Palestinian youth secure sales of $40,000 after ITC training course on graphic design and digital marketing

New ITC project aims to link women business enterprises with the global gifts and home decoration market online

Tech companies gain potential clients as well as a deeper understanding of social media marketing and the Zambian business environment through the World Export Development Forum in Lusaka.

Trade and investment promotion organizations will meet on 25-26 October to find innovative ways to help small firms grow.

Traditional designs made by Syrian artisans are featured during the Fêtes de Genève to attract international buyers.

Watch the latest edition of ITC’s video news programme to meet young forward-thinkers who combine creativity and technology to launch new businesses.

On 8 March, watch videos spotlighting what women are accomplishing in business, technology, traditional arts and other fields – and learn why it makes economic sense to empower women.

ITC and the European Commission’s International Cooperation and Development department discuss ways to support trade in developing countries and related aid delivery.

ITC and the World Tourism Organization partner to help Kayah State policymakers gather, analyse and use data to strengthen the tourism sector

Watch the latest edition of ITC’s video news programme to see how Peru, Kenya and Brazil are protecting the environment while securing better livelihoods for people.

ITC and the Qatar Development Bank are working together on Qatar’s Strategic Trade Development Roadmap to drive economic diversification in the country.

ITC and PIFS to help guide the Kingdom of Tonga mainstream trade into its national development strategy.

The government launches an export plan to improve the competitiveness of businesses working in the information and communications technology sector.

ITC project diversifying Cambodia’s silk industry reduces poverty in rural areas, creates jobs and boosts women’s income.

Eighty Moroccan businesses learn to address challenges to online business.

European Union to work with ITC to strengthen connections with developing country SMEs

Enterprises working in the honey, mango and spice sectors in Eastern Africa are set to expand and become more competitive through a new project that targets sector-led growth in the region.The ‘Promoting Intraregional Trade in Eastern Africa’ project,...

The International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Supply Chain Management (SCM) programme has been recertified for the standard measuring quality management principles, ISO 9001:2008.An audit reviewed the programme’s quality management system, evaluating the continued...

Increased trade between India and East Africa will be driven by private sector-led development, supported by investment from Indian businesses, said participants at a recent workshop organized as part of a United Kingdom government-backed project on...

Regional business council, with assistance from ITC, successfully pushes for implementation of services trade liberalization measure

(Harare) Policymakers in Zimbabwe are set to increase their understanding of rules of origin to help the country’s exporters boost their exports, through training led by the International Trade Centre (ITC).ITC and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce...

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that belong to supply chains have a better chance of exporting to global markets, according to experts gathered at a recent discussion on SME internationalization at the International Trade Centre (ITC).At a...

COMESA disburses funds to implement the sector strategy under the Regional Integration Support Mechanism funded by the European Union.

Emerging economies represent promising markets for sub-Saharan exporters. African countries can better capitalize on growing South-South trade, according to panellists at the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) in Kigali on 17 September. Trade...

‘E-solutions for SME export growth’, the third parallel session of the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) 2014, explored the entrepreneurial opportunities for digital business in Africa both in direct e-exports and in using new technology to facilitate...

The first parallel session of the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) 2014, ‘Growing SMEs through impact investing’, featured a discussion on how countries can leverage impact investment...

ITC’s Fourth Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum held in Rwanda from 16-17 Sept

Five sponsors based in India, Kenya and Rwanda have pledged financial support to the World Export Development Forum (WEDF), which will kick off on Monday, 15 September, in Kigali. The theme of WEDF is ‘SMEs: Creating jobs through trade’. The sponsorship...

(Geneva and Kigali) Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, will take centre-stage of the trade and development world on 15-17 September as global thinkers, business leaders and practitioners arrive for the 14th World Export Development Forum (WEDF).This is the first...

Participants at the 14th World Export Development Forum (WEDF) in Rwanda next month will be able to select two of six parallel sessions to attend. The sessions will explore different aspects of job creation through exports by small and medium-sized enterprises...

Participation in the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) leads to new business contacts, generates business opportunities and results in actionable best practices, say former attendees.Eighty percent of the participants who responded to a survey following...

(Geneva) Recognising the extensive potential benefits to developing, transition and least developed economies from the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), including: enhanced participation in global supply and value chains;...

Public and private sector representatives from India and five East African countries shared their expectations for the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) new South-South cooperation project, Supporting India’s Trade Preferences for Africa (SITA) at a...

Business leaders in Zimbabwe are learning to better represent the interests of the private sector in government policies through a training led by the International Trade Centre (ITC).The business advocacy workshop, to be held from 2-3 July in Harare,...

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia are set to increase exports of their goods and services using virtual marketplaces (VMPs), under a new project of the World Bank and the International Trade Centre (ITC). The ‘Developing...

Ivorian cassava farmers signed contracts worth CFA $37 million (US$ 78,000) during the three-day “National Days of Adding Value to our Products,” organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d'Ivoire (CCI-CI), with support from ITC under its Trade and Regional Integration Support Programme (PACIR)

Funding by the Netherlands will enhance prospects for Bangladesh’s IT services sector

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of exporters in Côte d’Ivoire see non-tariff measures (NTMs) as barriers to trade, according to a recent survey by the International Trade Centre (ITC).The report, called ‘Côte d’Ivoire: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series...

(Astana, Kazakhstan) – Putting in place predictable trade-facilitation rules and regulations is critical to raising the export potential of small and medium-sized entreprises (SMEs), but to deliver real benefits to SMEs, countries must implement the regulations. This was the...

(Kigali, Rwanda) - Investing in productive capacity, skills development and finding links to new markets are crucial if Africa’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are to take advantage of emerging trade opportunities, said ITC Executive Director...

Colombian institutions were introduced to the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) Programme, enabling them to better understand its scope, methodology and main objectives.Representatives of 12 institutions involved in various...

Zimbabwe’s path towards economic recovery is set to broaden as a result of the European Union-funded project Support to Trade and Private Sector Development.

The medical tourism industry is fuelled by 7 million people spending a combined US$ 20–35 billion, according to Patients Beyond Borders. This growing industry provides developing countries with an opportunity to promote economic expansion, a process...

The International Trade Centre (ITC) will assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in trade facilitation by helping them to meet the legal requirements of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). This includes support...

The Moroccan Exporters Association (ASMEX) is partnering with the Malaysian Small and Medium Industries Association, SMI Association of Malaysia, to promote trade between the two countries – a result of the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) latest efforts...

Understanding the multilateral trading systemTajik government officials have boosted their knowledge of the multilateral trading system and members of the business community have gained valuable skills in quality-management following training offered...

Representatives of the business community, government officials and academics from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are in Geneva this week to receive training on the multilateral trading system and implications of World Trade Organization...

Trade plays a vital role in improving and reconstructing the economy of Afghanistan, even as it remains reliant on aid for trade. The Central Asian country has been an accession candidate to the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 2004. As part of Afghanistan’s...

Nearly two-thirds of Paraguayan enterprises – both exporters and importers – are affected by burdensome non-tariff measures, according to a recent ITC study.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) aims to foster sustainable impact in developing countries through Aid for Trade. This is done through ITC assistance in improving the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and linking them...

Foreign trade representatives around the world now have access to updated guidelines on promoting trade abroad in line with national trade policy and export strategies, with the launch of the book, ‘Entering New Markets: A Guide for Trade Representatives’....

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is to spearhead a six-year effort to unleash the potential of untapped trade between East Africa and India. ITC’s Executive Director Arancha González revealed details of a project - Supporting India’s Trade Preferences...

UN agencies to help developing countries meet WTO trade-facilitation commitments

(Geneva) – Voluntary sustainability standards addressing issues related to environmental quality, social equity and trade practices have grown exponentially over the past decade. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face challenges in keeping track...

The idea that economic austerity alone will not resolve systemic challenges or maximize new trade opportunities in areas such as green growth, niche tourism, creative economy or global diasporas is becoming more common, according to Keith Nurse, Executive...

Three-quarters of Rwandan businesses say they face barriers to trade imposed by private clients and the government, according to a new report by the International Trade Centre (ITC).The publication, called ‘Rwanda: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series...

Increased participation of women in trade in Africa leads to economic diversification, increased regional trade and, ultimately, poverty reduction. However, women’s economic potential is held back by specific constraints, such as lack of access to information,...

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and UN Women will scale up their cooperation to facilitate the creation of more jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for women. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women and Arancha González, Executive...

UN Global Compact looks forward to greater cooperation with ITC in engaging business for development

Until 2000, Zimbabwe produced 17 million pairs of leather shoes per year and had a vibrant leather industry composed of highly skilled small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including livestock farmers, hide collectors, tanners and manufacturers....

More must be done to support inclusive growth and sustainable development in LDCsITC Acting Deputy Executive Director Ashish Shah tells UNIDO meeting that Least Developed Countries continue to suffer from access to international tradeA post-2015 development...

(BALI, INDONESIA) — An agreement on easing customs procedures would benefit small and medium size exporters in developing countries, and would foster economic, as well as social development, said Arancha González, Executive Director of the International...

(BALI, INDONESIA) – An agreement on easing customs procedures, if reached, will be particularly beneficial to small businesses in developing countries, agreed members of a panel held at the Ninth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference...

Speaking at the European Development Days 2013, Arancha González calls for greater support to vulnerable economies

Financial constraints continue to hinder SMEs from reaching international markets

Delegates of WTO member countries visit ITC as part of Geneva Week to learn about the agency’s work in addressing non-tariff measures, boosting trade in services and how including more women in trade can benefit their countries

Users all over the world will now have free access to the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) market analysis databases and related analytical tools, following good practices among international organizations of making their data freely available...

High-level meeting results in proposals on how to enhance Pakistan’s export potential

Stakeholders in Tajikistan’s energy sector are being trained in how they can benefit from the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and how to meet the challenges arising from membership of the organization.The International Trade...

ITC confirms its commitment to trying to reduce food loss and waste as part of the United Nations’ Zero Hunger Challenge

LDCs make progress in services trade waiver

Panellists at WTO Public Forum discuss benefits of trade facilitation for consumers, SMEs in developing countries

Panellists at the WTO’s Public Forum say Asian economies need to boost spending in research and technological development to become competitive in global markets

GENEVA - Developing countries need to invest in information and communication technologies (ICT) to accelerate their economic development, the heads of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) agreed at...

Executive Director announces mission to Burundi within the month

Arancha González says ITC is ready to support Yemen and its SMEs as country edges closer to WTO membership

The three Geneva-based trade agencies must cooperate effectively and offer complementary approaches to developing countries, the new heads of the agencies agreed. The leaders of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United Nations Conference on Trade...

Peruvian entrepreneurs can now better understand the regulatory and technical requirements of three prioritized biodiversity products in the North American market

Executive Director Arancha González leads ITC’s participation at the WTO’s largest annual outreach event in Geneva, where topics include e-commerce for trade development and the post-2015 Development Agenda

ITC Executive Director Arancha González welcomed Roberto Azevêdo, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, in a statement to the WTO General Council on 9 September.

PITAD’s graduate-level training modules accredited by Switzerland’s World Trade Institute on 3 September 2013.

WTO Chief of Staff and former senior European Commission official to lead the International Trade Centre

Government and private-sector stakeholders receive training on the benefits of regulating the services sector, in line with the country’s bid to join the World Trade Organization

Memorandum of Understanding aims to strengthen partnership between the Russian Federation and ITC, enabling the implementation of joint trade development programmes

Project trains farmers and tea-factory managers in carbon standards compliance, ensuring sustainability and impact

The benefits of the Ethical Fashion Initiative and the importance of linking marginalized people to global value chains were discussed by a panel at the Fourth Global Review of Aid for Trade at the World Trade Organization in Geneva on 9 July

Greater focus on the environment would be a win-win scenario for the Aid for Trade initiative and beneficiary countries

Success stories of least developed countries' participation in global services exports pointed to broad lessons for policymakers at the Fourth Global Review of Aid for Trade Trade in Geneva on 9 July

Innovation, sustainability and inclusive export growth are the overarching themes for the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) participation at next week’s Fourth Global Review of Aid for Trade. The six events ITC participates in will showcase the organization’s...

Mr. Mohamed Milli, Director of External Trade at the Ministry of Trade and Handicrafts, presented upcoming regulations to facilitate and promote external trade...

The launch of the Zimbabwe Leather Sector Strategy, designed to encourage home production of leather goods

ITC's new programme for the Caribbean aims to facilitate the creation of regional value chains in priority sectors in order to boost the region’s competitiveness, according to ITC Director Friedrich von Kirchbach at the launch event of the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Regional Aid for Trade Strategy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) will provide African business leaders with pro bono training on building bankable business plans ahead of the Africa Finance and Investment Forum (AFIF), which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 13 and 14...

Mr. Jean-Marie Paugam to act as head of the International Trade Centre until new Executive Director is appointed.

ITC calls on industry leaders to buy from artisans in developing countries, ensure safe working conditions

Fashion as an enabler of economic growth will take centre stage at the 5th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), an event aimed at expanding the market share of ethically produced fashion by linking businesses to global...

The International Trade Centre (ITC) will reveal its new services-trade promotion plan to boost exports of developing countries, resulting in job creation, increased exporter income and empowerment of women and youth, at the second annual China International...

Export Strategy Map makes a decade’s worth of trade-promotion documents searchable by country, sector or document type

African women coffee producers to receive boost from launch of new chapters of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance in Rwanda and Tanzania, as part of ITC’s Women and Trade Programme.

Over the last seven years, the International Trade Centre (ITC) has become more focused and its interventions more impactful, said outgoing Executive Director Patricia Francis, addressing the 47th annual meeting of ITC’s Joint Advisory Group (JAG)...

Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum to unlock women’s trade potential

ITC Executive Director Patricia Francis met with members of The Geneva Business Roundtable earlier this week to discuss areas of cooperation ranging from supply chain management training to members’ participation in an ITC-led initiative to increase...

Over 74% of companies in Kenya are affected by non-tariff measures and related obstacles, an ITC study finds.

Without proper focus on services, further trade liberalization cannot lead to the productivity gains necessary to unlock the growth potential in many developing and developed countries, participants at a seminar in Geneva said yesterday.

In 2012 ITC assisted 98 trade support institutions, arranged for 955 enterprises to meet with potential buyers leading to sales transactions and delivered 17 export development strategies...

‘Sustainable Sourcing of Agricultural Raw Materials – a practitioner’s guide’ is being launched in London today...

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) have congratulated the Republic of Tajikistan on its official accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and reaffirmed their commitment for continued...

Ethiopia should assess the potential benefits of liberalization of its services sector as a means to fulfil its own ambitions for growth and development in the upcoming negotiations for the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). This...

When Salama Tulari sat at her roadside shed in Tamale selling yams and wondering how she would ever come up with the money to expand her business, she never imagined her voice would help determine the future of Ghana’s strategy to develop its yam industry.But...

ITC's online market analysis tools will in 2013 continue to be free for users in developing and least developed countries, thanks to financial support from the European Commission...

Another step to ensure that ITC’s audience stays updated on the latest on trade development and trade intelligence.

Concrete policies are needed to enhance Pakistan’s competitiveness and export potential with India, in light of improving trading relations between the two countries and the full implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

ITC set to continue work to strengthen Vanuatu’s public and private sectors post WTO accession.

Participants at the World Export Development Forum rate the most engaging sessions.

Up-to-date trade data for more than 110 countries is now available on ITC’s Trade Map, helping businesses and trade support institutions (TSIs) to analyse international trade flows impacting their business, so that they can identify and export markets...

Liberia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will enable the country to improve its business environment, secure market access for its importers and exporters, and make the country more attractive for foreign investment, as long as both the public and the private sector are committed to the process.

A new study finds that close to half a million python skins are reported as exported annually from South-East Asia. The main importer is the European fashion and leather industry. The study raises concerns over the illegality in parts of the trade, animal welfare issues and the trade’s impact on the conservation of python populations.

Responsive design eases access to intracen.org on mobile phones, especially in developing countries.

Simone Cipriani holds keynote speech at the International Herald Tribune’s fashion event 'The Promise of Africa'

That was the message at a stakeholder conference on WTO accession in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on November 27th, where private sector representatives, academia, society players and government officials discussed Lao PDR’s WTO accession commitments and...

ITC and Lesotho discuss past and future technical assistance.

Better investment policies are essential for the economic development of Pakistan.

Tajikistan needs to develop a stronger financial system to increase the competitiveness of its exporters, agreed experts at a meeting last month organized by ITC in Dushanbe as part of Tajikistan’s accession process to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The 2012 TPO Network World Conference, Transforming TPOs’ Business through Innovation, today opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Over two days, against the backdrop of the on-going global economic crisis, Trade Promotion Organizations will, explore how they can promote innovation, improve their operations, and better meet the needs of their exporters.

WEDF 2012: Faced with an on-going financial crisis SMEs, the backbone of the economy in emerging economies, trade-finance programmes seek to fill the gap left by a drop in world trade.

WEDF 2012: Plenary session participants hear how the rise of the middle class in emerging economies creates new demand for higher-value products and services.

With the world’s population recently surpassing the seven billion mark and on track over the next forty years to add two billion more, primarily in the developing world, optimizing developing countries’ export supply chains helps advance global food security while boosting interregional and intraregional trade flows, according to discussions at day two of WEDF...

WEDF 2012: Parallel sessions at WEDF’s second day shed light on how to integrate SMEs in the value chain, better promotion of services exports, and how to increase procurement for women.

Policy implications of NTMs are crucial to understand Pakistan’s trade interests, says PITAD’s Director-General.

WEDF 2012: The first plenary session at WEDF 2012 provides a lively debate on investment in hard and soft infrastructure, improved connectivity and the costs of better trade flows.

WEDF 2012: Panellists discuss the prospects of enhanced South-South trade and volatility in the commodity and currency markets.

New ITC study: Africa's Trade Potential: Export Opportunities in Growth Markets.The International Trade Centre (ITC) today announced the findings of a major analysis of sub-Saharan Africa’s trade potential...

With Russia now firmly within the WTO family, a new paper aims to bring the country’s SMEs up to speed with the new reality.

Karen Pierce applauds ITC’s work and vows continued support.

Anti-competitive practices can hurt businesses in developing countries. A new ITC book outlines case studies and suggestions for reform.

ITC’s Executive Director discusses trade issues in the United Arab Emirates with al-Bayan, while ITC’s Ethical Fashion Initiative is covered in the New York Times.

ITC adds company data from more than 60 countries to Trade Map, improving the ability of companies to identify trading partners across the world.

Growth, inclusion and innovation will take centre-stage at three ITC conferences this autumn in Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico.

Blog: The environment team looks at the outcome of the RIO+20 conference and the implications for ITC's work on sustainable development and the Aid for Trade agenda.

Finland and ITC agree to continue and strengthen efforts to make it easier for women to participate in trade — locally, regionally and globally.

Kigali meeting puts focus on impact of free-trade agreement between main trade blocs in Eastern and Southern Africa

ITC and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation announced today that the ninth Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Network World Conference and Awards will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 18-19 October with the theme Transforming TPOs’ Business through Innovation...

Participants at global services and outsourcing event in Nanjing learn about ITC’s work in boosting services industries in Bangladesh.

ITC urges policymakers at WTO’s Committee on Trade and Development to accelerate efforts to ensure gender equality and do more to empower women.

United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton highlights ITC’s global work in increasing governments’ procurement from women-owned businesses.

Training for officials and business managers in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe lays ground for successful WTO accession negotiations.

ITC’s Executive Director Patricia Francis calls for removal of obstacles to trade at 15th annual GTAP conference; ITC’s Market Analysis and Research chief awarded fellowship.

Patricia Francis, ITC’s Executive Director, and Turkey’s incoming ambassador to the WTO, exchange views about future opportunities.

ITC’s Ethical Fashion Initiative will join forces with Instituto-e, a Rio-based civil-society group, to develop sustainable materials and products for fashion and lifestyle brands.

Government officials and business leaders at ITC-supported conference in Khartoum call for Sudan’s WTO accession to be brought back on track.

ITC’s Ethical Fashion Initiative invites 100 garbage collectors to its Good Business Models for a Sustainable Future event at the Corporate Sustainability Forum.

ITC and the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) will contribute to the dialogue on the role for trade and standards in promoting sustainable development at this month’s Rio+20 Conference.

There are many opportunities for developing countries to increase their trade in the transition to a green economy.  ITC and its partners, at events to be held within the framework of Rio+20, will balance the debate on risks associated with moving towards a green economy with results of a study which demonstrates concrete examples of opportunities for trade...

Bangladesh takes centre-stage at WSIS Forum 2012, while ITC’s Anders Aeroe highlights role of information and communications technology in creating growth in low and medium-income countries.

ITC’s Trade Support and Regional Integration Programme for the Côte d’Ivoire (PACIR) will on 7 and 8 June host a workshop in Abidjan to inform and discuss about the commercial aspects and implications of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). ITC will...

Delegates at the International Trade Centre (ITC)’s 46th annual Joint Advisory Group (JAG) have expressed their support for ITC’s 2012-2015 strategic plan during the meeting held on 21 and 22 May 2012, and chaired by H.E. Mr. Francisco Pirez Gordillo,...

Speech by Mr. Pascal Lamy, WTO Director-General. Delivered on Day One of the 46th Session of the ITC JAG, 21-22 May 2012. Monday, 21 May 2012, 10:20-10:30...

Addressing ITC’s annual Joint Advisory Group (JAG) meeting, Ms. Patricia R. Francis, Executive Director of ITC, spoke about ITC’s focus on building partnerships with beneficiaries and other trade-related technical assistance agencies, and on developing innovations in delivering services in accordance with countries’ needs to the benefit of small-and medium-sized exporters...

Speech by H.E. Mr. Hisham M. Badr, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Delivered on Day One of the 46th Session of the ITC JAG, 21-22 May 2012. Monday, 21 May 2012, 10:00-10:10...

Speech by Mr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD. Delivered on Day One of the 46th Session of the ITC JAG, 21-22 May 2012. Monday, 21 May 2012, 10:30-10:40...

The Trade Support and Regional Integration Programme for the Côte d’Ivoire (PACIR) is ITC’s largest country-based programme. We are pleased to announce the opening of an office in Abidjan to facilitate ITC work in the country and region...

This week, Zambia will host the 2nd African Organic Conference. Over 300 delegates from 40 countries are expected to participate at the event in Lusaka from 2-4 May 2012. Representatives from governments, inter-governmental institutions, UN agencies,...

Least developed countries are persistently marginalized in world trade and remain vulnerable.  The lack of success in development, according to FERDI (the Foundation for Studies and Research on International Development), is due to a multitude of factors, one of which is a difficulty to take fully advantage of the potential benefits associated with least developed country status.  This was the basis for a panel discussion hosted by FERDI at UNCTAD XIII on 25 April in which ITC Deputy Executive Director Mr. Jean-Marie Paugam participated…

Creating export opportunities for women and youth is not only important for sustainable growth in the Arab region, it is possible. ITC highlighted success stories during an event it hosted on 22 April within the framework of UNCTAD XIII…

Women entrepreneurs were recognized for their achievements on Monday night during UNCTAD’s Women in Business Awards.  ITC Executive Director, Ms. Patricia Francis, presented the finalists of the awards, saying that the women ‘provide a stunning example of social and economic changes’...

The economic empowerment of women is a critical factor to the achievement of development goals. That was the message from ITC’s Executive Director, Ms. Patricia Francis, during UNCTAD’s High-level Event on Women in Development on Monday 23 April, where panelists agreed that policies that support women in developing countries must be enacted...

ITC is pleased to announce the new edition of The Coffee Exporter's Guide, the world's most extensive, hands‐on and neutral source of information on the international coffee trade...

In 2011 ITC delivered more trade-related technical assistance (TRTA) than in any previous year, even after adjusting for exchange rate fluctuations, exceeding its delivery target and demonstrating credible results across all of its performance measures,...

An intake of 35 trainee officers of Commerce and Trade Group graduated from the Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (PITAD) today after successful completion of a nine month long Specialized Training Programme (STP)…

Kuwait’s Public Authority for Industry (PAI), with the support of ITC, aims to diversify the national production and export base whilst lowering Kuwait’s dependence on petroleum by improving the competitiveness of Kuwaiti food and beverage exports. The two year project represents the first time ITC has provided assistance to the Kingdom...

A 12-company strong delegation, composed of Danish, Dutch and UK IT SMEs, met with 70+ Bangladeshi companies during Dhaka’s largest IT fair, SOFTEXPO, from 21 until 26 February 2012...

Patricia Francis, ITC's Executive Director, joined Ambassador Betty E. King, the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, Ms. Ruth Y. Goldway, Chairman of the United States Postal Regulatory Commission and Ms. Violette Ruppanner, President of the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT), at the US Mission in Geneva to debate how to optimise the effects of leveraging the power of women's networks...

After 13 years of deliberations, Samoa’s accession to the WTO was ratified, a key step towards accelerating the Pacific island nation’s economic growth and increasing the prosperity of its people.

As growth in the global economy has slowed, protectionist forces have persisted — even expanded — in the form of NTMs. Generally speaking, NTMs consist of anything that gets in the way of commerce, including administrative fees, paperwork, inspections,...

ITC has recently launched a new book titled Public-Private Collaboration for Export Success - Case studies from Barbados, Ghana, India, Thailand and Malaysia. ITC commissioned the case studies in the book to showcase the successful experiences of public-private...

The Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (PITAD), the World Trade Institute (WTI) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) met on 20 January 2012 at WTI in Bern, Switzerland, to review progress on the first year of their partnership agreement...

Ethiopia has a better chance of becoming a member of the World Trade Organization than any other least-developed country, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy said. This is largely due to Ethiopia's status as the second-most populous African nation, with more than 82 million inhabitants, even though other LDCs have bigger economies, Lamy told Mulu Solomon, president of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, on January 30 in Addis Ababa...

Non-tariff measures (NTMs) are increasing in number and complexity, making it difficult to analyse and mitigate them, and posing rising challenges to exporters. That is the main conclusion from ITC seminar ‘Non-tariff : New challenges and the road ahead’ held in Geneva, Switzerland...

During a visit to the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange and the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce on 30 January, Pascal Lamy, WTO Director-General, recognised ITC's work in improving the country's export competitiveness, whilst noting that 'International trade must in the future be measured by how much value is added to a country’...

Egyptian exporters often struggle to take advantage of the broad range of opportunities presented by e-commerce. On 17 January, an ITC team took part in a workshop to address this problem...

CIDA's Director-General of Strategic Policy, Tobi Nussbaum, visited the ITC offices in Geneva on Tuesday 17 to speak with ITC Deputy Executive Director, Jean-Marie Paugam, about the organization's work, results achieved and plans for the future...

Specialists from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USAID and the U.S. General Services Administration have a better understanding of standards issues thanks to an ITC workshop highlighting the centre's Standards Map...

ITC is pleased to announce its five online Market Analysis Tools - Trade Map, Market Access Map, Investment Map, Trade Competitiveness Map, and Standards Map - will remain free of charge for developing country users in 2012 thanks to financial support...

Australia has announced that it is donating AUD 3 million to the International Trade Centre (ITC) to assist least developed countries build technical skills needed to benefit from global trade.ITC’s Executive Director, Patricia R. Francis, thanked Australia...

The World Trade Organization (WTO)’s Eighth Ministerial Conference is highlighting Russia's accession anda ground-breaking deal that opens up government-procurement contracts worth as much as $100 billion to more foreign competition, as two significant...

ITC is bringing together high-level experts from around the world to lay the groundwork for building the capacity for women business owners to win at least five percent of contract bids from government agencies. The meeting, the Inaugural Roundtable on Government Procurement on Sourcing from Women Vendors, is being held in cooperation with WTO on 17 December 2011 in Geneva...

Innovative ways of thinking are necessary in order to respond to the ever-changing global economy, according to Patricia R. Francis, Executive Director of ITC. In her speech during the opening session of the WTO MC8, Ms. Francis emphasized that ITC is reinventing itself to keep up with the changing environment in order to provide state of the art value to the poorest countries...

With the spread of smart phones and the internet in developing countries, international development organizations are increasingly making use of social media tools to reach their clients, according to participants at a social media roundtable organized...

The African continent has seen impressive growth over the past decade but faces big challenges in order to keep developing at the same rate. “As the world moves into another major crisis Africa has the means to weather the storm. This you must do for yourself” said ITC Executive Director, Patricia Francis, jointly opened the flagship Export Actors Forum (EAF) on the 5 December in Cotonou, Benin...

The WTO General Council acknowledged several ITC accomplishments in its report adopted at its annual meeting on 30 November in Geneva. It highlighted ITC’s assistance to Least Developed Countries in their WTO accession process, the organization’s...

ITC will hold a workshop in Doha, Qatar, on 7 December to help exporters prioritise products and markets for export. The workshop on ITC’s Market Analysis Tools is being held in collaboration with the Qatar Export Development Agency “TASDEER”, a division of Qatar Development Bank...

Under the EU-funded Trade Related Technical Assistance (TRTA II) programme, a two day training course on “Regional integration - Comparative legal framework” was conducted on 16-17 November 2011 at the Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (PITAD),...

Companies in Vietnam are insufficiently aware of market trends in the West that increasingly favour products produced in a socially responsible or sustainable manner. Against this background, ITC, in partnership with Fair Trade Original, organized a Fair Trade training workshop in Hanoi on 9-10 November 2011...

Trade advisors from around the globe are currently at ITC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland to take part in the latest Trade Information Training Programme. The eight day course, finishing on Wednesday 23 November, covers a number of information management and information resource themes, ranging from topics such as the identification of useful information sources to the role of Web 2.0 in trade information management...

Sweeping domestic reforms and the mobilization of the private sector were two key accomplishments highlighted during an Open Forum organized on 10 November 2011 by the International Trade Centre (ITC) with the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva...

In 2001 the People’s Republic of China joined the WTO. Ten years on and China is leading global export figures and has become the world’s second largest economy. In light of this success story as well as the current backdrop of the wider global economic...

The workshop aims to build on the momentum generated at LDC IV on tourism development as a means to reduce poverty, to progress on the dialogue, project formulation and resource mobilization for LDCs...

Hon. Tillman Thomas, made his comments following a presentation about the progress of the Grenada Nutmeg Sector Development Strategy and its implementation by the National Coordinating Committee...

With the aim of discussing business implications of Russia’s pending accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), a two-day public-private dialogue was held on 26-27 September in Cheboksary, in the Chuvash Republic, Russia. Organized in close partnership with the Centre of Export Support of the Chuvash Republic in Cheboksary, and the Cheboksary State University, this workshop was the first of its kind, bringing together businesses, academia and public sector representatives to exchange their views on how best to reap the benefits of WTO Accession. The main issues discussed included the negotiations on market access commitments in the industrial goods and agriculture sectors, as well as the process of adjusting to WTO rules and regulations through domestic reforms...

In a recently released report by the UN Secretary General, ITC's Ethical Fashion programme was commended...

This week (19 - 21 September) the World Trade Organization (WTO) is hosting its annual public forum to discuss the latest challenges affecting world trade. NGOs, governments, industry, members of the public and other interested parties will take part - in person and online - in discussions based around topics such as food security, trade in natural resources, "Made in the World" and value-added trade, and the future for the global trading system...

The Republic of South Sudan, is the 193rd and most recent country to join the United Nations. Today, the country’s flag was raised for the first time at the Palais des Nation in Geneva, Switzerland.Friedrich von Kirchbach, ITC Director for the Division...

Aid for Trade is critical to sustainable development and poverty reduction efforts. It is the link between trade and development. The International Trade Centre (ITC) is 100% Aid for Trade, bringing the private sector voice to trade development. ...

Delegates at the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) 45th annual Joint Advisory Group (JAG) have recognized ITC for its technical assistance programmes and its progress toward embedding results-based management (RBM). The JAG was held on 30 June and...

The discussions have enabled ITC to refine its strategic approach to assistance to the Arab States and take an informed view of its future activities in the region. Key recommendations made include the need to focus on sustainable jobs for youth...

Creative industries can contribute significantly to economic growth in the Caribbean, but first good and timely information on the sector is needed, the International Trade Centre (ITC) will tell ministers and top officials at a meeting later this month.The...

Private sector engagement with LDCs for tourism-led growth and inclusive sustainable development

The current uprisings in the Arab States are rooted in a multi-faceted array of interdependent causes, comprising social, economic, ideological and political factors. The developments of the last months have many direct and indirect effects on ITC’s work in the region...

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is showcasing the success of women in the coffee industry as part of the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day.  The event on 8 March 2011 is hosted by WTO and ITC at the WTO....

The member countries of the International Trade Centre (ITC) today endorsed the organization’s plans for delivering trade-related technical assistance to developing countries in 2011 at the end of the 44th annual meeting...

Enhancing Arab Capacity for Trade (EnACT) is an ITC technical assistance programme funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). EnACT, in association with the Amadeus Institute, EuroMed Capital Forum and Maroc Export, is pleased to award its first Youth Entrepreneurship Prize in Exports to Outsourcia, a Moroccan company...

A recent user survey on the International Trade Centre (ITC) market analysis tools (MAT) has revealed their positive contribution towards ITC’s mandate: export impact for good.

The 11th World Export Development Forum (WEDF) wound up here today with the more than 300 delegates from 60 countries expressing optimism about trade growth in the post-crisis era and reaffirming their commitment...

Trade strategies in the wake of the financial crisis need to focus on long-term sustainable growth, rather than short-term fixes. That is according to Ms. Patricia Francis, Executive Director of ITC, as she opened the proceedings of the first full day of the World Export Development Forum 2010 (WEDF) in Chongqing, China...

Disadvantaged rural and urban communities to benefit

Success in evaluating and reporting on the effectiveness of export development services is the core theme of the 2010 Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs) Network World Conference...

Exporters increasingly using ITC’s online tools to find new markets. Demand for the International Trade Centre’s web-based trade analysis tools has increased dramatically as businesses...

Prepared by the ITC’s Market News Service in consultation with horticultural sector experts. Exporters in developing countries, particularly African producers of perishable goods...

Tourism and trade can be powerful drivers of economic growth in Africa and they have much in common when it comes to the policy environment needed to get the best out of them.

Boosting non-oil exports to enhance job opportunities for women and young people. Algeria has formally signed up to the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Canadian-financed Enhancement of Arab Trade Capacity (EnACT) programme...

Some 4,000 farming and craft-producing households in four northern provinces of Viet Nam will benefit from a multi-agency programme, led by ITC, which was launched recently with funding from Spain’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Achievement Fund...

The United Kingdom and the International Trade Centre (ITC) have launched a new three year partnership to implement their common strategy on Aid for Trade, with a special focus on providing business development support to women traders in developing countries...

Businesses in Africa need to concentrate on developing regional markets and find ways to link up in specific sectors to tackle global competition and survive the current economic downturn...