WTO Launches High-Level Platform to Boost Trade Partnerships for LDCs Ahead of EIF Phase Three

On 16 September 2025, in Geneva, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala opened the High-level Platform for LDC Partnerships, a major gathering dedicated to strengthening the role of trade in fostering resilience, opportunity, and sustainable growth in the world’s least-developed countries (LDCs). The meeting brought together ministers, donor governments, international organizations, private sector leaders, and more than 70 LDC trade ministry representatives to map out trade and investment priorities as the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) transitions into its third phase (EIF Phase Three).

A Pivotal Moment for LDC Trade

The event was co-organized by The Gambia (Coordinator of the WTO LDC Group), Germany (EIF Funding Partner Coordinator), and the EIF Executive Secretariat, as part of the EIF Global Forum 2025, themed “Accelerating Impact – On the Road to EIF Phase Three.”

Building on momentum from the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla earlier this year, the meeting marked a critical step toward the official launch of EIF Phase Three, scheduled for late 2025. This phase will culminate in a high-level pledging conference during the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon in March 2026.

Okonjo-Iweala described EIF Phase Three as a timely opportunity to build on more than 15 years of experience supporting LDCs through trade. She noted that global challenges—from climate shocks to fragile supply chains—require stronger partnerships and innovative approaches to keep trade at the center of sustainable development.

Trade Success Stories: Empowering Women in Mali

To illustrate EIF’s real-world impact, Okonjo-Iweala spotlighted the achievements of women shea producers in southern Mali, who expanded production and exports with EIF support. Since 2019, the cooperative has:

• Produced 3,400 tonnes of shea nuts.

• Processed 1,100 tonnes of shea butter.

• Exported 420 tonnes to international markets, generating over USD 2 million in revenue.

“Behind each number are people’s lives,” she said. “For these women, trade has meant higher incomes, better jobs, greater empowerment, and increased resilience to shocks.”

Broad-Based Participation and Commitments

High-level interventions came from:

• Hon. Baboucarr Bouy, Minister of Public Service and WTO LDC Group Coordinator (The Gambia).

• H.E. Mr Manothong Vongxay, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce (Lao PDR).

• Ms Helge Zeitler, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Special guests included Jochen Wermuth, Managing Director of Wermuth Asset Management, and Eng. Adeeb Y. Al Aama, CEO of the Islamic Trade Finance Corporation. Donor representatives reaffirmed their commitment to EIF’s mission, while a panel featuring governments, global initiatives, and international organizations discussed ways to lower trade costs, improve competitiveness, and integrate LDCs into global value chains.

EIF’s Unique Role in Aid for Trade

Since its creation, the EIF has been the only global Aid for Trade framework dedicated exclusively to LDCs, helping them leverage trade for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. By combining technical assistance, capacity-building, and catalytic financing, EIF has strengthened trade strategies and fostered export diversification across dozens of LDCs.

Looking ahead, EIF Phase Three will focus on:

• Scaling up results-driven trade support.

• Deepening partnerships with the private sector.

• Addressing trade-related challenges in climate resilience, digital trade, and inclusion.

• Ensuring that LDCs remain central in the global trade agenda as they graduate to new development stages.

Building Momentum for 2026

The Geneva meeting concluded with remarks by Pamela Coke Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), who stressed the importance of aligning trade initiatives with broader sustainable development and poverty reduction goals.

As the countdown to the Cameroon Ministerial Conference in 2026 begins, the High-level Platform signaled a renewed global commitment: to ensure that LDCs are not left behind but are instead empowered to use trade as a driver of resilience, inclusion, and economic transformation.