Spain is one of the main donors among 22 countries as well as institutions whose collective efforts back the EIF multi-donor trust fund and is continuing to play an active role in championing the Aid for Trade agenda. In 2010, Spain hosted a workshop for African LDCs that brought together practitioners and experts to support countries to participate even more actively in the multilateral trading system.

The EIF partnership, which is set up in 47 countries, with donor and international agency support, has been fully operational since July 2009. A new pipeline of 20 catalyst projects covering sectors including honey production, cabbage and mango processing is planned for 2011, to help countries overcome supply-side constraints to trade and develop a strong and secure basis for export growth.

H.E. Dr. Mothae Anthony Maruping, the Chairman of the EIF Board, remarks, “I highly commend Spain's support to the EIF trust fund at this critical juncture with LDCs now developing a range of projects aiming at building supply-side capacity to trade as identified in nationally-owned diagnostic studies. Many EIF countries have already benefitted from institutional capacity building and have shown what strong results can be achieved through collective support —  take the garment sector in Lao PDR and the fishing sector in Yemen for example. Now, continued concerted efforts from donors, traditional and new, in fulfilling their commitments to assist through trade development and integration will help achieve brighter livelihoods in a sustainable way.”

Ms. Dorothy Tembo, Executive Director of the EIF Secretariat, comments, “Spain is making a vital contribution to the EIF trust fund, which supports the world's poorest countries to create employment opportunities and generate much-needed income through increased export opportunities and trade. At the Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries coming up in Istanbul on 9-13 May 2011, the EIF will be able to showcase what results have been achieved on the ground. At this time we call upon the international community and our partner countries to accelerate positive outcomes for communities worldwide who are most in need to make real gains from global trade.

Notes to editors:
1. The Enhanced Integrated Framework is a multi-donor programme that supports Least Developed Countries to be more active players in the global trading system by helping them tackle supply-side constraints to trade.

2. The programme is currently helping 47 of the poorest countries worldwide, supported by a Multi-Donor Trust Fund with contributions from 22 donors.  21 projects are already under way since 2009.

3. The Enhanced Integrated Framework Executive Secretariat (EIF ES), housed in the WTO, and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as EIF Trust Fund Manager work in support of the programme.

ENDS:
For further information, please contact the Enhanced Integrated Framework Executive Secretariat (EIF ES), Trade and Communications Adviser, on +41227395421 or +41767885537 or visit: www.enhancedif.org