Bader AlDafa

1
Promoting Aid-for-Trade In the ESCWA Region

• by
• Bader Al-Dafa
• Under Secretary-General
• Executive Secretary
• UNCTAD XII, Ghana, 23 April 2008

2
ESCWA consists of 13 Members
WTO members (8) Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia UAE Observer Status
(3) Iraq, Lebanon Yemen Non-WTO members
(2) Palestine Syria
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Main Features of the ESCWA Region
Major Indicators ()

• Developing economies, despite huge oil revenues
  in some countries
• Modest institutional infrastructural base
• Emerging private sector
• Dominance of the public sector, despite recent
  liberalization privatization

Source (1) Annual Review of Developments in
Globalization and Regional Integration in the
Arab Countries, ESCWA (2007) (2) Statistical
Abstract of the ESCWA Region, ESCWA (2007)
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The ESCWA Region as a Recipient
GDP per capita (2003-2005)
Source World Development Indicators
Database, World Bank (2007)
5
OECD ODA to ESCWA Region

• ESCWA member countries received US14.7 billion
  (14) of the worlds total ODA in 2006

• ODA distribution has been concentrated on social
  infrastructure rather than economic
  infrastructure services production

• Social-infra remains the priority for the region
  (water sewage, education, health, housing,
  rural development)

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The ESCWA Region as a Donor

• ESCWA Region provided US3.3 billion in 2006,
  which went to the region (62), Asia (22),
  Africa (15) Latin America (1)

Sectoral Distribution of Aid from the Arab
Region (2006)
Source Unified Arab Economic Report, Arab
Monetary Fund (2007)
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AFT to Address Supply-Side Constraints Market
Access Challenges
Trade policy negotiation skills constraints
AFT
Infrastructure constraints
Low competitiveness of exports
Lack of adequate regional trade facilitation
measures
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Procedural Requirements forExporting Importing
by Selected Region
Source World Bank Group (2007)
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A Conducive Environment for AFT

• National governments need to

Improve Coordination
Mechanism
Identify Trade-related
Priority Needs
Commit to Mainstream Trade
Develop Trade Strategies
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Opportunities Furnished by the AFT Initiative
for the ESCWA Region

• Alignment of AFT with priorities focusing on
  national strategies
• Increase in the amount of concessional aid
• Effective coordination among donors
  harmonization of donor procedures
• Systemized review, monitoring evaluation to
  enhance transparency efficiency
• Enhanced integration into the multilateral
  trading system

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What needs to be done?

• AFT Global debate should be inclusive of all
  regions
• Streamline AFT definition, scope and approach to
  be consistent with the objectives of South-South
  Cooperation and Paris Declaration on Aid
  Effectiveness
• AFT delivery should be more demand-driven
• Implement AFT Task Force Recommendations
• Expand Enhanced Integrated Framework

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What can ESCWA do?

• As all UN RCs, ESCWA is well positioned to
  assist in the implementation of the AFT
  initiative.
• Promote support future AFT debate (ensuring
  participation of the ESCWA Region)
• Assist member countries and donors in surveying
  AFT priority needs in relevant areas

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What ESCWA can do?

• Monitor assess the impact efficiency of
  tailored AFT funding on productive capacity
  trade performance
• Continue to provide target-oriented technical
  assistance for member countries
• Encourage dialogue between member countries,
  donors and relevant regional organizations

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Ensuring Integration of AFT in ESCWA
Overall Strategy


Economic Development Globalization
Cross-Cutting Issues
- Capacity building for trade
- Promote private-public partnerships
Trade
Transport/ Maritime
Financing For Development
- Strengthen the private sector
Economic Analysis
- Promote South-South Cooperation
ICT
Environment
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• Merci
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• THANK YOU