International Trade Centre

International Trade Centre is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, with the primary goal of promoting sustainable development and poverty reduction through trade development and export promotion. The centre works closely with developing countries and transition economies to improve their export competitiveness and trade performance, in collaboration with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, European Union, and African Union. The centre's activities are guided by the principles of the WTO Agreement, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the Millennium Development Goals, with support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation.

● Introduction

The International Trade Centre is a unique organization that provides technical assistance and capacity building programs to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries and transition economies to export their products and services to global markets, in partnership with International Chamber of Commerce, World Economic Forum, and Asian Development Bank. The centre's work is focused on trade development, export promotion, and investment promotion, with a strong emphasis on sustainable development and poverty reduction, as outlined in the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank's Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. The centre works closely with national trade promotion organizations, chambers of commerce, and business associations to provide trade-related technical assistance and capacity building programs, including World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Trade and Development Report.

● History

The International Trade Centre was established in 1964 as a joint agency of the United Nations and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), with the primary goal of promoting trade development and export promotion in developing countries, in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and World Intellectual Property Organization. The centre's early work focused on providing technical assistance and capacity building programs to help developing countries to export their products and services to global markets, with support from European Commission, United States Agency for International Development, and Japanese International Cooperation Agency. In 1995, the centre became a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, with a renewed focus on sustainable development and poverty reduction, as outlined in the Copenhagen Summit and the World Summit for Social Development.

● Objectives_and_Functions

The International Trade Centre has several key objectives, including promoting trade development and export promotion in developing countries and transition economies, in partnership with African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank. The centre's functions include providing technical assistance and capacity building programs to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to export their products and services to global markets, with support from International Finance Corporation, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and Global Compact. The centre also works to promote sustainable development and poverty reduction through trade development and export promotion, in collaboration with United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme, and World Health Organization.

● Organization_and_Governance

The International Trade Centre is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and is governed by a Joint Advisory Group composed of representatives from the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, with support from European Union, African Union, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The centre is led by an Executive Director who is appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Trade Organization Director-General, in consultation with International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The centre has a staff of over 300 people from more than 80 countries, with a diverse range of skills and expertise, including trade policy, export marketing, and investment promotion, as well as sustainable development and poverty reduction.

● Activities_and_Initiatives

The International Trade Centre has a range of activities and initiatives aimed at promoting trade development and export promotion in developing countries and transition economies, in partnership with World Trade Organization, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The centre provides technical assistance and capacity building programs to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to export their products and services to global markets, with support from European Commission, United States Agency for International Development, and Japanese International Cooperation Agency. The centre also works to promote sustainable development and poverty reduction through trade development and export promotion, in collaboration with United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme, and World Health Organization.

● Partnerships_and_Collaborations

The International Trade Centre has a range of partnerships and collaborations with national trade promotion organizations, chambers of commerce, and business associations to provide trade-related technical assistance and capacity building programs, including World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Trade and Development Report. The centre also works closely with developing countries and transition economies to improve their export competitiveness and trade performance, in collaboration with African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank. The centre's partnerships and collaborations are guided by the principles of the WTO Agreement, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the Millennium Development Goals, with support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation. Category:International trade