Many developing countries have not been able to capture the benefits of trade. There are differences between countries and within countries. Access to international markets remain a problem for developing countries, particularly for agricultural

commodities but the work recently completed by the Growth and Equity Programme at the Overseas Development Institute is going to focus on ‘behind the border’ constraints. Aid for Trade has the potential to reduce these constraints. AfT can and does enhance trade performance, but this is only part of the picture. This paper  based on speaking notes for Second Global Aid for Trade Review, 6-7 July 2009, seeks, therefore, to widen the debate.