Press Release
14 November 2005
UK to give £100 million a year to help poor countries trade their way out
of poverty
 As the Prime Minister announced in his speech at the Guildhall this
evening,
the Department for International Development will treble its support to £100
million pounds a year by 2010 to help poor countries boost their exports to the
rest of the world.
By increasing "aid for trade", the UK hopes to help poorer
countries seize the opportunities presented by more open markets. For example,
the funding will help countries in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere to speed up
their customs reform, get their goods to market and meet European Union
health and safety standards.
International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said:
"The UK is today making good our commitment at the G8 Summit to help
developing countries trade their way out of poverty. This year we have succeeded
in highlighting poverty in Africa and pledged to increase world aid, but we will
fall short if we cannot offer the poor a fair chance to trade with the rest of
the world. I hope that as we get closer to the world trade talks in Hong Kong in
December, other countries will also increase their aid for trade."
UK support for "aid for trade" has already produced benefits in
Mozambique where DFID backed customs reforms which increased revenues from $70
million to $250 million a year. The UK government's announcement is aimed at
extending these benefits to other poor countries.
Notes to Editors
1. The Department for International Development currently contributes £30
million towards "aid for trade". Additionally, DFID support for 'aid
for trade' through the European Commission, World Bank, United Nations and other international agencies is
around $90 million.
2. The G8 Summit in Gleneagles committed member countries to "'increase
our help to developing countries to build the physical, human and institutional
capacity to trade, including trade facilitation measures'.
For further information please contact the DFID press office on 020 7023 0620
(24 hour number).
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