Shortlist announced for the World Trade Promotion Organization Awards 2020

(Geneva) - The International Trade Centre (ITC) today announced that 18 national trade promotion organizations have been shortlisted for the 2020 World Trade Promotion Organization (WTPO) Awards.

The shortlisted organizations are competing in three categories:

• Best use of a partnership - Colombia, Egypt, Sweden, the United Republic of Tanzania,        the Netherlands, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe;
• Best use of information technology - Brazil, China, Georgia, Malaysia, Portugal,              United Arab Emirates;
• Best initiative for inclusive and sustainable trade - Austria, Costa Rica, Lithuania,            Saint Lucia, Spain.

The winners will be announced at the 13th WTPO Conference in Accra, Ghana, on 14 October.

The WTPO Awards 2020 received 60 applications, the highest number since the awards were created in 2004. A jury of peers selected the shortlist. The jury is comprised of the 2018 award winners, and is chaired by ITC Executive Director a.i. Dorothy Tembo.

The competition, open to all national trade promotion organizations, recognizes excellence in trade support services. They celebrate organizations that excel in innovative, effective export development initiatives. The organizations must show that they help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to become competitive in international markets.

Entrants were asked to demonstrate innovation and boldness for each of the three categories. The first category demonstrates strong service delivery through key partnerships; the second focuses on efficiency through new technologies; and the third showcases solutions that contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Commenting on this year's shortlist, Ms. Tembo said: 'National trade promotion organizations play a crucial role in supporting business innovation, trade-led growth and the internationalization of MSMEs. To be able to deliver services at a time of multiple external shocks these organizations must be proactive, and forge their place at the front line'.

'The entries demonstrate how these organizations are responding, while also shaping their initiatives to contribute to inclusive and sustainable economic growth,' she added. 'Today's nominees showed  vision and commitment to  excellence in service delivery.'

WTPO Awards 2020 SHortLIST

Notes to the Editor

The TPO Network World Conference is a biennial event, first held in 1996 in Cartagena, Colombia. The 13th conference, themed 'Bold solutions for resilience and recovery' will bring together more than 200 TPO representatives, policymakers and business leaders from over 70 economies. For more information about the event, please visit www.tponetwork.net.

About ITC - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information, visit www.intracen.org.

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International Trade Centre

Natalie Domeisen,

Communications and Events

P: + 41 22 730 0370

E: domeisen [at] intracen.org