The objective of the course, the first of its kind, is to deepen participants’ understanding of the trade and development issues being discussed at the WTO. The course will focus in particular on issues of priority to LDCs, such as duty-free and quota-free market access, preferential rules of origin, the LDC services waiver and technical assistance initiatives available to LDCs. The course will also update participants on current issues being considered at the WTO, such as e-commerce and how trade is linked to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Next year, we are going to the Ministerial Conference and this course is very important for our preparations,” said Ms Ana Florencia Correia Mchola from Mozambique.

“The course helps me to deepen my knowledge of WTO issues so I will be able to contribute more to my country,” said Mr Md Khalilur Rahman from Bangladesh.

The course was opened by the Director of the Development Division, Mr Shishir Priyadarshi. The course is jointly organised by the Development Division and the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC), and forms part of the WTO’s technical assistance and capacity building activities. It represents a “level 2” (intermediate) training activity within the WTO’s progressive learning strategy. Several agencies, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Trade Centre, are providing information on the areas of their work relevant to LDCs.

The course programme is available here.

 

List of participants:

Mr. Md Khalilur RAHMAN	Bangladesh
Mr. Pema THINLEY	Bhutan
Mr. Chamroeun SOK	Cambodia
Mr. Demilew Mekonnen CHEKOL	Ethiopia
Mrs Ndeye Tabara TOURAY	The Gambia
Miss Phetlany YATHOTU	Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Ms Itumeleng MOERANE	Lesotho
Ms Motheba Rose MALIBENG	Lesotho
Mr. Jesse Z. MATHIES	Liberia
Miss Eddie Narindra ZAFIARILALA	Madagascar
Mr. Andrew MTUKULENI	Malawi
Ms Ana Florencia Correia MCHOLA	Mozambique
Ms Silvia MULHOVO	Mozambique
Mr. Thet NAING	Myanmar
Miss Zar Ni TIN	Myanmar
Mr. Ashbin Kumar POKHAREL	Nepal
Mr. Ramji DANAI	Nepal
Mrs HUDA SALIH	Sudan
Mr. Christian Killian LUKANDO	Tanzania
Mr. Thomas Andrew MCHARO	Tanzania
Mr. Edward MWESIGWA BAMANYA	Uganda
Mr. Eriya TUSUBIRA	Uganda
Mr. Kemson Gesta TAVDEY	Vanuatu