Chairpersons statement
Chairpersons statement - Stockholm Pledging Conference on the Enhanced Integrated Framework, September 25, 2007
Patricia Francis, ITC, Ewa Björling, Minister for Trade, Pascal Lamy, Secretary-General of the WTO, Gunilla Carlsson, Minister for Development Cooperation, Timothy T. Lathane, Minister for Finance of Lesotho, and Dr Supachai, Secretary-General of UNCTAD.
On 25 September the Government of Sweden hosted a conference to mobilize international financial support for the Enhanced Integrated Framework, an instrument designed to promote the ability of the world's Least Developed Countries to benefit from an expanding world trading system.
The conference was jointly chaired by Sweden's Ministers for International Development Co-operation and for Foreign Trade respectively, and brought together Representatives of Donor Countries and Least Developed Countries, as well as Representatives of concerned International Organizations.
The Government of Sweden is delighted to announce that the target of USD 100 million for the replenishment of the EIF Trust Fund for the first two years of operation has been oversubscribed by around USD 10 million. The contributions of new donors to the EIF are particularly appreciated. Furthermore, given the flexibility that donors have signalled, the chairpersons are confident that the funding target throughout 2007 - 2011 will be met.
Together, these commitments represent a very significant step change in the level of funding which will be available to strengthen trade capacity of LDCs in order to ensure that trade serves as a tool for development, and poverty reduction.
Both EIF donors, and LDC recipients, agreed that in-country EIF activities and projects should be guided by a common understanding of the needs of the individual beneficiaries as reflected in recipient countries' own National Development Plans.
Participants agreed that the success of this conference has given the Enhanced Integrated Framework real momentum. The EIF Board was invited to ensure that this initiative is now made fully operational.
Notes for Editors
1. Participating in the Conference were 34 Donor Countries, 5 Least Developing Countries (LDCs) and 11 International Organisations and Financial Institutions.
2. It has been estimated that in order to reach the objectives of the Enhanced Integrated Framework, US Dollars 400 million is needed for the first 5 years. The EIF Trust Fund will provide US Dollars 250 million during that period. The remainder of the funds will be made available through bilateral assistance programmes.
