Accra, 18^th December, 2018.The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in collaboration with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), will hold an Aid for Trade (AfT) Experts Group meeting on 20th and 21^st December 2018 in Accra, Ghana, to review the regional AfT strategy and action plan, as well as national AfT initiatives in preparation for the 2019 global review on Aid for Trade.

The Regional AfT Strategy and Action Plan which was adopted by ECOWAS Ministers of Trade in 2016 aims to contribute to increase trade in the region and accelerate the integration of Member States into the multilateral trading system and is based on the fundamental principles of AfT effectiveness.

The meeting will serve as the platform to enable Member States coordinate and harmonize their programmes, review their status of implementation, evaluate their priorities and address challenges to international and regional trade.

The WTO-led AfT initiative encourages developing country governments and donors to recognize the role that trade can play in development. In particular, the initiative seeks to mobilize resources to address the trade-related constraints identified by developing and Least Developed Countries (LDC).

While the EIF supports LDCs to integrate into the global trading system by making trade a driver for their development, many developing countries continue to face a range of supply-side and trade related infrastructure obstacles which constrains their ability to engage in international trade.

The WTO holds biennial meetings to monitor and evaluate Aid for Trade and provide strong incentives to both donors and recipients for advancing the AfT agenda.