On Monday, 19 November 2012, UNCTAD’s Human Resources Development/TrainForTrade Section signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Development Programme in Angola (UNDP Angola). The Memorandum was signed in the presence of an UNCTAD representative by Mr. Samuel Harbor, UNDP Angola Country Director, and it will remain in force until June 2013.
This particular collaboration stems from the successful working relationship that was formed between UNDP Angola and UNCTAD TrainForTrade during the implementation of the TrainForTrade project for Angola between 2007 and 2011.
Part of TrainForTrade's strategy to encourage the local ownership and sustainability of its projects is to set up a national steering committee, which is made up of relevant stakeholders working in the areas of trade, investment and services. The committee members guide the project, coordinate the activities and define the annual priorities.
 UNCTAD Representative and UNDP Angola Country Director |
As UNDP Angola was part of the national steering committee for the TrainForTrade (TFT) project in Angola, it was aware of the activities that TFT carried out, and of the results of the project, and therefore requested TFT's collaboration on its Growing Sustainable Business project, which aims to develop value chains in the agriculture and tourism sectors and has goals in line with those of the former TFT project in Angola.
To assist the Growing Sustainable Business project in achieving its objectives, UNCTAD's TrainForTrade programme will help to design and implement training and capacity-development activities for local project stakeholders, particularly local entrepreneurs, government institutions, and non-governmental organizations. This collaboration will allow the TrainForTrade programme to maintain an active presence in the country and to capitalize on the legacy of its project in Angola. Between 2007 and 2011, TrainForTrade trained over 600 government employees and private-sector managers in Angola on various international trade issues, including sustainable tourism, productive capacities and consumer protection.
Alongside its training activities, the TrainForTrade programme provided technical assistance, advisory services and policy recommendations, and published national studies on relevant topics.
