Foreword
This report is published in the context of the joint OECD-WTO Aid for Trade Monitoring and Evaluation exercise, which underpins the WTO’s 8th Global Review of Aid for Trade on “Empowering Connected, Sustainable Trade” (July 2022). This is the eighth volume of the Aid for Trade at a Glance series.
The Monitoring and Evaluation exercise relies on both quantitative and qualitative data. Qualitative information is primarily derived from the 2021 joint WTO-OECD surveys of donors, partner countries, South-South partners and Regional Economic Corridors. Responses are analysed in detail in the companion publication of the WTO, Aid for Trade Global Review. The quantitative data is primarily extracted from the OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) database, an internationally recognised source of data on official development assistance (ODA) and other official flows (OOF) to developing countries.
This report focuses on the evolution of Aid for Trade disbursements and commitments to developing countries since the inception of the initiative in 2006, with a focus on the period 2018-2020. It thus complements and updates the previous edition of Aid for Trade at a Glance, which covered flows up to 2017. The period covered in this report was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly affected international trade, investment and development co-operation. The report provides the first statistical update of Aid for Trade flows for the year 2020, shedding light on the impact of the crisis, and how it relates to the overall themes of the 2022 Global Review.
Chapter one presents key facts and figures. Chapter two sets the scene and analyses the evolution of Aid for Trade flows during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how Aid for Trade was affected, and how it was used to respond to the crisis. Chapter three explores the role of Aid for Trade over the period against the key themes of the 2022 Global Review: the environmental transition, digital connectivity and women's economic empowerment. It provides an update on Aid for Trade flows targeting these areas in the broader context of the COVID-19 recovery, and assesses its potential role in preparing for future challenges. Chapter 4 provides 53 recipient country profiles with key figures. Finally, Annex A presents a statistical note, while Annex B provides detailed and disaggregated statistics on global Aid for Trade flows.