The main objective of the seminar was to give participants in-depth information on WTO legal disciplines at issue in Working Party reports on the accession process. The aim was also to enhance awareness of the content of commitment paragraphs in accession reports and how they relate to the relevant legal disciplines.

During the two-week training course, participants had the opportunity to draw on the experience of experts from divisions across the WTO regarding specific areas of WTO rules. Participants also heard from highly experienced negotiators for WTO members – both original members active in accessions and members who have acceded to the WTO in more recent years. In addition, the seminar provided a platform for experience-sharing among the participants, who are all currently directly involved in their countries' accession negotiations.

Deputy Director-General Alan Wm. Wolff welcomed the participants and encouraged them to learn from the experience of the 36 members that have joined the WTO since it was founded in 1995. DDG Wolff highlighted the success of the accession process over the past 24 years and underlined the benefits membership brings to countries in terms of higher standards of living for their people.

"The WTO covers some 98% of world trade. No country has ever withdrawn from the WTO and 22 countries seek to accede - to join the WTO. Those that are already in the WTO and those that want to be in it largely have the same reason for being so. They each want to better the economic opportunities for their businesses which translate into a better life with a higher standard of living for their people," DDG Wolff said.

"The world economy has grown dramatically since the first multilateral trade rules were put into place under the GATT in 1947. Measured by per capita GDP, global economic well-being is five times what it was in 1947 and it has doubled since the WTO was founded as the successor to the GATT in 1995. By contrast, before the WTO existed, it took 70 years for global per capita GDP to double," DDG Wolff added. See his full speech here.

During the seminar, it was highlighted that as well as bringing economic benefits, WTO membership has undoubtedly a positive effect on the credibility of government policies while promoting transparency and the rule of law.

One of the successes of the WTO has been the expansion of its membership and the continued stream of applications from governments wishing to join the organization. Of the 58 governments that have applied to accede to the WTO under Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement since 1 January 1995, 36 have successfully completed the process and 22 are currently in accession negotiations.