The STDF and the IF work closely together to improve LDC's trade performance. The STDF has devoted 58% of project grant resources to LDCs in the period 2006-2008. Through its project preparation grants, the STDF assists IF countries in turning recommendations made in the DTIS into bankable projects. The recent enhancement of the IF has opened a number of opportunities to deepen existing co-operation.  These opportunities will be further discussed with the Enhanced IF Secretariat.  For more information on other collaboration avenues see STDF's Operating Plan 2009.

Other STDF activities aim at helping IF countries to identify their SPS capacity building needs which can then be funded by development partners in-country. In this context, the STDF prepared a desk study (G/SPS/GEN/900) on SPS needs and assistance of eight Least Developed Countries (LDCs), i.e. Benin, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal and Yemen.  The study was based on a review of existing needs assessments, notably the Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies prepared under the Enhanced IF and other publicly available information.  The report complemented and strengthened UNIDO's broader programme proposals aimed at addressing the supply-side constraints of the eight LDCs and identified areas where future SPS technical cooperation activities with a positive trade effect might be focused.  The final report was presented at the LDC Ministerial Conference on Aid for Trade on 19-20 November 2008 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, jointly organized by WTO and UNIDO.