World Trade Organisation (WTO) director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called for strong partnerships to meet the objectives of the third phase of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) launched yesterday.

EIF is a mechanism aimed at leveraging and coordinating support for trade and investment priorities in least-developed countries (LDCs).

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called for stronger partnerships to achieve the objectives of the Enhanced Integrated Framework’s (EIF) third phase, launched yesterday in Yaounde.
It aims to coordinate support for trade and investment priorities in LDCs.
The latest six-year phase has also secured fresh contribution pledges from Germany, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK.

The new phase was launched at a side event to the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaounde, Cameroon, co-organised by Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates and the EIF executive secretariat.

The third phase of the EIF introduces a shift from stand-alone projects to multi-year country programming. It is designed to help LDCs better integrate into the global trading system while addressing structural vulnerabilities and seizing new opportunities in areas such as digital trade, services, green value chains and regional integration.

The latest six-year phase also received new contribution pledges from Germany ($1.964 million), Liechtenstein (~$63,139), Norway ($4.15 million), Switzerland ($3.16 million) and the United Kingdom ($6.67 million).

“This third phase of the EIF comes at a defining moment for the LDCs and recently graduated countries. Familiar structural vulnerabilities are being compounded by a disrupted global trading system, power politics, debt pressures, climate change, and global economic uncertainty. At the same time, the current global context offers some important opportunities for LDCs to use trade to drive growth, development, and job creation,” Okonjo-Iweala said in a release issued by the WTO.

The DG also emphasised the need to scale up support and partnerships to match the ambition of the new phase.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) released the final conclusions of its investigation into Mexico’s restrictive trade measures, determining that they constitute trade and investment barriers against China.

The probe, initiated on September 25, 2025, was conducted under China’s Foreign Trade Law and the country’s regulations on foreign trade barrier investigations.

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has concluded that Mexico’s tariff hikes and other restrictive measures on non-FTA partners constitute trade and investment barriers against China.
The probe, launched on September 25, 2025, found the policies limited market access and hurt Chinese firms, with Beijing authorised to take countermeasures to protect domestic industries.

MOFCOM found that Mexico’s decision to raise import tariffs on products from countries without free trade agreements, including China, as well as other restrictive policies, had limited market access for Chinese goods, services and investment.

The ministry stated that these measures had “restricted and impeded the entry of Chinese products, services and investment into the Mexican market,” thereby weakening the competitiveness of Chinese enterprises.

According to the ministry’s spokesperson, the findings confirm that Mexico’s policies constitute trade and investment barriers under Chinese law. The MOFCOM is authorised to take corresponding measures to safeguard the legitimate interests of Chinese industries.

The investigation forms part of China’s broader response to tariff hikes imposed by Mexico on non-FTA partners, which Beijing has repeatedly criticised as protectionist and detrimental to bilateral economic ties.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JP)