Unlocking the trade potential of Landlocked LDCs: the role of the EIF partnership

Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries

                                         3–5 November 2014, Vienna, Austria

HIGH‑LEVEL PANEL DISCUSSION

Unlocking the trade potential of Landlocked LDCs: the role of the EIF partnership

     5 November 2014, 13:15-14:45

Room M6

Rationale

The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) is a unique example of a global partnership among 50 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 23 Development Partners and 8 International Agencies, which supports the LDCs to be more active players in the global trading system by helping them tackle supply‑side constraints to trade. Today, the programme works in 47 LDCs and 3 recently graduated countries.

The programme focuses on mainstreaming trade into national development strategies, supporting the establishment of national structures for the efficient coordination of Trade‑related Technical Assistance (TRTA) and strengthening the LDCs' capacity to produce export‑oriented value‑added products and services in a competitive manner. It thus aims to contribute to growth, job creation and ultimately poverty reduction in the poorest areas of the world and support the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action and of the Almaty Programme of Action.

EIF-sponsored Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTISs) allow countries to identify the sectors of greatest growth and/or export potential as well as constraints to competitiveness and supply chain weaknesses. While EIF Tier 1 projects focus on building human resources and institutional capacities through TRTA; EIF Tier 2 projects focus on building trade‑related and supply‑side capacities in the sectors identified as priority by the DTIS Action Matrices. The programme is currently undergoing a comprehensive evaluation that will allow the partnership to make a decision on its future by the end of the year.

Out of 32 Landlocked Developing countries, 17 are LDCs and members of the EIF Partnership. These countries share the challenges faced by all LLDCs, aggravated by their status and stronger commodity dependence, and the associated high vulnerability to commodity price volatility.  Lack of infrastructure, bottlenecks in transit transport, energy and communication, inadequate policy and regulatory framework strongly impedes the capacity of Least-developed LLDCs capacity to harness their trade potential. Supply-side constraints such as limited productive capacity, reliance on primary commodities, lack of value addition to exports, inability to meet international standards inadequate technology and know-how, and limited access to finance strongly limit their competiveness.

Aid for Trade in general and the EIF in particular help Least-developed LLDCs to surmount these challenges, through interventions aimed at supporting national trade policy formulation and integration in national development strategies, improving productive capacities, addressing supply-side constraints and ensuring coordination among the various development actors and in close consultation with the private sector.

Through direct testimonies from selected Landlocked LDCs and from Partner Agencies and Donor representatives, the event will highlight the specific challenges faced by the Least Developed Landlocked Countries and provide examples of the work carried out by the EIF, in particular in the areas of International Trade and Trade Facilitation and Structural Economic transformation, Productive Capacity Development and Value Addition, respectively priority 3 and 4 in the draft  Plan of Action for LLDCs for the 2014-2024.

Objectives

The event will provide an opportunity for LLDCs, international agencies and partners to take stock of the different experiences and progresses at country and global levels and to discuss lessons from the ground and perspectives for the future, also in light of the ongoing debate on Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Panellists

Proposed panellists include: high-level Government representatives from EIF Countries (Lao PDR, Mali and Rwanda), Partner Agencies and Donors. 

Date and venue

Wednesday, 5 November, 13:15-14:45

Vienna International Centre (VIC), M Building.

Room: M6