1	Presented at Seminar on Trade Related Assistance in the Caribbean Castries, Saint Lucia Alicia Stephen, OECS Secretariat Aid for Trade in the OECS: Policy and Projects
2	Small Economies: 9 Member states 6 of which are members of the WTO Combined population of 550,000 Estimated share of world trade of less than 0.01%
3	Services-based: Services account for over 80% of the region’s GDP Tourism is major single economic activity in the region Agriculture and manufacturing declining
4	Highly vulnerable: Dependence on a narrow range of activities Dependence on a few markets Susceptible to natural disasters Susceptible to exogenous shocks
5	OECS Trade Policy Objectives: Enhance competitiveness Secure enhanced market access opportunities for exports Secure flexibilities for adjustment
6	Three-prong trade strategy:
7	How much aid does the OECS receive?
8	"OECS has been actively articulating..." OECS has been actively articulating is AFT aspirations: Participation in discussion on AFT in Geneva TPR 2007 with the support of AITIC Participation in the regional reviews
9	AFT provides a means of addressing the challenges of trade liberalisation and should be… …Simple …Timely …Ownership …Coordination (donor) …Additional $$
10	How has AFT worked in the OECS? Development of National Export Strategy (Grenada) Trade Facilitation and Capacity Building (St Kitts/Nevis) Bureau of Standards (Saint Lucia) Trade Policy Project (OECSSec)
11	OECS Aid for Trade Priorities Trade Policy, Analysis, Negotiation and Implementation Regional Integration and Cooperation Trade-related Network Infrastructure Adjustment costs Competitiveness and Private Sector Development
12	Proposed Regional (OECS) Initiatives Infrastructure - ports including for modernisation and TF reform Transportation – interisland transportation Financing for export – export credit and export insurance programmes
13	"Adjustment support – for loss..." Adjustment support – for loss of tariff revenue Sustainable development and innovation Standards - compliance Creating and maintaining linkages to other sectors – tourism and….
14	astephen@oecs.org Thank you for your attention.