 Development and trade back
to top
Over
three quarters of WTO members are developing or least-developed
countries. All WTO agreements contain special provision for them,
including longer time periods to implement agreements and commitments,
measures to increase their trading opportunities and support to
help them build the infrastructure for WTO work, handle disputes, and
implement technical standards.
The
2001 Ministerial Conference in Doha set out tasks, including
negotiations, for a wide range of issues concerning developing
countries. Some people call the new negotiations the Doha Development
Round.
Before
that, in 1997, a high-level meeting on trade initiatives and technical
assistance for least-developed countries resulted in an “integrated
framework” involving six intergovernmental agencies, to help
least-developed countries increase their ability to trade, and some
additional preferential market access agreements.
A
WTO committee on trade and development, assisted by a sub-committee on
least-developed countries, looks at developing countries’ special
needs. Its responsibility includes implementation of the agreements,
technical cooperation, and the increased participation of developing
countries in the global trading system
Technical
assistance and training back
to top
The
WTO organizes around 100 technical cooperation missions to developing
countries annually. It holds on average three trade policy courses
each year in Geneva for government officials. Regional seminars are
held regularly in all regions of the world with a special emphasis on
African countries. Training courses are also organized in Geneva for
officials from countries in transition from central planning to market
economies.
The
WTO set up reference centres in over 100 trade ministries and regional
organizations in capitals of developing and least-developed countries,
providing computers and internet access to enable ministry officials
to keep abreast of events in the WTO in Geneva through online access
to the WTO’s immense database of official documents and other
material. Efforts are also being made to help countries that do not
have permanent representatives in Geneva.
Find
out more about developing
countries in the WTO
Find out more about WTO
technical cooperation
Find out more about WTO
trade policy courses for officials
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