Aid for Trade
Aid for Trade is an initiative led by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to help developing countries, especially the least developed ones, build trade capacity and improve infrastructure. It supports Sustainable Development Goal 8, which focuses on decent work and economic growth, specifically Target 8.a to increase Aid for Trade support, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for trade-related technical assistance to least developed countries.
In 2018, commitments to Aid for Trade were about $58 billion. South and Central Asia received the largest share (31.4%), followed by sub-Saharan Africa (29.2%). Lower-middle-income countries got about 37.5% of the aid, while least developed countries received about 36.8%.
In 2022, Africa and Asia together received about 70% of Aid for Trade funds. Asia’s share rose to $18.2 billion (up 22%), while Africa’s was $17.54 billion (down 2.5%).
Aid for Trade funds projects and measures to help countries: develop trade strategies and plans; build infrastructure like roads, ports, and telecommunications; and invest in industries to diversify exports. Some countries have seen economic benefits, but not all projects succeed, and some funding can be lost to corruption.
To track progress, the OECD and WTO run an Aid for Trade monitoring framework. In 2017, global disbursements exceeded $43 billion, with about $15 billion committed. The European Union and its member states are the largest donors.
The initiative began at a WTO Ministerial Conference in December 2005, with implementation starting in 2007 after a 2006 task force report. Global Review events have been held to monitor progress under themes like Maintaining Momentum, Showing Results, and Connecting to Value Chains.
SDG 8’s indicator 8.a.1 measures Aid for Trade commitments and disbursements, expressed as total Official Development Assistance (ODA) for Aid for Trade in 2015 constant US dollars.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:05 (CET).