World Trade
Organization
title of the event / Regional Seminar on Trade and Development forAfrica (English)venue and dates / Mauritius, 20-23 August 2007
Course description / This seminar is concerned with development-related issues in the WTO, and with the linkage between trade and development more generally. An overview is provided of how the GATT/WTO system has evolved to take into account the interests and concerns of developing countries. Development-related issues currently being treated in the WTO are presented and discussed, with particular attention paid to the work programme on special and differential treatment (S&D).
The activity is undertaken through a combination of lectures and interactive sessions, including simulation exercises. Participants are encouraged to share their views and experiences on how trade can contribute to the development process.
Objectives / The seminar aims to provide participants with an understanding of development-related issues in the WTO, in particular the work programme on S&D, and a greater appreciation of the linkage between trade and development. It also aims to provide the participants with a greater awareness of the various factors that can enhance the developmental gains from trade. In this context, participants will demonstrate how they believetrade has worked for development in their countries and where there have been problems, to identify the possible solutions.
Programme / Click here to access the programme of the event
Organizing institution/body / WTO
TARGET AUDIENCE - ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
The target audience are government officials working on trade and development-related issues from:
Botswana, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
NOMINATION OF PARTICIPANTS
As part of the WTO procedures, a letter of invitation will be addressed to the relevant government authorities, through established channels. Only candidates officially nominated by their national authorities will be considered.Applications received through other channels will not be acknowledged.
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
Reading material (documentation)
DRAFT
WTO REGIONAL SEMINAR ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT FOR […..]
MAURITIUS
20-23 AUGUST 2007
Day One
08:30 – 09:00Registration and Administrative briefing
09:00 – 09:15Opening Session - Welcome and Introductory Remarks
Representative of Host Government
WTO Representative
09:15 – 10:30Session 1: Trade and development
Introductory discussion on the development dimension of world trade, including the broad objectives that the global community set out to fulfil through the multilateral trading system.
Presenter: [...... ]
10:30 – 10:45Coffee Break
10:45 – 12:00Session 2: The development dimension of the Doha Round of negotiations
Overview of the development dimension of the Doha Round of negotiations; why it was launched, what were the main concerns of developing countries, what Ministers mandated at Doha.
Presenter:[...... ]
12:00 – 13:00Lunch Break
13:00– 14:15Session 3: Developing countries and the institutional structure of the GATT/WTO
Evolution of the institutional structure of the GATT/WTO to treat developing country issues and concerns, including a discussion of Article XVIII and Part IV of GATT, the Enabling Clause and the Uruguay Round Agreements.
Presenter: [...... ]
14:15 – 14:30 CoffeeBreak
14:30 – 16:00Session 4: Developmental issues in the WTO
Overview of some of the developmental issues currently being treated in the WTO, including issues being treated in the Committee on Trade and Development and its Dedicated Session on Small Economies, the Sub-committee on Least-Developed Countries and the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology.
Presenter: [...... ]
Day Two
09:00 – 10:15Session 5: The S&D Work Programme
Overview of the S&D work programme in the Doha Round of negotiations, including the progress that has been made, the current status and the likely way forward.
Presenter: [...... ]
10:15 – 10:30Coffee Break
10:30 – 12:00Session 6: Case study on S&D
Introduction to the case study on S&D. Participants will be divided into three groups and will be asked to formulate their negotiating positions.
Coordinators: [...... ]
12:00 – 13:00Lunch Break
13:00 – 14:15Session 7: Case study on S&D (cont'd)
Participants will take part in a simulated meeting of the Special Session of the Committee on Trade and Development with the objective of finalizing a recommendation to the General Council.
Coordinators: [...... ]
14:15 – 14:30Coffee Break
14:30 – 16:00Session 8: Case study on S&D (cont'd)
Wrap-up – an analysis of the procedural and substantive aspects of the negotiations, including an assessment of the group dynamic.
Coordinators: [...... ]
Day Three
09:00 – 10:15Session 9: The development dimension of the negotiations on agriculture, non-agricultural market access (NAMA) and services
Detailed presentations on the agriculture, NAMA and services negotiations, with emphasis on the key issues at stake for developing countries in these areas and the potential gains from a successful conclusion of the Doha Round..
Presenter: [...... ]
10:15 – 10:30Coffee Break
10:30 – 12:00Session 10: The development dimension of the negotiations on agriculture, non-agricultural market access (NAMA) and services (cont'd)
Continuation of presentations, followed by discussion.
Presenter: [...... ]
12:00 – 13:00Lunch Break
13:00 – 14:15Session 11: The Doha Round – status and way forward
Overview of the current state of play in the Doha Round, and the way forward in the negotiations.
Presenter: [...... ]
14:15 – 14:30Coffee Break
14:30 – 16:00Session 12: Assessment and conclusion
Interactive discussion on the overall content of the seminar, with emphasis on the lessons learned and future applications. Participants will be given the opportunity to evaluate the seminar.
Presenter: [...... ]
Reading Material[1]
Regional Seminar on Trade and Development
Developmental Aspects Of The Doha Round Of Negotiations – WT/COMTD/W/143/Rev.2
Participation of Developing Countries in the Global Trading System - WT/COMTD/W/136/Rev.2
Implementation of Special and Differential Treatment Provisions in WTO Agreements and Decisions - WT/COMTD/W/77/Rev.1 + Addenda
Implementation of WTO Commitments: The Development Challenge by J. Michael Finger and Philip Schuler - page 493 - Development, Trade and the WTO: A Handbook
Special and Differential Treatment in the WTO: Why, When and How? by Alexander Keck and Patrick Low - WTO staff working papers
Industrial Policy for the 21st Century by Dani Rodrik - CEPR Discussion Paper Series No.4767
Trade as an Engine of Growth by G.M. Meier – pp 458-461 in G.M. Meier, Leading Issues in Economic Development (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995)
Patterns of Trade and Development by R. Nurske – pp 707-712 in G.M. Meier, Leading Issues in Economic Development (New York: Oxford University Press, 1978)
Gains from Trade by D. Ray – pp 647-656 in Development Economics (PrincetonUniversity Press: Princeton, N.J.)
Heterdox Theories of Economic Development by J.M. Cypher and J.L. Dietz – pp 158 -188 in The Process of Economic Development 2nd ed. (New York: Routledge, 2004)
Protection in Developing Countries by P. Krugman – chapter 6 in R Dornbusch ed., Policy Making in the Open Economy (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993)
Selected Trade Problems of Developing Countries by M.E. Kreinin – pp 381-397 in International Economics (New York: HBJ)
[1] This reading list may be subject to change.