Freetown, 7th April 2026- China has pledged US$1.1 million to strengthen trade access for Africa’s least‑developed economies, including Sierra Leone, through World Trade Organization (WTO) technical assistance programs. The announcement was made at the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where WTO Director‑General Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala and China’s Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao signed memoranda of understanding formalizing the support.
Of the total pledge, US$600,000 will go to the China Programme, a flagship Aid for Trade initiative launched in 2011, while US$500,000 will bolster the WTO’s Global Trust Fund. Both programs provide training, internships, and workshops designed to help officials and traders from least‑developed countries (LDCs) integrate into global markets.
“These contributions from China are warmly welcomed,” Okonjo‑Iweala said. “The renewal of the China Programme underscores its commitment to integrating least‑developed countries into the WTO and global trade. The unearmarked grant to the Global Trust Fund will allow the Secretariat to meet vital but underfunded technical assistance needs.”
The funding is expected to benefit officials and traders across West and Central Africa, including Sierra Leone. Programs will cover WTO accession processes, post‑review workshops, and South‑South knowledge‑sharing initiatives. Recent expansions include modules on digital trade and artificial intelligence, offering exporters tools to overcome logistical and regulatory bottlenecks.
China’s Wang Wentao framed the contribution as part of Beijing’s Global Development Initiative, highlighting South‑South cooperation. “China again contributed $600,000 to the China Programme and $500,000 to the Global Trust Fund, demonstrating firm support to the WTO with concrete actions,” he said.
The WTO’s Global Trust Fund, established in 2001, delivered more than 13,000 training sessions worldwide in 2025, combining online learning with regional workshops to enhance skills in trade compliance and negotiation. Since 2008, China has contributed over US$11 million to WTO technical assistance efforts, including consistent support for the Trust Fund.
For Sierra Leone, the investment strengthens the capacity of trade officials to participate meaningfully in WTO policy discussions and negotiations, potentially unlocking new opportunities for exporters in agriculture, mining, and services. Analysts say this technical support is critical for countries that rely heavily on imports and face challenges such as climate shocks, infrastructure deficits, and uneven access to digital technologies.
“The China Programme and the Global Trust Fund play an outsized role in helping African traders navigate complex global markets,” said trade analyst Emmanuel Tamba. “At a time when multilateral negotiations are stalled and commodity prices remain volatile, technical assistance is a practical way to ensure LDCs are not left behind.”
WTO officials confirmed that the funding will enable more targeted training and workshops over the coming year, helping Sierra Leonean and other African officials understand regulatory frameworks, negotiate trade agreements, and adopt technology‑driven solutions to enhance competitiveness.
