Finland to provide over €3 million in support to ITC

(Geneva) The government of Finland and the International Trade Centre (ITC) today concluded an agreement that will see Helsinki provide €3.06 million in funding to support ITC’s work to foster inclusive growth, development, and job creation through trade.

Under the terms of the agreement, signed in Geneva by Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen and ITC Executive Director Arancha González, the Finnish grant will support a number of agency-wide goals set out in its strategic plan for 2018 to 2021 including on inclusive and green trade.

The funding will also allow ITC to pioneer, test and roll out new tools and approaches to enabling micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in developing countries to connect to international markets.

“ITC is a longstanding partner for Finland, and this agreement is the latest sign of the alignment between ITC’s mandate and the Finnish government’s development policy priorities,” said ITC Executive Director Arancha González. “ITC shares Finland’s goals, on empowering women and girls, on promoting growth and job creation within developing economies, and placing particular emphasis on strengthening fragile states and least developed countries.”

“On behalf of ITC and the people, communities, and businesses we work with, I would like to express thanks to the people and government of Finland,” she added.

Minister Virolainen underlined the importance of the cooperation between ITC and Finland, “We want to join forces to support the valuable work of ITC. The organisation's efforts to develop especially the entrepreneurship and economic empowerment of women, youth, displaced persons and the informal sector in developing countries lie at the heart of the Finnish development policy priorities”.

Note to the Editor

About ITC - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information, visit www.intracen.org. Follow ITC on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

International Trade Centre
Jarle Hetland, Media Officer
P: + 41 22 730 0145
M: + 41 79 582 9180
E: hetland [at] intracen.org (hetland[at]intracen[dot]org)