Innovative approaches to reduce poverty through trade are bringing business, NGOs, government and aid agencies together in new ways.

If we advocate for trade as a force for development, can we afford to ignore non-governmental organizations (NGOs)?

The NGO protests at WTO meetings that everyone has seen on television are the tip of something bigger. NGOs are more involved in trade than they used to be. While their most visible image in trade is that of televised confrontation, in practice their role is more nuanced.

Grass-roots NGOs build business skills, provide microcredit and target export markets. They’ve done this for years, but now that the impact of trade reaches everywhere, NGOs are becoming more conscious of their links to export markets. From environment and health to tourism and more, ITC has found itself partnering with NGOs in several of its field projects.

Focusing on development is the key to partnership between trade agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Trade Forum analyses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of non-governmental organizations as trade development partners.

NGOs come in many shapes and sizes. Some governments and international agencies are asking: how can their work complement our own?

With thousands of non-governmental organizations involved in trade development, putting together a list of key players is a difficult task. The table below is not exhaustive, but it is representative of the organizations that could be of interest to our readers. The list is intended to give an idea about the broad area of activities carried out by the NGOs, as well as to provide information on possible areas of collaboration.