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ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION AND EMPOWERMENT

Environmentally minded initiatives on Trade can have the added benefit of increasing the participation of Women in the World Economy. Read more...





Global demand for domestic manufacturing is a key vehicle for industrial development, says Frank Van Rompaey from UNIDO, talking about chapter three of Aid for trade at a glance report launched during the Global Review.


How to get more Women involved in International Trade
Here are ideas from Michal Tsur from Kaltura: 
💻 Attract women to technology.
🌍 Study programme to fill in skill gaps.



Creating a business friendly environmental for SME and Women entrepreneurs is an essential way to reach inclusive growth, says C. Young Park (Asian Development Bank) who attended the Aid for trade global review.


AID FOR TRADE GLOBAL REVIEW 2019

Economic diversification and empowerment of Women key to bridge development gaps
Economic diversification and empowerment of Women are key to achieve a fairer and more efficient trading environment, speakers at various sessions said at the Aid for trade global review 3-4 July. The global economy offers many opportunities for enterprises to grow but much remains to be done in areas such as fisheries subsides to safeguard resources and to ensure that the benefits of trade can reach more people, panelists agreed. Read more...


Levels of regional Aid-for-Trade
Aid-for-Trade is well suited to the CFTA flanking policies, especially to the BIAT Action Plan, which has projects with targets for ODA. Aid-for-Trade has been adopted as an African policy priority by the AU Heads of State and Government. Since 2011, Africa has been the main recipient of Aid-for-Trade.
Since 2002, economic infrastructure has on average accounted for more than 50 per cent of total Aid-forTrade disbursements, while building productive capacity has consistently been the most important component of disbursements for regional and subregional programmes. The share of total disbursements to building productive capacities dropped 11 basis points since the 2006–08 average of 53 per cent to 42 per cent in 2015, whereas building productive capacity represented 70 per cent of the regional Aid-for-Trade
Between the 2002–05 baseline average and 2015, regional aid for trade to Africa increased from $357  million to $1.6  billion, with 60 per cent of the increase due to a $700 million allocation to the African Development Fund for those defined by the AfDB as fragile states. Building productive capacity is the dominant sector with $1.1  billlion, followed by trade-related infrastructure with $300 million (Figure 7.4). Although the shares have fluctuated, building productive capacity and economic infrastructure have consistently dominated regional Aid-for-Trade flows. The literature on binding constraints to trade suggests that this focus is well merited, and case studies reviewed below display a number of successful projects.

Regional Aid-for-Trade successes: What works and what doesn’t

Regional Aid-for-Trade initiatives have generated considerable successes in certain areas. Highlights include addressing NTBs, investing in regional soft and hard infrastructure, fostering regional cooperation, reducing investment-related costs, harmonizing regional trade arrangements, furthering institutional and human development, and supporting operations of the RECs. Challenges include engaging stakeholders and prioritizing the needs of poor and vulnerable groups. (Publications Section Economic Commission for Africa)
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