EIF Improving Trade for Least Developed Countries

The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) is a multi donor trust fund that provides financial and technical support to build trade capacity in all 48 Least Developing Countries (LDC).

EIF supports these countries to use trade as a vehicle for economic growth and poverty reduction.The EIF is the only global Aid for trade programme exclusively designed for LDCs and therefore uniquely placed to assist countries to develop sustainable trade strategies, which have positive impact on peoples lives through the promotion of private of private sector development and job and income opportunities.

The Least Developing Countries face trade costs owing to many obstacles to their ability to trade,including poor infrastructure, weak institutional, regulatory and policy capacity limited private sector capability coupled with a poor business climate.

The Enhanced Integrated Framework provides the LDCs with a customized support to help identify, prioritize and address their needs and a basis for development partners to deliver coordinated support to a country’s trade and economic growth agenda.

EIF partnerships support this countries to address trade needs by undertaking evidence based analysis to identify, prioritize and address major constraints to trade.

It also triggers key policy reforms and mobilizing additional resources to address priority trade needs.

Despite considerable challenges faced by the LCDs,including conflicts,and natural disasters and epidemics,the EIF has achieved so much between 2009 and 2014,including contribution to agricultural value chains and livelihoods, promoting women’s economic empowerment and support to trade facilitation.

Article by Mercy Kariuki.