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Denmark contributes $2.4 million to ITC trade programme
Denmark has contributed nearly $2.4 million (13 million Danish kroner) to fund International Trade Centre development programmes across Africa, Asia and Latin America in 2007, with over 20% of the total earmarked for efforts to expand exports from poorer countries of organic products.
The grant was agreed by the Board of DANIDA (Danish International Development Agency), which is part of Denmark's Foreign Ministry. The contribution continues Denmark's long tradition of involvement in the work of the ITC.
“We strongly welcome this signal from one of our most important donors that we are on the right track and can enjoy its firm support,” said Patricia R. Francis, ITC's executive director, who has been overseeing the restructuring of the agency's work since she took up her post a year ago.
ITC's reorganisation, designed to help achieve a greater impact for its export business expansion programmes at country level, emerged from recommendations of a major external evaluation of its operations during 2004 that was led by Denmark.
Danish funding for ITC's Global Trust Fund, as well as specific country and thematic programmes over many years, has helped underpin ITC's efforts to spur the business community in developing countries in the drive for export growth as a key element to improve living standards.
Just over one-third of the 2007 contribution will go to the Global Fund to back capacity-building efforts so that countries can play a more active part in global trade. Another third will go to financing regional and country projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The rest goes to the organics programme, aimed at supporting farmers primarily in East Africa – Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda – to convert to organic food, beverages, textiles and clothing. This complements a previous contribution to finance a market guide for cotton exporters, currently under way.
