WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/W/45
18 June 1998
(98-2478)
Committee on Trade and Development
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FOLLOW-UP TO THE HIGH-LEVEL MEETING
1. This note provides information on progress made in the follow-up to the High Level Meeting
on Integrated Initiatives for Least-Developed Countries' Trade Development since the
Director-General's report to the Ministerial Conference, circulated in document WT/MIN(98)/2.
Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to LDCs
2. The interagency working group (IMF, ITC, UNDP, UNCTAD, World Bank, WTO) held its
fourteenth meeting on 4 and 5 June 1998, at the UNDP Headquarters.  It formulated provisional
responses to the Needs Assessments which were received since the previous meeting in January 1998,in particular of Bhutan, Cambodia, Malawi, Rwanda  and Sao Tome and Principe, bringing the total
number of countries for which this had been done to 39 (34 of which have so far been published in the
WT/COMTD/IF/...series, after consultations with the least-developed countries).  In the context of the
provisions of paragraph 5(d) of the Integrated Framework for Trade Related Technical Assistance to
Least-Developed Countries, the draft responses ar e being forwarded to the five least-developed
countries concerned for their reactions (WT/LDC/HL/1/Rev.1).
3. Agencies agreed to continue to actively follow-up on requests from the least-developed
countries to organize trade-related "Roundtable meetings", in the sense of paragraphs 5(e) and (f) of
the Integrated Framework.  So far, the following countries have expressed an interest in organizing
such meetings and in some cases specific agencies have been asked already to assist in their
preparation: Angola, Bhutan, Chad, Central Africa n Republic, Djibouti, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Haiti,
Laos, Mali, Nepal, Niger, Togo and Uganda.  Agencies are following up on these requests with thegovernments in these countries
1 to work out the modalities.  UNDP and the World Bank are the
agencies which are primarily involved in the organization of "Roundtable meetings" given their
extensive experience in organizing such meetings and their presence in the countries.  All agencies,
however, stand ready, within the constraints of th eir resources, to help organize such meetings.
UNDP is currently assisting in the organization of Round Tables for the Gambia, Chad and Mali,while the World Bank is preparing its Consultative Group Meeting in Uganda.  In this context it is
recalled that it is the responsibility of the governments of the least-developed countries to request that
a trade segment be included in the agenda of such "Roundtable meetings".
4. At their recent meeting, the agencies discussed proposals for the creation of an Integrated
Framework website, prepared by the Administrative Unit which is being established in the ITC as partof the follow-up mechanism under the Integrated Framework (ref.  paragraphs 16 and 17 of document
                                                     
1  While it is understood that the Ministry responsible for international trade is the lead-agency for the
conduct of the Integrated Framework exercise, other Minist ries may also be involved in the exercise because of
their responsibility for certain aspects of trade matters.  In  this context it is noted that Ministries other than the
Ministry responsible for international trade often serve as the contact point for some of the agencies under the
Integrated Framework.WT/COMTD/W/45
Page 2
WT/MIN(98)2).  The website, once established, will serve as a tool for transparency between the
agencies,  the least-developed countries and their development partners, multilateral, regional and
bilateral.
5. Agencies also welcomed the recent endorsement of the Integrated Framework by the
Executive Board of the World Bank.
State of Play of WTO's  implementation of activities under the Integrated Framework
- National seminars
6. Thirteen seminars were undertaken since the High-Level Meeting (Democratic Rep. of
Congo, Rwanda, Djibouti, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Nepal, Niger, Cambodia, Laos,
Zambia, Haiti, Myanmar).  Three national seminars were undertaken with the participation of ITC(Chad, Madagascar and Rwanda) and two with UNDP  (Djibouti and Niger).  Five national seminars
are being planned for subsequent weeks (Guin ea, Mauritania, Malawi, Burundi, Ethiopia).
- Regional seminars
7. One regional seminar for English-speaking African least-developed countries has taken place
in mid-June, with the participation of ITC.  Two other regional seminars specifically for
least-developed countries will be undertaken in Djibouti  (French-speaking least-developed countries)
and in Bangladesh (Asian and Pacific least-developed countries).
8. Twelve regional seminars were held since the High-Level Meeting in which least-developed
countries' officials and representatives from the private sector and from academic institutionsparticipated.  Four of these regional seminars on the multilateral trading system were undertaken
jointly with the World Bank (in Senegal, Tanzania, Botswana,  and in Cameroon).  Eight regional
seminars focussed on specific subjects, in particular on financial services, dispute settlement, market
access, trade and environment and TRIPS.
- Short Trade policy course
9. The first short trade policy course for English-speaking least-developed countries was held in
May 1998 with 23 participants.  The second short trade policy course will be undertaken for
French-speaking least-developed countries in Turin (Italy) in October 1998.
- Technical Missions
10. Five technical missions were undertaken to assist individual least-developed countries in
their implementation of WTO obligations, with a view to enhancing their participation in the
multilateral trading system.  Three missions concerned specifically notification obligations and issues
relating to the adaptation of  internal legislation to WTO disciplines (Haiti, Djibouti, Equatorial
Guinea).  The two remaining missions were undertaken to assist individual countries in the
implementation of their services commitments (Djibouti, Niger).  Thirteen additional missionsconcerning implementation issues are being planned (Gambia, Mauritania,  Angola, Burundi,
Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Mozambique, Uganda and Tanzania, Benin, Burkina Faso and Maldives).
Market Access
11. At the meeting of the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries on 23 April 1998, the
delegation of Canada informed Members of certain market access measures it had taken in favour ofWT/COMTD/W/45
Page 3
least-developed countries in the area of trade in textiles (WT/COMTD/LDC/M/11, paragraph 16).
The delegation of Switzerland  circulated a communication informing Members of its market access
measures in favour of least-de veloped countries (WT/COMTD/W/44).
Thematic Round Tables
12. No new developments  have taken place since the Director-General's Report to Ministers.
WTO Information  Technology for Development Projects in Least-Developed Countries
13. Reference centres including computers with Internet access and documentation have been
installed in 19 least-developed countries so far (Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad,
Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania,
Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Tanzania, Togo, Uga nda, Zambia).  In the next few months, six
additional least-developed countries (Angola, Burundi, Lesotho, Madagascar, Vanuatu, SolomonIslands) will be provided with such equipment and documentation on the WTO multilateral trading
system.
__________