Global Forum on Inclusive Trade for LDCs

Speaking from the heart: Empowering women to share business ideas
EIF has been working with hundreds of entrepreneurs for the past few years, to help them build and implement strategies for brand promotion, participate in regional and international trade fairs, improve in processing capabilities and value addition as well as provide support to cooperatives

Don't shut trade down, make it truly inclusive
Originally published by Devex on 5 July 2018

Video address of Director-General Roberto Azevêdo to participants of the EIF Global Forum
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo's welcome message to participants at the Global Forum on Inclusive Trade for Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

Using trade as a tool for development
Improving economic opportunities and prospects for the world’s least developed countries remains a key global challenge

Outcome statement: The Global Forum on Inclusive Trade for LDCs
The Forum, which was held from 13 to 14 June 2018 at the World Trade Organization (WTO), fostered practical solutions, offered results-oriented theoretical discussions, presented on-the-ground successes, and supported an innovative call to ramp up actions on inclusive trade for LDCs

Daniel Gay: The long and winding road to LDC graduation
The EIF’s Daria Shatskova talks development in the world’s poorest countries with UNDESA’s Daniel Gay

Continuing the conversation on inclusive trade for Least Developed Countries
The closing ceremony echoed the Call to Action launched at the Forum, taking inclusive trade for LDCs to the next level

Strengthening inclusive agribusiness for export growth
Inclusive and sustainable agribusiness value chains can provide one of the highest returns on investment in terms of growth, poverty reduction, pro-poor employment, and women's economic empowerment in LDCs.

Free trade in Africa: How can LDCs benefit?
Increasing trade between African countries offers great potential for building sustainable economic development and integration, including creating higher-wage jobs and unlocking greater business opportunities

Dragons' Den: Bright ideas for inclusive trade development in LDCs
Representatives from LDCs had the unique opportunity to pitch new investment opportunities that support inclusive trade to the experts, and received immediate feedback

Strategic partnership for trade development: The EIF and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
Often, the Pacific seems very far. With these new partnerships, we are cutting the distance to ensure that trade-led development brings tangible benefits to the people in the Pacific, including women and youth.

Talking trade strategies for small businesses, women, and youth
This session gathered ministers from LDCs and global leaders to discuss implementation of trade strategies and national-level plans in light of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Trade Facilitation Agreement: What does it mean for LDCs?
In 2017, the global trading system achieved a major milestone when the first multilateral deal entered into force in the 21-year history of the World Trade Organization – the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)

Forging new paths for LDCs in multilateral and regional trade
This plenary session gathered ministerial-level officials from LDCs and high-level speakers to discuss the integration of LDCs into regional and global trading systems amid economic and political risk and uncertainty

Princess of Burkina Faso Abze Djigma: On the need to support small businesses in LDCs, and good finance
We need to be in the driver's seat of economic growth because it's important for us and for the next generation, and is the right pathway to trade with other countries. It's my duty to start doing some of the homework to facilitate trade

Minding the trade gap: What lies ahead for Least Developed Countries
In the last two decades, there has been a boom in world trade driven by large reductions in trade barriers and unprecedented interlinkages among countries, and South-South trade has grown. Yet the world's poorest nations, designated Least Developed Countries (LDCs), engage in less than 1% of global trade while home to 13% of the world’s population

World’s poorest nations take lead on trade
For the first time, an alliance of African countries have called for targeted action to strengthen the trade capacity of the world’s poorest countries and enhance their position in global and regional markets

Five questions to Least Developed Country governments about inclusive trade
Bridges Africa and Passerelles discussed trade and sustainable development with Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, Vice President of The Gambia, Kamrang Tekreth, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia, and Hassan Come, Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Central African Republic (CAR)

TradeMark East Africa's Richard Kamajugo on the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility
An interview with Richard Kamajugo, Senior Director for Trade Environment at TradeMark East Africa (TMEA), during the EIF Global Forum 2018

Introduction to #EIFGlobalForum2018

Betty Chinyamunyamu: Finding potential in Malawi’s farmers – and forging new markets
In a country with a majority of the population cultivating small plots of land, empowering smallholder farmers is the key to economic success