International Trade Forum - Issue 2/2006, ©
International Trade Centre
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Patricia Francis, Executive Director,
ITC
© ITC/ M. Stefanovic
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"Helping developing countries export better is a stepping stone
to development," said many delegates at ITC's annual meeting in
April 2006.
ITC: Building supply capacity
"ITC partners with countries in understanding the issues that
make them more competitive, understanding the balance between
traditional sectors and new growth areas, and managing change to
move from one to the other."
Patricia Francis, Executive Director,
ITC
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"ITC's expertise is pragmatic technical assistance to build up
exports from developing countries. ITC has more than 40 years'
experience in trade development. It's what we were set up to
provide."
Stephen Browne, Deputy Executive Director, ITC |
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Government: A powerful champion
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"The Cambodian Government asked ITC for help to reduce
poverty through trade. Together we decided to focus on silk. Our
long-term view is that a competitive, well-organized silk sector
will help Cambodia weave a brighter future… The impact has been
immense, with an increase in self-confidence among women weavers
and schooling for their children."
Ing Kantha Phavi, Minister of Women's Affairs,
Cambodia |
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"We recognized the potential of developing patchouli
exports in a very poor region and gave the project our full
support. We used trade as a means to achieve economic
reconstruction and to create jobs and diversify exports. That, in
turn, is a major contribution towards our goal of peace and
national solidarity."
Denise Sinankwa, Minister of Trade and Industry,
Burundi
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Business: Make opportunities a reality
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"The opportunities are there but you need motivation,
perseverance and energy. Initiatives such as ITC's 'Buying for
Africa from Africa' help small African firms like mine win new
contracts, but also create jobs and contribute to the growth of
local economies. … If I had known ITC sooner, I would probably have
added five years to my life."
Marie Diongoye Konaté, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Protein Kissèe-La S.A., Côte d'Ivoire |
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"As a buyer of perfume oils, my firm was involved in the
patchouli project from the start. In helping to develop patchouli
in Burundi, we saw not only a much-needed alternative production
source, but also a chance to develop products that closely met our
customers' needs for quality and 'traceability'. We have
transferred technology to the Burundi firm and consider it an
investment well made."Alain Demarest, Deputy
Director-General, Leroux Astier Demarest, France
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"We are bringing jobs to a region of high unemployment. The
success of the patchouli project is the fruit of the very close
partnership between two firms in LDCs [least developed countries] -
Burundi and Haiti. But this fruit would not have germinated without
the support of Burundi's authorities and technical assistance from
ITC."
Stanislas Habonimana, Chairman of the Board of
Rugofarm, Burundi |
Developing countries: Take ownership
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"In the developing world, we share a lack of
competitiveness in a liberalized trading environment. It is
important for the recipients themselves to identify their most
pressing needs in order to 'own' aid assistance and achieve the
best results."
H.E. Venetia Sebudandi, Ambassador of Rwanda to the UN in
Geneva |
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"The onus is on donors to harmonize aid activities so that
they can be most effective, and programmes such as the Integrated
Framework can help us achieve this. However, harmonization is best
achieved by country ownership of aid programmes, then asking donors
to provide support."
Edward Brown, First Secretary of the United Kingdom's
Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva |
Article developed by: Prema de Sousa, Natalie Domeisen,
Christopher Simpson.