Today there is broad agreement that trade liberalisation can make a significant contribution to economic development and poverty reduction in developing countries. The opportunities offered by trade liberalisation for economic growth, employment and poverty reduction have been highlighted time and again. However, many developing countries have not been able to reap the full benefits of the global economic integration process due to a lack of coherence of development and trade policies in both industrialised and developing countries.

Against this background, the GTZ Trade Programme provides advisory services to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with regard to (1) the representation of development policy interests in international trade negotiations and (2) the development and dissemination of innovative tools and instruments for the mainstreaming of trade-related assistance in German Development Cooperation.

In addition, on behalf of BMZ, the GTZ Trade Programme manages a Fund for Trade Policy and Trade Promotion (“Monterrey Fund”) as well as the public-private partnership “Cotton made in Africa” (see “Approach” for more information).

• A brief introduction in German
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