   
  
PRESS/ 946 
 
13 February 2024  
(24-1253) Page: 1/2 
    
 
 
PRESS RELEASE  
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
Norway pledges NOK 20 million to support sustainable economic 
growth in LDCs through EIF  
The government of Norway has contributed CHF 1.2 million (NOK 14.7 million) to help  
least -developed countries (LDCs) sustain the progress they have achieved with the support of the 
Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF). This is the first instalment of the N OK 20 million 
(approximately CHF 1.7 million) that Norway has pledged to the newly established EIF Interim 
Facility, which has been set up to bridge the gap between the end of Phase Two of the EIF and the 
establishment of a new multilateral support mechani sm for LDCs.  
 
Norway's pledge was confirmed at a ceremony attended by WTO Director -General  
Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala and Norway's WTO Ambassador Petter Ølberg on 12 February at the WTO. The 
WTO LDC Group Coordinator, Ambassador Kadra Hassan of Djibouti, and the  EIF Executive Director, 
Ratnakar Adhikari,  also took part in the ceremony.  
 
DG Okonjo -Iweala said: "We are delighted that Norway has stepped forward as the first contributor 
to the EIF Interim Facility, which will ensure that the EIF continues to function  until the end of 
2024. We are very grateful for this crucial support to a Facility that holds significant importance for 
the LDCs. It is our hope that with this contribution, ongoing projects will reach completion and be 
seen to fruition. Our sincere than ks go to Norway for this generous donation of CHF 1.7 million."  
 
Norway's contribution to the EIF Interim Facility will help to enhance the trade environment for 
inclusive and sustainable growth in LDCs, helping to boost these countries' exports and access  to 
international markets. Discussions are ongoing in a taskforce at the WTO around a  future 
multilateral Aid for Trade support mechanism for LDCs.  
 
"Norway is pleased to be the first donor to contribute to the EIF Interim Facility. The Facility will 
bridge the gap between EIF Phase Two and the next multilateral Aid for Trade mechanism dedicated 
to LDCs," said Ambassador Ølberg. "The Interim Facility w as efficiently established together with our 
EIF partners, with well -balanced projected development gains that build on the work done during 
the programme's Phase Two. We must preserve the momentum and continuity in LDCs that work 
hard to develop their tra de strategies. I hope this commitment can inspire other donors to join us in 
supporting this vital initiative."  
 
Ambassador Hassan stated: "The LDC Group deeply appreciates the Facility's support in addressing 
the critical needs and diverse trade prioriti es outlined in the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs . 
The Facility's catalytic operations will play a crucial role in sustaining the progress achieved through PRESS/ 946 
 
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  the EIF programme in each LDC. We are grateful for the Facility's demand -driven approach and 
commend its commitment to cost effectiveness as well as its agility and flexibility. We call on 
additional donors to contribute to the Facility, so as to reinforce our collective efforts towards 
strengthening LDCs' integration into the multilateral trading system and achieving sustainable 
development."  
 
Norway has contributed a total of approximately CHF 42.4 million to the EIF -led programmes since 
2007, including this new pledge to the EIF Interim Facility.  
 
The EIF is the only global Aid for Trade initiative dedicated exclusively to empowering LDCs to use 
trade as an engine for sustainable economic growth development and poverty reduction. It is a 
unique global partnership between LDCs, donors and partner agencies – including the WTO – which 
work together to build trade capacity in LDCs.   
 
Further information o n the EIF is available  here .   
 
 
END 