SDG #8 is to “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.”
Within SDG #8 are 12 targets, of which we here focus on Target 8.a:
Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries
Target 8.a has one indicator:
Indicator 8.a.1: Aid for Trade commitments and disbursements
Aid for Trade is an initiative of the World Trade Organization for high-income donor countries to help developing countries to trade to further their economic development.
An example of aid which might help towards this end is infrastructure, such as transport networks and utilities, which all enable economic activity.
For the high-income OECD countries which give development assistance, in reporting what they’ve given, we can also separate what they’ve given as intended for Aid for Trade. Based on this, the developing regions as a whole received $52.5 billion as Aid for Trade in 2021. This figure has gone up and down in the years since the adoption of the Goals in 2015, when it was $62 billion. For the least developed countries, 2021 Aid for Trade commitments were $18.8 billion. This has also varied year-on-year since 2015, when it was $19.8 billion. On sum, this trend has been missing Target 8.a’s aim to increase Aid for Trade support.
On the donor side, the largest 2021 commitments earmarked for Air for Trade came from Germany, giving $7.3 billion, and Japan, with $6.8 billion.
