What?
The International Trade Centre, ITC, is a small UN agency which is responsible for trade promotion and trade development. ITC shall support the private sector in developing countries and in countries in economic transition. Its purpose is to create better conditions for entrepreneurs in developing countries, increase developing countries' competitiveness and world market share within different sectors, bring about more exchange and collaboration between actors in global trade, open up more opportunities for women to participate in global trade, develop new trade strategies and increase knowledge of what governs international trade.
ITC builds up capacity through education and support to both small and medium-sized entrepreneurs and the country's trade institutions and decision makers. Another important cornerstone is providing developing countries with the opportunity to receive important intelligence about global markets, assessments of export potential, market information and analyses.
Who?
Sida supports International Trade Centre globally
How much?
Sida has supported ITC with SEK 120 million to cover a four-year period; 2009 – 2012.
Results?
- The demand for ITC's web-based market analysis tools has increased by 86 per cent since 2009. 130, 000 registered users from 221 different countries.
- Six new organizations for women coffee farmers were formed in six countries in eastern Africa
A high-quality handbook for cotton exporters (also available online) and the sheer number of exchanges yearly between African and Asian cotton actors have improved conditions, increased knowledge on market conditions for African cotton producers and led to the majority of solid deals between African and Asian countries.
- The least developed countries receive support in order to become members of the World Trade Organization
- 82 companies in developing countries have been ready to begin exporting since 2008
- 441 companies have been able to find buyers for their products and have been selling goods since 2008
- 43 countries have since 2008 been developing strategies for trade development
- 176 workshops, seminars, forums and training courses were run during 2010 with 6, 568 participants, of which 2, 235 were women.
