Delivering Value for Money in Trade Promotion is Theme of World Conference in Mexico

Success in evaluating and reporting on the effectiveness of export development services is the core theme of the 2010 Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs) Network World Conference, which will take place in Mexico City on 14 and 15 October, the International Trade Centre (ITC) announced today.

‘Building export success: enhancing TPO impact in a changing global environment’ is the title of the conference, which will bring together more than 150 senior TPO practitioners and other experts. It is being organized jointly by ITC and ProMéxico, the Mexican national TPO.

ITC Executive Director Patricia R. Francis said, ’TPOs provide vital support to SMEs ( [small and medium-sized enterprises)]  in developing the contacts, knowledge and skills they need to compete successfully in international markets.’

She added: ’In today’s economic climate, TPOs are increasingly required to demonstrate that they provide value for money, which means they must measure, record and report the outcomes and impacts of their services. This year’s conference and the associated TPO Network awards are designed to help them find ways of doing so effectively by focusing on export development initiatives and the processes in place to gauge their effectiveness and impact.’

At the conference, participants will have the opportunity to exchange experiences in developing and implementing export development initiatives and identify the processes that make it possible to measure and demonstrate their impact in terms of the positive changes their clients have experienced in improving their competitiveness and successfully entering global markets.

Conference proceedings and award-winning success stories will be developed into case studies by ITC and published on the network website: www.tponetwork.net. The website is a dynamic platform for the exchange of information and experiences among members.

ITC views its support for the TPO network as a priority activity that makes it possible to multiply the impact of its trade-related technical assistance. Strengthening the network reinforces individual TPOs by enabling them to learn from each other’s experiences while working together to better serve their client SMEs.

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