International Trade Department
Trade Related Capacity Building
Building capacity for trade plays an important role in enabling developing
countries, especially the poorest, to take advantage of the opportunities of
international trade. Least Developed Countries already have market access to the
European Union and some other developed country markets, which is especially
important for Africa.
But as the Commission for Africa emphasizes if they cannot produce the right
goods at the right prices and get them to markets, they cannot take full
advantage of existing opportunities or new ones created by the Doha Round. From
loss of tariff revenue to rising food prices, developing countries face
challenges as they adjust to new trade rules and implement reforms. They need
the right support to face these challenges.
Building capacity for trade and creating an enabling environment for growth
through trade and investment calls for different kinds of support: from
infrastructure and technical assistance to initiatives to attract foreign
investment, and capacity building.
DFID is working with others to ensure that the international community raises
its game in all these areas. The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa and the
Investment Climate Facility are two initiatives whose objectives go beyond
trade, but which can have a significant impact on countries’ competitiveness.
The kind of trade related technical assistance and capacity building DFID
supports ranges from strengthening the machinery to trade and connecting
exporters with markets to boosting developing country governments’ capacity to
define, manage and negotiate national trade policy.
The following case studies show how trade related technical assistance
activities supported by DFID have assisted developing country governments and
communities to seize the opportunities of international trade:
Last updated: 15 March 2006
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