Nairobi, 18 June 2014/ ACP: On the occasion of the 99th Session of the ACP Council Ministers taking place in Nairobi from 16 – 18 June 2014, the Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group), H. E. Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni and the Executive Director of the International Trade Center (ITC), Ms Arancha Gonzalez, signed today 18 June 2014 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance the cooperation between their two Organizations.

ITC role (a joint subsidiary organ of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations based in Geneva) is among others to connect enterprises from developing and transition countries to global market and assist these countries in designing export oriented strategies and strengthen their SMEs. On the other hand, ACP Group mandate is to promote the sustainable development of its Member States for their beneficial integration into the global economy.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed today provides a cooperation framework to strengthen private sector development, catalyze business advocacy, and enhance trade policy capacity building in ACP Countries.

ITC has been involved in the last few years in the implementation of capacity building activities in several ACP countries and today’s signing of this cooperation framework by the two Executives marks a new phase in their relationship.

– ITC/ACP