Aid for Trade: The Inter-American Development Bank's Experience in Latin America and the Caribbean

This document summarizes the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) experience as one of the main sources of multilateral development financing in Latin America and the Caribbean. From 2000 to 2005, total financing for economic, social and institutional development projects amounted to US$38.7 billion. In addition, this paper discusses challenges facing the Latin America and the Caribbean region in the area of trade, lessons learned from past experiences, and highlights the gaps in the provision of trade-related assistance. The last section of this document offers recommendations on how the IDB could contribute to global efforts at delivering aid for trade more effectively.