Introduction

Introduction
Mission Statement
Partnerships
Contact us
Terms of reference

As the pace of globalization accelerates, enhanced trade and investment flows confront an increasing number of developing countries and countries with economies in transition with a diverse set of trade, environment and development challenges. It is now widely recognized that capacity building is urgently needed to assist decision-makers in successfully addressing the challenges, and fully capturing the benefits, of globalization. Launched in March 2000, the UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF) provides a unique and flexible framework to implement a coordinated and comprehensive set of highly participatory activities to respond to these capacity building needs (overview of the CBTF initiative).

Through activities in five clusters - thematic research, country projects, training, policy dialogue and networking - the CBTF aims to help beneficiaries, in developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to effectively address trade-environment-development issues at the national level and to participate effectively in related deliberations at the international level. Training raises awareness and broadens the information base on critical trade, environment and development issues. Thematic research and country projects, through a self-initiated learning by doing process, directly enhance the capacities of practitioners to assess and manage policy integration challenges in beneficiary countries. Policy dialogue and networking reinforce the learning process by allowing CBTF beneficiaries to exchange ideas, experiences and perspectives and to develop partnerships through which expertise is shared and transferred.

Following a March 2000 briefing session attended by officials from more than 40 Geneva Missions, the CBTF Terms of Reference were established and the task force was officially launched. Meetings with representatives of potential donor countries were held in May and November 2000 inviting governments to collectively contribute to the funding of first year activities of the CBTF activities. To date (February 2001), contributions have been received from the Governments of Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom, enabling the establishment of the UNEP-administered trust fund that underpins the activities of the CBTF. However, additional financial contributions from other donors are sought to support a full and balanced offering of CBTF activities during 2001.

A June 2000 briefing session was organized to solicit governments' input on proposed first year activities of the CBTF and to more deeply engage interested governments in future CBTF activities. Pursuant to this briefing, a 'Call for Proposals' from governments and national research institutions for activities to be undertaken by the CBTF was widely circulated and was issued to all Geneva Missions. Over 25 countries responded to the call for proposals with 40 proposed projects.

Due to the extra-budgetary nature of the CBTF, its activities are launched in phases according to the timing and availability of financial resources contributed by donors.

Evaluation of country proposals is now complete and projects selected for first round implementation are now underway. As additional funds are contributed, the scale and scope of CBTF implementation will increase, supporting a greater number of proposed projects in the future. A new CBTF call for proposals has been issued on 31 January 2001 inviting other interested national institutions in developing countries and countries with economies in transition to prepare and submit proposals for CBTF projects. And during the Spring of 2001, a special CBTF Programme for LDCs has been developed with plans for its implementation later in the year

page last updated on 30 May, 2006 14:28