African Trade Fund (AfTra)

Deadline: 20 November 2013
Open to: African-based national and regional organizations and associations involved in trade development such as African government agencies, regional economic communities and private sector and civil society organizations located in Africa
Grant: $50,000 to $1,000,000

Description

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is pleased to announce the first call for proposals of the Africa Trade Fund (AfTra). Award amounts shall range from 50,000 USD to 1,000,000 USD per project.

AfTra is a joint initiative of the AfDB and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Fund aims to assist low income African countries and their institutions to develop trade-related skills, regulatory regimes and infrastructure needed to enhance their trade performance and competitiveness and benefit from international trade and market opportunities.

Types of Activities to be funded from AfTra Grants:

  • Organization of or participation in national or regional level forums (meetings, seminars, conferences and workshops) to facilitate dialogue and consensus building;
  • Knowledge, economic and sector work (baseline studies, environmental and gender related studies, studies to improve project quality, and publications);
  • Capacity development and technical assistance, training, study tours (formal attachments and training etc.);
  • Extension services, management of trade information and market intelligence systems (data and information collection, analysis and dissemination);
  • Institutional capacity development (provision and refurbishing of software and hardware equipment to modernize customs or port clearing facilities; acquisition of laboratory and testing equipment; computers and other IT equipment);
  • Strategic capital investment programs (establishment of small structures or refurbishment of buildings especially one-stop border posts);

Eligibility

They invite African-based national and regional organizations and associations involved in trade development such as African government agencies, regional economic communities and private sector and civil society organizations located in Africa to apply. Bank organizational units (sector and regional departments, field offices) are also invited to apply.

Grant

Under this call for proposals, the Africa Trade Fund will finance initiatives and projects that help boost the continent’s trade capacity and accelerate its integration in the global trading system. Award amounts shall range from 50,000 USD to 1,000,000 USD per project.

Examples of such projects include but are not limited to:

  • Trade facilitation projects such as the creation of one stop border posts (OSBPs), modernization of customs and ports systems, development of corridors, enhancement of border management, etc.;
  • Projects aiming to enhance standards capacity (especially sanitary and phytosanitary standards) to facilitate market access and increase product quality;
  • Development of market information systems to facilitation access to information;
  • Projects and programs aiming to strengthen the capacity of trade-related national and regional institutions so that they can better implement their mandates.

Application

Although applications are open and accepted throughout the year, the deadline for submission of application forms for this special Call for Proposals is 20 November 2013. 

Interested applicants are invited to download the Application Form AVAILABLE HERE, fill it out and to submit it to the Africa Trade Fund at ONRI2_Secretariat@afdb.org with subject: AfTra Application Form. Proposals can be submitted in either French or English.

Questions for clarifications may be sent via email at ONRI2_Secretariat@afdb.org with subject: Africa Trade Fund.

For further details, please see the call for applications HERE and the official website HERE.

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