Ecuador International Trade and Integration Project

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The International Trade and Integration Project for Ecuador aims to promoteincreased socio-economic growth using as an instrument international tradedevelopment and integration with the global economy. There are two components.The first modernizes international trade management and increases markets accessby building the capacity of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fishing(MICIP). It provides human resource training, and diagnostic and programmingstudies, as well as upgrades workstations as part of a new internaladministrative and financial management system, renovates office facilities, andimplements unfair trade practices safeguards. This component also modernizescustoms administration, making regulations WTO (World TradeOrganization)-consistent. The second component facilitates entrepreneuriallearning and innovation in smaller firms through private-public partnershipinstitutions. It finances outsourced services to implement expositions,roundtables, publications, and other campaign tools; and funds informationtechnology, communications equipment, consulting services, local and distancelearning seminars, an eco-export program to assist firms in export marketpenetration and environmental protection; a learning and innovation fund tocofinance implementation of business services, a grassroots growth fund, a piloteffort by nongovernmental organizations to provide technical extension servicesto low-income microbusinesses, and lastly technical assistance.