PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Benin: 'Agric, powerful engine for development'
Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC) Arancha Gonzalez has called on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to make agriculture the engine of sustainable development.
Speaking at a ministerial conference in Benin's economic capital, Cotonou, Tuesday, Mrs Gonzalez said a country can be developed on the basis of agriculture.
But she noted that the focus must be on five main priorities: better access to trade information, high quality packaging, improvement of marketing and commercial techniques, facilitating access to export credit and preparing the entrepreneurs to participate in trade events.
She also described trade as a ''sector for growth and job creation'', and called on the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to take part in international trade so as to generate resources and jobs for the youth.
While in Benin, Mrs Gonzalez will hold bilateral meetings with officials of the government and the private sector.
She will also talk about the empowerment of women through trade and the technical assistance provided by the ITC.
PANA reports that the ITC is a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations (UN).
It helps SMEs in developing countries and in transition economies to become more competitive on the world market, thus contributing to sustainable economic development.
-0- PANA IT/BEH/IBA/NA/SEG 30July2014
Speaking at a ministerial conference in Benin's economic capital, Cotonou, Tuesday, Mrs Gonzalez said a country can be developed on the basis of agriculture.
But she noted that the focus must be on five main priorities: better access to trade information, high quality packaging, improvement of marketing and commercial techniques, facilitating access to export credit and preparing the entrepreneurs to participate in trade events.
She also described trade as a ''sector for growth and job creation'', and called on the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to take part in international trade so as to generate resources and jobs for the youth.
While in Benin, Mrs Gonzalez will hold bilateral meetings with officials of the government and the private sector.
She will also talk about the empowerment of women through trade and the technical assistance provided by the ITC.
PANA reports that the ITC is a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations (UN).
It helps SMEs in developing countries and in transition economies to become more competitive on the world market, thus contributing to sustainable economic development.
-0- PANA IT/BEH/IBA/NA/SEG 30July2014
