Objectives & Activities
Objective 1
To facilitate the cross-fertilisation of experiences and lessons learnt on linkages between trade, development and poverty reduction in developing countries and to aid the development of appropriate policy responses.
Activity 1
A perception survey has been conducted in five regions, namely South Asia, South East Asia, Southern Africa, Eastern Africa and Europe to obtain responses and views of stakeholders, comprising civil society representatives, trade and investment policy officials, development policy officials, academia, media, business representatives, etc. and their concerns regarding the linkages between trade, development and poverty reduction. The survey aimed to increase the understanding for the need of a coherent policy agenda vis-à-vis trade and development, with particular regards to poverty reduction. Analyses of this perception survey and the agenda for policy coherence were used as inputs for advocacy documents, national dialogues, regional conferences, capacity building workshops and international conferences. The project partners were engaged in conducting the perception survey in different countries. The findings of the resulting country background studies and sectoral case studies conducted in all developing countries under this project have been published by CUTS CITEE to function as a research as well as an advocacy resource document.
National Dialogues have been organised in each project year in association with the project partners in 15 project countries in South Asia, South East Asia, Southern Africa, Eastern Africa and Europe, providing a forum to discuss issues of policy coherence between trade, development and poverty reduction in the national, regional and international framework.
Regional Dialogues Four regional conferences have been organised in association with project partners in Africa and Asia to develop better synergies between different initiatives being carried out at the regional level. The first two conferences were held in Nairobi in October 2006 and in Bangkok in November 2006. Two more regional conferences were held in March 2008 in Hanoi and Nairobi as Pre-UNCTAD XII Civil Society Forums.
International Conferences Three international conferences are organised during the project period of four years. The first symposium was held in Geneva in November 2005, followed by a conference in Nairobi in March 2007. The third international conference under the TDP project will be held in New Delhi in August 2008. This final international event will discuss sustainability aspects of the project and the prospects for a global partnership for development.
Three review meetings Three review meetings (one each in the second, third and fourth year of the project) will be organised to discuss the progress of the project. Both project partners and members of the Project Advisory Committee will participate in these meetings.
Objective 2
To help strengthen the ability of developing countries through the provision of policy support and other know-how and do-how on trade and development issues, and to defend their viewpoints and advocacy positions on issues of concern, prevailing and emerging in the international trading system and their relationship with development and poverty reduction.
Activity 2
Briefing papers, electronic newsletters and the Economiquity newsletter are shared with and used as a basis for forming a broader network of policy-makers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
Objective 3
To facilitate a synergy between governments and civil society organisations (between and among the Northern and Southern stakeholders) to learn from each other and strengthen their collective perspectives and positions in the emerging debate on the linkages between trade, development and poverty reduction.
Activity 3
Capacity building workshops Several capacity building workshops have been organised in South & South East Asia, Southern Africa, Eastern Africa and Europe in association with project partners and other agencies (such as UNCTAD, regional bodies), focussing on policy issues and policy coherence.
Electronic outreach Electronic outreach to project partners, members of the Project Advisory Committee and other relevant stakeholders takes place on a quarterly basis.
Objective 4
To advocate development-oriented trade policies, based on learning from research and other activities, by taking into account the interests and priorities (needs and aspirations) of the poor and marginalised sections of the society and an examination into the aspects of policy coherence.
Activity 4
A regular newsletter covering issues of linkages between trade, development and poverty reduction has been published and distributed.
Regular briefing papers have been published on relevant issues under the project. Specific advocacy work has been undertaken through meetings on the sides of major international events (such as UNCTAD events, WTO ministerials) for making policy interventions.
A media campaign kit for distribution to media persons and other relevant stakeholders has been prepared in English and in the local languages by the partner organisations in all project countries. Project partners will be particularly encouraged to write in the local language especially while targeting the local media.
A policy advocacy document “Linkages between Trade, Development and Poverty Reduction”, has been released in 2007, covering the findings and outcomes of the country studies. It is widely distributed to policy-makers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders all over the world working on the issues of trade and development.