ITC and DHL renew partnership to support SME cross-border trade

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and DHL have signed a memorandum of understanding to renew and deepen their partnership aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in cross-border trade. The collaboration specifically focuses on assisting women-led businesses by combining ITC’s market intelligence and SME development expertise with DHL’s global logistics network.

Under the agreement, the two organizations will support small businesses with exports, supply chains, and logistics. They will also collaborate with business support organizations and ITC SheTrades Hubs to enhance services for women entrepreneurs. Additionally, the partnership aims to advocate for small businesses and women-led enterprises in global trade discussions and high-level policy events.

SMEs represent approximately 90 percent of businesses globally, contributing 70 percent of global GDP and providing 70 percent of employment. Despite their economic importance, many face significant barriers to international trade. The partnership builds on a decade of cooperation through initiatives such as DHL GoTrade, ITC SheTrades, and the ITC ecomConnect programme, which have reached businesses in over 60 countries across Africa, ASEAN, Latin America, and the Caribbean.