The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through its Saudi Fund for Development, has contributed USD 3 million to the Enhanced Integrated Framework Trust Fund (EIFTF) aimed at helping least-developed countries (LDCs) to better integrate into the multilateral trading system. The documents for this contribution were signed on 3 February 2010. With this contribution, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia becomes the newest donor to the multilateral EIFTF that now boasts 23 donors, with financial resources totalling just over USD 90 million.

The IF for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries is a process that was first established in 1997 to support LDC governments in trade capacity building and integrating trade issues into overall national development strategies. The IF has two objectives: (1) to “mainstream” (integrate) trade into the national development plans, such as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) of LDCs; and (2) to assist in the coordinated delivery of trade-related technical assistance in response to needs identified by the LDCs. The IF is built on the principles of country ownership and partnership.

The Enhanced IF — an improved new phase of the IF programme — became operational in July 2009 when the IF Board started to approve multi-year projects in support of institutional capacity in LDCs. The projects approved by the Board are related to support to the IF National Implementation Arrangements and address country-specific constraints to trade mainstreaming, to donor coordination and to productive capacity building