The Singapore Cooperation Programme- Singapore’s contribution to Aid for Trade & the Private Sector Development

Presented by Ms Denise ChengAssistant Director, Technical Cooperation DirectorateMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore

Regional Review Meeting on Aid for Trade, Jakarta, 14 June 2011 Session 3: Engaging the private sector in AfT initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region

Singapore Cooperation Programme

• Started in 1992, administered by MFA• Singapore’s technical assistance programme to developing

countries • Capacity building programmes - Training Courses,

Workshops, Study Visits, Undergraduate Scholarships• 75,000 government officials trained from 170 countries

– Asia-Pacific, Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Latin America & Caribbean

75,000 officials from 170 countries trained since 1992

Participants (Cumulative)

68,446

61,717

75,442

55,03048,585

42,149

35,849

29,99025,144

20,52515,943

11,7878,642

6,2254,1692,6331,6998490

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for life.”

• Human Resource Development as catalyst for economic development

• Singapore’s own experience - People are our only resource

• Sharing Singapore’s development experience in trade-related & other areas with developing countries

• Giving back to the international community

Philosophy

• 80% or more of SCP programmes contribute to Aid-for-Trade

• Objective:

1) - Boost economic level and productive capacity of developing countries

--> Enable them to participate more effectively in international trading system

2) - Raise awareness of opportunities of open world market

--> Reduce their reluctance to further market opening

SINGAPORE’S AID FOR TRADE STRATEGY

Singapore’s Aid for Trade Programmes

Two Modalities: • Bilateral – South-South Cooperation (e.g. IAI) • Third Country Training Programme (TCTP)

Benefits: - Triangular cooperation - leverages on resources of

both partners to maximise outcomes• Training locations

17 Partner Countries

26 International Organisations & NGOs

Over 60 Singapore Training Agencies

• Trade policy and planning• Trade liberalisation• Regional trade agreements• Trade negotiation and facilitation• Investment promotion• International trade

• Dispute settlement• Customs clearance• Border management

Singapore’s Aid for Trade Programmes:

Four Strategic Levels

Level 1: Trade Policy and Regulations

• Port and airport management

• Logistics and distribution

• Information & communication technologies (ICT)

• Urban management – city planning, land transport, water, environmental management

• Public-private partnerships

Singapore’s Aid for Trade Programmes:

Level 2: Building Economic Infrastructure

• Macroeconomic & financial management

- IMF-Singapore Regional Training Institute

• Trade financing• Enterprise development and

competitiveness - Strategies for SME Internationalisation - Business Incubation in Singapore- Analyzing and Managing Risks in Public Private Partnership Infrastructure Projects

• Seafood safety code• Tourism promotion

Singapore’s Aid for Trade Programmes:Level 3: Building Productive Capacities

Training programmes & study visits on Singapore’s development experience in:

• Economic development • Macro-economic reforms• Trade liberalisation• Public Governance • Education

Singapore’s Aid for Trade Programmes:

Level 4: General Support Level

Singapore-WTO Third Country Training Programme

• MOU signed in 1996, renewed in 2000

• Close to 30 Aid for Trade programmes conducted for almost 600 officials in Singapore

• Collaboration has increased from one to 2-3 programmes annually

Singapore-WTO Third Country Training Programme

Diverse Training Areas: • Regional Trade Policy• Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)• TRIPS and Public Health• Dispute Management• Anti Dumping• Trade in Services• Non Agricultural Market Access• Environment, Market Access & Trade Liberalisation

Singapore-WTO Third Country Training Programme

Asian Parliamentarian Workshop – 3 Runs (2009, 2010, 2011)• Collaboration between WTO, MFA and Temasek Foundation Centre for Trade

and Negotiations

Aims: -Enhance capacity to make trade-related legislation

- Deepen understanding of WTO and current/future negotiating issues in international trade

• 1st Workshop (June 2009): 20 Asian Parliamentarians

• 2nd Workshop (May 2010): 24 Parliamentarians

• 3rd Workshop (May 2011): 40 Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians

WTO-NUS Regional Trade Policy Course (RTPC) Singapore, 2007 - 2010

• Collaboration between WTO and National University of Singapore (NUS - Faculty of Law)

• 3-month course covers every aspect of WTO’s agreements & negotiations + regional perspectives on trade issues

• Beneficiaries: over 100 senior trade officials from more than 25 Asia Pacific economies

• New: NUS-WTO “Dialogue on the Doha Development Agenda”, 5-7 October 2011

Singapore-ADB Third Country Training Programme

• Since 1993, Singapore and ADB have trained close to 650 participants from developing member countries

• Diverse areas that build trade or economic capacity: trade facilitation, port and airport management, tourism, technology transfer

• Latest collaboration: ADBI-RSIS-MFA-ADB Regional Policy Workshop on Asian Economic Integration (15-18 February 2011)

Conclusion• Focus on human capacity development (value add)

- strengthens trade & economic capacity of Asia Pacific economies

• Work with international partners• Tap on knowledge & expertise of private sector• Support international forums on trade &

development• Outcome: Open, pro-trade national environments

that facilitate private sector development & increased trade benefit Governments & private sector in Asia Pacific region