The European Union promised €5 million to help the world’s poorest countries boost their trade capacity through the Enhanced Integrated Framework, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO) release. The pledge came during a ceremony at WTO headquarters with Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and EIF Executive Director Ratnakar Adhikari. EU officials said the money will support Phase Three of the program, which runs from October 2025 through December 2031 and targets least developed countries struggling to join global markets. The EIF is the only worldwide trade assistance program built just for the world’s 46 poorest nations.
The EU has backed the EIF since it started and sees trade as key to helping poor countries grow their economies. “The EU has been a reliable partner to the EIF from the very beginning, and we continue to stand with LDCs as they integrate into the global economy,” said Paz Velasco Velazquez from the European Commission’s international partnerships unit. Phase Three puts investment at the center of its approach instead of just providing technical advice.
WTO chief Okonjo-Iweala called the timing perfect, saying “LDCs need stable and predictable partnerships to strengthen their trade capacities and seize new opportunities despite today’s global challenges.”
EIF Director Adhikari said the EU contribution gives important momentum as the program prepares to launch its new phase. The pledge builds on earlier commitments announced in June 2025 in Spain.
The new phase aims to raise at least $200 million total to help least developed countries use trade to fight poverty and build sustainable economies. Many LDCs rely heavily on raw material exports and struggle to develop manufacturing or services that create more jobs and value.
