International Trade Forum - Issue 4/2009
At the ITC's Joint Advisory Group (JAG) meeting in December,
ITC's members have endorsed the organization's Consolidated
Programme Document for 2010 and its Strategic Plan for the next
four years.
Many delegates stressed the importance of ITC's interventions,
in the current economic climate, which focus on support for small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the private sector of the
world's poorest countries, in an effort to integrate them into
regional and global trading systems in keeping with the Aid for
Trade agenda.
In his address to the conference, Director-General of WTO,
Pascal Lamy, stated, "Our cooperation on Aid for Trade continues
and I am encouraged by the energy with which the ITC has engaged
our discussions on enhancing the private sector role in this
initiative." He noted that as a demonstration of their strong
support, WTO members have approved increases in their contribution
to the ITC's budgets for 2010 and 2011.
Petko Draganov, the Deputy Secretary- General of UNCTAD, stated,
"ITC plays a strong role in supporting the private sector in
developing countries to respond to new market opportunities and
develop business capacities".
ITC's Executive Director Patricia R. Francis said the essential
ingredients for market success and maintaining competitiveness were
long-term strategic planning, the agility to respond to change and
embrace innovation, and the establishment of regional,
intra-regional and public-private partnerships, which will lead to
sustainable development.
www.intracen.org/jag2009