Aid for Trade: Minister Kitt announces €5.2 million to help developing countries trade more effectively

Michael Kitt T.D., Minister of State for Overseas Development at the Department of Foreign Affairs, today announced funding of €5.2 million to support the efforts of the world’s poorest countries to benefit from the global trading system. Announcing the funding, Minister Kitt said:

“I am pleased to announce that Irish Aid has increased substantially its funding for Aid for Trade initiatives.  This is in line with pledges contained in the White Paper on Irish Aid and reflects Ireland’s commitment to play our part in EU commitments to increase collective Aid for Trade spending to €2billion by 2010.

“Trade represents the best chance for developing countries to exit poverty. Often the poorest countries lack the capacity to take advantage of the trading opportunities already open to them.  This funding will help them deal with the difficulties they have in getting goods to market. It will allow them to take advantage of export opportunities and negotiate the best deals in the world trade talks. Ultimately, it will help their efforts to use trade as a catalyst for poverty reduction.”

Aid for Trade - background

The Aid for Trade initiative was launched at the December 2005 World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong. A Task Force was created to best recommend how Aid for Trade might contribute to the development dimension of the Doha Development Agenda, the current round of world trade talks.   The Task Force’s report called on donors to increase support for Trade and Development capacity and provide additional, predictable funding for Aid for Trade.   It stresses the importance of Developing Country ownership of Aid for Trade initiatives.   In Hong Kong, the EU and its Member States announced a commitment to increasing trade-related development assistance spending to €2 billion per year by 2010.

The organisations/ programmes receiving funding under this round of Irish Aid funding are:

Enhanced Integrated Framework                      €2,500,000

International Trade Centre                                €1,000,000

World Trade Organisation

Doha Development Agenda

Global Trust Fund                                                €500,000

World Trade Organisation

Joint Integrated Technical

Assistance Programme                              €300,000    

World Trade Organisation internships         €120,000

Standards and Trade Development

Facility                                                                 €200,000

World Customs Organisation                                €100,000

Agency for International Trade

Information and Cooperation                                 €280,000

Advisory Centre for World Trade

Organisation Law                                                  €200,000

ENDS+++

Press Office

18 July 2007