The FINANCIAL -- The World Bank and ICC will launch the first of a series of workshops to be held on the ‘Aid for Trade’ (A4T) agenda.

Now in its third year, the A4T initiative – launched at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in December 2005 – combines public and private sectors perspectives to develop trade-related skills and infrastructure in developing countries.

The workshops will engage the private sector on A4T with the aim of building the necessary physical, human and institutional capacity that will help developing countries to benefit from WTO agreements and boost trade.

"In this technical workshop, representatives from the public and private sectors will gather at ICC International Headquarters in Paris to assess interest and modalities of further collaboration on the ‘Aid for Trade’ agenda. Specifically, discussions will be held to leverage private sector investment and initiatives by linking them to donor projects, and rethink participation of the private sector in aid project cycles," ICC said.

With subsequent events taking place in Washington on 14 March, co-hosted with the US Chamber of Commerce, and Jakarta on 24 June, co-hosted with the World Economic Forum, initial workshops will analyse company case studies. Discussions will culminate at the Third Global Aid for Trade Review, to take place in Geneva in July 2011.

ICC, the world business organization, is honoured to collaborate with the World Bank in the Aid for Trade initiative and contribute to private sector input.

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