Trade, debt and finance

In 2009 the Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance made a significant contribution towards mobilizing international efforts to remedy the dramatic shortage of trade finance, which resulted in the adoption by the G-20 Summit in London of a US$ 250 billion support package. The Working Group improved members’ understanding of the causes and location of the shortfalls, discussed national plans aimed at boosting the availability of trade credit and guarantees, and acted as a forum for discussion of – and providing support to – WTO Secretariat initiatives. In particular, it provided a forum for interaction between WTO members and the Expert Group on Trade Finance convened by the Director-General.