SEE ALSO:
press releases
WTO news
Mike Moore's speeches
Renato Ruggiero's speeches,
1995-99
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The offer was
confirmed this week in a letter to Mr. Renato Ruggiero, Director-General of the WTO, by
Sir Leon Brittan, Vice President of the European Commission. Mr. Ruggiero commented: "I am delighted
that, through the EU donation, the WTO is going to be in a position to reinforce its work
in ensuring maximum benefit to developing countries from the implementation of Uruguay
Round commitments."
Six of the
eight seminars will be held in Africa where a major effort is being made by the WTO to
ensure that all countries on the continent draw the maximum economic benefits from actual
or prospective WTO membership. The remaining two seminars will be held for Caribbean and
Pacific ACP countries.
The new
programme draws together elements of the WTO's Plan of Action for Africa with the efforts
of the European Union to assist ACP countries in understanding and responding to the
Uruguay Round results. Some 54 African countries will be covered, 15 in the Caribbean and
eight in the Pacific. The five-day seminars will involve four persons from each country -
two from the private sector and two from government agencies.
The focus of
the seminars will be: an assessment of trading opportunities and the general economic
impact of the Round for each country; the identification of policy measures which can
serve to maximize benefits from liberalized and diversified access to markets and the
adaptation of laws and regulations in order to take advantage of Uruguay Round results. |
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