The UK's Advocacy Fund will enhance negotiating support to LDCs in the World Trade Organisation and UNFCCC talks by providing independent technical and legal advice as well as logistical support.
6 September 2011: The UK Department for International Development (DFID) has announced that it will provide legal advice and support to least developed countries (LDCs) through a new Advocacy Fund.
The Advocacy Fund will allow LDCs to “remain a central part of the World Trade Organization negotiations” and help enhance their negotiating capacity in the UNFCCC talks. The Advocacy Fund will be managed by expert fund managers and will provide: independent technical and legal advice to ensure that delegates can access high quality information as they prepare for key talks; high-quality training for negotiators to ensure they have the technical and legal skills they need to bring the same negotiating power to the table; and logistical support to ensure countries can engage in key negotiations that will impact on their future. The Advocacy Fund will be available to LDCs over the next four years. [UK DFID Press Release]