The objective of the course is to deepen the participants' understanding of issues of key interest to LDCs in the multilateral trading system. These include special and differential treatment, preferential market access in goods and services, technical assistance and capacity-building. Participants will also be briefed on the status of trade negotiations following the WTO's Eleventh Ministerial Conference, which took place in Buenos Aires in December 2017, and will have an opportunity to interact with LDC delegates based in Geneva.

Jean-Christophe Diatta, Principal Customs Inspector from Senegal, said: "This course will help us strengthen our understanding of the multilateral trading system, in particular how to use its tools in a more efficient and autonomous way to foster growth and prosperity within our countries. Of particular interest to me are customs valuation issues and the implementation of the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement." 

Another course participant, Sumaiya Zabeen, from the Tariff Commission of the Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh, said: "I want to learn about the existing flexibilities for LDCs in the WTO and how our government can use them. This course is particularly timely as we are currently working towards Bangladesh's graduation from LDC status." 

The course was opened by the Director of the Development Division, Mr Shishir Priyadarshi. In his address, he called on participants to use the various sessions to improve their understanding of issues that matter to LDCs as this will help them develop national strategies to further integrate into the multilateral trading system.

The course — jointly organised by the WTO's Development Division and Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC) — represents an intermediate (“level 2”) training activity within the WTO’s progressive learning strategy. This course is taking place for the third consecutive year, reflecting the continued priority given to LDCs in  the WTO's trade-related technical assistance activities.