The first RTPC in partnership with the National University of Singapore for the Asia-Pacific region is taking place from 12 March to 1 June 2007. A total of 28 participants from 27 countries are attending this course. From 2004 – 2006, the Asia-Pacific RTPC was held in partnership with the University of Hong Kong.

The four inter-linking elements in the RTPC project are: training government officials; building institutional capacities at the regional level; establishing joint lecturing arrangements at regional level with regional academics and specialists; and creating networks among academics in institutions of higher learning in the region.

Through the RTPC, the WTO seeks to increase the number of government officials in the Asia-Pacific region with a solid knowledge on the WTO, thereby increasing the capacity of governments in the region to articulate and defend their national trade interests. The course focuses on trade theory, the formulation and implementation of trade policy, the provisions of WTO legal instruments and agreements as well as the structure, scope and functioning of the WTO. Special emphasis is placed on the development and regional dimensions.

Secondly, building institutional capacities at the regional level will lead to the establishment of regional bases for training with the local institution increasingly assuming responsibility and developing other WTO-related activities.

Thirdly, teaching is to provided jointly by trade policy specialists linked to institutions of higher learning and policy think tanks in the region, and by officials from the WTO secretariat. This co-lecturing arrangement benefits the trainees inasmuch as it provides not only authoritative explanations of WTO provisions and the workings of the institution from WTO lecturers, but also a strong emphasis on regional concerns from the inputs of specialists from the region. The regional input is an important part of capacity building at the regional level as it highlights what is happening on the ground, thereby allowing participants to have a better understanding of how to defend their national interests.

The fourth element of RTPCs is to create networks among academics in institutions of higher learning in the region through their participation in the RTPCs and in the Preparatory Workshops which take place at the WTO.

 

List of the participants  back to top

1st RTPC in partnership with the National University of Singapore
12 March – 1 June 2007