The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam yesterday put forward some conditions to the donors saying procedure of funding should be simple and reasonable.

"It is widely believed that donors often attach tough conditions to funds… but now I am giving conditions for funding. The condition is to make funding procedures more simple and reasonable," he said at the inaugural session of a workshop in the city.

Donor agencies -- UNDP, European Commission, World Bank, DFID, CIDA and IFC jointly organised the workshop titled 'Creating a National Strategy for Trade and the Enhanced Integrated Framework'.

Dr Aziz also advised the donors not to mix up aid with market access. "Any assistance must not be tagged to market access. The two are different," he said.

He opined that global aid must be increased to accelerate development process in the developing countries.

Dr Aziz sought assistance from the donors in trade related infrastructure, improvement of existing products, identification of new products, new markets exploration and improving skills.

UNDP country director Manoj Basnyat, and Ambassador and head of delegation of European Commission Stefan Frowein also spoke on the occasion.

Additional commerce secretary Golam Mustakim moderated the discussion session.