ITC and Germany renew partnership to support small businesses through trade

(Geneva) - Germany will provide €2.1 million in core voluntary funding to support the work of the International Trade Centre (ITC) throughout 2026 and 2027.

This core support is foundational to ITC's ability to respond swiftly to emerging global challenges and pilot initiatives for future scaling through project-specific funding and strategically allocate resources where impact can be maximized.

The grant agreement enables ITC to advance inclusive and sustainable trade diversification and value addition in developing countries by strengthening the competitiveness of SMEs. It prioritizes sustainability, climate action, women's economic empowerment and transparency in information through ITC's global public goods. The agreement reaffirms the close collaboration between the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and ITC.

'Germany has been a long-standing partner of ITC, and this renewed agreement underscores our shared objective of empowering small businesses to participate more fully in international trade'.

H.E. Ambassador Antje Leendertse, Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations Office at Geneva

'Our longstanding partnership with Germany reflects our common principle of developing the capacity of small businesses to trade in an inclusive manner. This funding enables ITC to maintain the continuity of critical global public goods and investments in innovation, which are even more crucial in times of turbulence in the markets.'

Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director, International Trade Centre (ITC)

About the International Trade Centre - ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information, visit www.intracen.org. Follow ITC on X | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Flickr

Media contact

Share this article