South-South and Triangular Cooperation - WTO

Launched in 2005, the Aid-for-Trade Initiative aims to address the supply-side and trade-related infrastructure constraints that hamper developing countries' participation in global trade. With programmes and projects supported both at the global and regional level, disbursements have amounted to approximately US$300 billion. To date, 27% of funds disbursed have gone to LDCs.

Work by WTO on the initiative is organized on the basis of a biennial work programme and is articulated around four axes. First, regular meetings of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development review Aid for Trade actions being taken by WTO members, observers and observer organizations. Second, monitoring and evaluation exercise is widely circulated to developing members, donors, regional economic communities/transport corridors, and to the public sector, the private sector, and academia. Analysis of data harvested in the exercise underpins the joint OECD-WTO Aid for Trade at a Glance publication, which constitutes the third axis. Fourth, underpinned by the publication is the Global Review of Aid for Trade, which reached its 6th edition to be held on 11-13 July 2017 in Geneva. At this high-level conference, the WTO will convene developing country governments, donors and other actors of the trade and development community to conduct dialogues around the theme of "Promoting Trade, Inclusiveness, and Connectivity for Sustainable Development.”