Enabling Indigenous Trade 2025

Executive summary This paper explores the growing interest in the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in international trade. Governments, international organizations, businesses and Indigenous organizations all have crucial roles to play in realizing this objective. The paper highlights the gap in actionable guidance for governments to support Indigenous business participation in the global economy and introduces a typology of measures that they can use to promote Indigenous inclusion in trade at different levels, whether it be international, national or local. Its key points include: –The historical context and value of Indigenous trade, illustrating its cultural significance and the challenges faced by Indigenous communities due to exclusion from trade policy development. –The various trade barriers Indigenous communities face, including access to finance and infrastructure and the complexities of trade regulations. –The critical need for inclusive trade policies, processes and practices that promote Indigenous economic empowerment. –The development of measures at local, national and international levels to facilitate Indigenous inclusion in the global trade system. –Examples of international, regional and national initiatives that governments may consider adopting to enable Indigenous inclusion in trade. This paper recommends various government actions. These include: collaboratively developing Indigenous trade strategies building on the typology presented; organizing workshops on technical provisions to make that information accessible to non-technical audiences; exploring alternative capital-raising methods; and implementing impact assessments.Governments can support Indigenous trade through actions at the international, national and local levels, guided by Indigenous interests and priorities. Enabling Indigenous Trade: Actionable Guidance for Governments 3Enabling Indigenous Trade: Actionable Guidance for GovernmentsMarch 2025