity’ to a wide spectrum of value chains in the international lifestyle market. Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI), part of the International Trade Centre (ITC), managed the project with financial support from the European Union (EU). The process expanded EFI’s core operational methodology – connecting artisans to an international value chain – to a wider pool of countries and a greater range of creative industries. This integrated, comprehensive approach simultaneously invests in market access and identity-building while giving special attention to fragile countries.