Aid for trade ten years on : keeping it effective

Ten years after the 2005 WTO Ministerial Conference agreed on a mandate to operationalise aid for trade, this paper assesses the achievements and challenges of the WTO-led Initiative. After outlining the achievements, the paper discusses where to put the emphasis, how to expand partnerships, how to enhance effectiveness; and, most importantly, how to retain interest in using aid to make trade work for the poor. In conclusion, the paper proposes that the Initiative could focus on promoting connectivity, boosting sustainable investment, promoting green growth, and supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The paper suggests that these aims can best be achieved through regional approaches for tackling trade-related binding constraints with development finance from a combination of different sources, including providers of South-South co-operation and with engagement of the private sector.