© International Trade Centre, International Trade Forum
- Issue 1/2003
New opportunities for least developed countries (LDCs) have
little to do with the past, thanks, in part, to globalization and
new information technologies. Few are aware of the promising
grass-roots stories of LDC exporters. A new generation of
innovative, energetic and persevering entrepreneurs is emerging.
ITC, with its track record in LDC trade development, is open to new
partnerships to help LDCs reach their export potential.
This, in essence, was the message of J. Denis Bélisle, ITC's
Executive Director, at the inaugural session of the Open Forum for
Partnerships at the United Nations headquarters in February. He
spoke on the subject "Making Globalization Work for Developing
Countries: The Power of Trade in Development", at the invitation of
Anwarul K. Chowdhury, UN High Representative of the Least Developed
Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island
Developing States (SIDS), who moderated the session. Ambassador
Joel W. Adechi, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Benin
to the United Nations, made opening remarks.
The presentation provided ITC with an opportunity to sensitize
LDC member state representatives in New York and UN headquarters
staff, as well as representatives of NGOs and foundations, on the
work undertaken by ITC in LDCs.
ITC outlined how governments, business and international
organizations are working together to improve the environment for
many more LDC entrepreneurs to export. Mr. Bélisle presented ITC's
trade development contributions to the Brussels Programme of Action
for LDCs and to the Doha Development Agenda. ITC's perspective is
based on nearly four decades of experience in working with the
business communities of developing countries. Some 40% of ITC's
annual delivery is targeted to LDCs.
The Open Forum provides a platform for development
organizations, particularly UN system entities outside New York, to
share perspectives on development of LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. It is
organized by the UN Office of the High Representative of the Least
Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small
Island Developing States.
ITC supports trade development in
LDCs
ITC helps LDCs turn export opportunities into business by
helping their SMEs enter the world trading system, by strengthening
the national institutions supporting them, and by fostering
competitiveness of firms, sectors and countries. In 2002, 40% of
ITC's delivery was to LDCs; 40 LDCs were assisted; and ITC created
an LDC Unit.
ITC contributes to the Brussels Programme of Action (Third
United Nations Conference for LDCs, 2001) in two specific
areas:
- Commitment 4: Build productive capacities to make
globalization work for LDCs. ITC addresses supply capacity
weaknesses, builds capacity of trade support institutions and
promotes public-private partnerships.
- Commitment 5: Enhance role of trade in
development. ITC helps LDCs benefit from market access
granted, promotes export diversification and assists in developing
human capacities for trade development.
Some inter-agency programmes and ITC initiatives have a strong
LDC component, including:
- The Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance
to LDCs (IMF, ITC, UNCTAD, UNDP, World Bank, WTO)
- The Joint Integrated Technical Assistance Programme for Africa
(ITC, UNCTAD, WTO)
- The South-South Trade Programme (ITC)
- Buying from Africa for Africa (ITC)
- Export-led Poverty Reduction Programme (ITC)
- World Tr@de Net Programme (ITC)
- ITC Executive Forum (ITC, seco)
- Trade Maps (ITC)
See ITC's Trade Forum magazine
issue 3/02 on LDCs (http://www.tradeforum.org); or Converting LDC
Export Opportunities into Business, an ITC book.
See http://www.un.org/ohrlls for
more information about the Open Forum for Partnerships. For more
information about ITC's work in LDCs, contact Francesco Geoffroy,
Head, LDCs Unit, at geoffroy@intracen.org