Trade Advisory Services

IFC’s Trade Advisory Services tailors training programs to meet the specific needs of local financial institutions to help them and their clients improve their capacity for trade finance through workshops, on-site capacity building, e-learning courses, and trade certifications.

Topics include methods of payment, trade finance instruments, risk mitigation tools, updates of UCP 600, Incoterms, SWIFT,  and ISO 20022. In recent years and based on client needs, Trade Advisory Services has been expanded its offerings to include supply chain finance, countering trade -based money laundering, and sustainable (climate and gender) trade finance. 

Collaboration with World Trade Organization (WTO)

WTO and IFC agreed to enhance cooperation between the two organizations to explore ways to increase the availability of trade finance for regions in need. This has included offering trade finance workshops the emerging markets, particularly for the benefit of SME’s. Workshops have taken place in Cote d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cape Verde, and Mozambique.

Countering Trade Based Money Laundering

Fostering trade finance may increase possibilities for criminal organizations to finance crime. IFC has elaborated and facilitated a complete module which is now freely available on-line (hyperlink) to counter this phenomenon,  fostering expansion of correspondent banking networks in the emerging markets. – this links to existing money laundering page.