WTO: 2016 NEWS ITEMS

ACCESSIONS


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THIS NEWS STORY is designed to help the public understand developments in the WTO. While every effort has been made to ensure the contents are accurate, it does not prejudice member governments’ positions.

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The National Workshop on Post-Accession, held in Monrovia by the WTO and the government of Liberia, was the first post-accession technical assistance activity organized by the WTO Secretariat and sponsored by the China Programme. WTO members and Director-General Roberto Azevêdo attach great importance to post-accession implementation support for LDCs. 

Liberia will become the organization’s 163rd member on 14 July according to WTO rules, 30 days after its instrument of acceptance of the accession protocol was deposited at the WTO on 14 June following Liberia’s ratification of the protocol.

“Liberia has indeed remained committed to the multilateral trading system throughout the accession and, more recently, the post-accession process,” said Mr Axel M. Addy, Liberia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry and chief negotiator for the accession of Liberia to the WTO.

“We have emerged from the accession process hopeful and assured of the confidence placed in the values of the multilateral trading system and the fact that they will lead to critical reform, facilitate the business environment, and lead to a fair and healthy competition, driving innovation and economic diversification,” he said. His full speech is available here.

Mr Addy and Ms Elfrieda Stewart Tamba, Head of the Liberia Revenue Authority, both opened the workshop as co-chairs of the Steering Committee on Post-Accession. The WTO delegation also held meetings with Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and other Liberian government representatives.

The objective of the workshop was to prepare Liberia for its upcoming membership, including on the submission of notifications, the coordination mechanisms for implementation of accession-specific commitments, and participation in the work of the WTO.

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