New Private Sector Development Strategy from the UK Department for International Development

[Business Fights Poverty]

On 20 January 2009, at an event hosted with the Overseas Development Institute and Business Action for Africa, the UK's Department for International Development launched its new Private Sector Development Strategy. To download it, click here, and add your comments below!

For contact details of DFID country offices around the world, click here.

Return to the 2009 Event Series.

[Trevor Simumba]

This is a good step in the right direction by DFID. However, one major issue that needs to be captured very strongly is the importance of trade facilitation and its impact on growth. Many of the developing countries offer very small markets on their own. However, as part of regional and global trade they become more competitive and growth is catalysed much more quickly. its important that specific support is given towards getting a Doha round deal particularly for trade in agriculture which would bring a much greater number of people out of poverty and at the same time diversify the market for imports in the developed economies giving the consumer greater choice than is currently the case. There is mention of influencing EU positions in Doha but there is no mention of the EPA negotiations which if not concluded in a more development oriented way may cause even greater harm to the private sector in developing countries.