Southern and Eastern Africa, the Doha Agenda and Aid for Trade

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the 'aid for trade' initiative within the context of the WTO's Doha Development Agenda and its implications for Southern and Eastern Africa. It analyzes the recommendations of the WTO Aid for Trade Task Force, the role of the African Group, and the intersection of trade-related assistance with other multilateral frameworks like the Enhanced Integrated Framework (IF) and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union.

• The WTO Aid for Trade Task Force identified six specific categories of activities that constitute aid for trade: trade policy and regulations, trade development, trade-related infrastructure, building productive capacity, trade-related adjustment, and other trade-related needs.
• The WTO Task Force recommended that aid for trade be guided by the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which emphasizes ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing for results, and mutual accountability.
• The African Group's common position on aid for trade emphasizes that the initiative must be owned by Africa, should not be a substitute for the development promises of the Doha Development Agenda, and should be supportive of regional integration.
• The Enhanced Integrated Framework (IF) for Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) received recommendations to increase funding to $400 million over five years and to establish a new Executive Secretariat housed within the WTO Secretariat.
• The World Bank reported that over the last 25 years, it has been involved in more than 500 lending operations to support trade in developing countries, representing over 8% of its total commitments during that period.
• The IMF established the Trade Integration Mechanism (TIM) in 2004 to assist countries with the adjustment costs associated with multilateral trade liberalisation; as of the report date, three countries had used the mechanism.
• Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are being negotiated between the EU and regional groups in Africa, including the SADC and ESA Groups, with a focus on a 'development pillar' to ensure implementation costs do not negatively impact development.
• The 10th European Development Fund (EDF) was budgeted at approximately €22.6 billion, with an additional €2 billion from the European Investment Bank, totaling €24.6 billion over six years.
• The OECD estimates that when trade-related infrastructure is included, aid for trade accounts for 14.5% of total Official Development Assistance (ODA), amounting to $15.5 billion.
• The report recommends that South Africa develop a coordinated position on aid for trade, engage with OECD work on aid effectiveness, and support the development of national aid for trade programs in the region.

APA

Grant, C. (2007). Southern and Eastern Africa, the Doha Agenda and Aid for Trade. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/17-trade_report_no17.pdf

Chicago

Grant, Catherine. Southern and Eastern Africa, the Doha Agenda and Aid for Trade. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2007. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/17-trade_report_no17.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Grant |first1=Catherine |title=Southern and Eastern Africa, the Doha Agenda and Aid for Trade |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=June 2007 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/17-trade_report_no17.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{grant2007southern, author = {Grant, Catherine}, title = {{Southern and Eastern Africa, the Doha Agenda and Aid for Trade}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2007}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/17-trade_report_no17.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }