Saana Institute moderates high-level panel on the Aid for Trade Results Agenda: Lessons from Recent Evaluations and Impact Studies

Screen Shot 2015-11-24 at 11.26.13On July 2nd 2015, Tom Pengelly, Director of Saana Institute moderated a high-level panel Reducing Trade Costs and the Aid for Trade Results Agenda: Lessons from Recent Evaluations and Impact Studies, at the Fifth WTO Global Review of Aid for Trade in Geneva.

The concept for the high-level panel was proposed by the Saana Institute in March 2015, and then jointly developed with the WTO Secretariat in the lead up to the 5th Global Review. The aim of the panel was to debate different techniques, share key outcomes and lessons from recent evaluations and impact assessments and to outline how these are informing programme strategy decisions. The speakers reflected on lessons for how maximum value can be secured from future large-scale evaluations of Aid-for-Trade programmes.

The panel contributed to an improved understanding of the evaluation and impact assessments and its role in ensuring efficient and effective Aid-for-Trade delivery to reduce trade costs more effectively and to springboard accountability to national and international stakeholders.

The high level panel included:

  • Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento, Director, Trade Capacity Building Branch, United Nations Industrial Development Organization
  • Alex Thomas Ijjo, Research Fellow, Economic Policy Research Centre, Uganda
  • Miguel Jiménez-Pont, Head, Evaluation and Monitoring, International Trade Centre
  • Melvin Spreij, Secretary, Standards and Trade Development Facility, World Trade Organization
  • Annette Mutaawe Ssemuwemba, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, TradeMark East Africa
  • Joaquim Tres, Integration and Trade Lead Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank
  • Daniela Zehentner-Capell, Director, Trade-related Development Cooperation, BMZ, Germany

You can listen to the full panel discussion here.

Here is a selection of tweets from the panel session: