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Global Advocacy

The global advocacy category covers services that are designed to promote the use of trade as a development tool and to encourage sup­port for developing countries’ efforts to improve their trade capacity building. This includes analysis and dissemination of trade-related information, promoting understanding of the relationship between trade and development, and supporting policies. Some agencies pro­vide information on and support for the interactions between their more specialized interests and trade.

un eclac

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (un eclac)

Summary of activities included in this category
Global Advocacy
undp

United Nations Development Programme(undp)

Summary of activities included in this category
Trade and Sustainable Development

Legal and Regulatory Framework

Assistance under this category includes helping countries to bring their own regulations into conformity with international rules, more general help to improve their legal institutions, and training officials to deal with such rules. A number of the agencies specialise in par­ticular areas, rather than trying to provide expertise on the legal rules in all sectors. For several, the aim is to balance trade-related obli­gations with other national (or international) interests.

un eclac

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (un eclac)

Summary of activities included in this category
Integrated database of trade disputes for Latin America and the Caribbean
undp

United Nations Development Programme(undp)

Summary of activities included in this category
Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development
unep

United Nations Environment Programme(unep)

Summary of activities included in this category
Shaping Governance at the Trade, Investment and Environment Nexus
Legal and Regulatory Frameworks in Green Markets and Global Value Chains

Supply Capacity

In line with the trade focus of this Guide, support activities to develop supply capacity are considered to be those that aim to increase the availability of goods and services for export. There is no easy distinction between this and building more general capacity to pro­duce, and this distinction is becoming less pertinent as borders open and competition in local markets from imports increases. Some agencies do not make this distinction in their projects.

undp

United Nations Development Programme(undp)

Summary of activities included in this category
Productive capacity, inclusive business and value chains
unep

United Nations Environment Programme(unep)

Summary of activities included in this category
Assessing Trade Opportunities in the Transition to an Inclusive Green Economy

Trade Policy Development

Agencies’ assistance to trade policy development is generally provided in four areas: design and implementation of trade policy; specific developing country issues in trade (such as commodity exports and preferences); support in trade negotiations; and assistance in man­aging the interactions between trade and other policies.

un eclac

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (un eclac)

Summary of activities included in this category
Policy-making and policy implementation assistance
undp

United Nations Development Programme(undp)

Summary of activities included in this category
Mainstreaming trade
unep

United Nations Environment Programme(unep)

Summary of activities included in this category
Technical Trainings Supporting International, Regional and National Design and Implementation of Sustainable Trade and Investment Policies
Environmental Goods Agreement
Providing Information and Analysis on Voluntary Sustainability Standards

Trade promotion capacity building

This category includes both direct support to exporters and the building of institutions in-country which will provide such support. It is different from many of the other categories in its direct relationship to the private sector.

un eclac

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (un eclac)

Summary of activities included in this category
Trade promotion capacity building

Market and Trade Information

Market information and trade information services are different in their focus and methods. Market information is about sub-sectors and products, while trade information focuses on the aggregate level, including data on trade flows, policies affecting trade, and trends in these. Market information is usually targeted at traders. Trade information is, broadly speaking, intended to be used by policy-makers.

un eclac

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (un eclac)

Summary of activities included in this category
Interactive Graphic System of International Trade Data (SIGCI)