Aid for Trade at a Glance 2019: ‘Economic Diversification and Empowerment'

Submitted by Alina Danieles… on 02 August 2019

The joint OECD-WTO publication 'Aid for Trade at a Glance 2019' was launched during the opening session of the Global Review 2019 of Aid for Trade, “Supporting Economic Diversification and Empowerment for Inclusive, Sustainable Development through Aid for Trade”, that took place at the WTO in Geneva from 3 to 5 July 2019.

The OECD-WTO Aid for Trade Initiative was launched in 2006. Past reports have consistently found Aid for Trade to be an effective way of driving economic development at both the micro and macro levels by creating the conditions for trade to drive investment and create jobs. The 2019 report notes that the specific – and mutually reinforcing – goals of diversification and empowering small business, youths and women to participate in and benefit from trade will be key for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

'The report analyses how trade can contribute to economic diversification and empowerment, with a focus on eliminating extreme poverty, particularly through the effective participation of women and youth. It shows how aid for trade can contribute to that objective by addressing supply-side capacity and trade-related infrastructure constraints, including for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises notably in rural areas.The analysis is based on the views of 133 respondents – 88 developing countries, 35 donors, 5 providers of South-South trade-related support and 5 regional organisations – who participated in the 2019 aid-for-trade monitoring and evaluation exercise. They share the view that economic diversification is a gateway for economic empowerment, but also that empowerment is essential for economic diversification particularly when it enables youth, women and micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises to engage in international trade. '

Please find the entire report available for online reading here

The news was published on July 11, 2019 on OECD website here.© 2019 Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development

The information and views set out in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) or of the Commission. Neither EASME, nor the Commission can guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this report. Neither EASME, nor the Commission or any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.