RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/LDC/W/25
24 January 2002
(02-0368)
Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries
DRAFT
WTO WORK PROGRAMME FOR THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDCS)
ADOPTED BY THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
[25 January 2002]
Follow-up to the Doha Ministerial Declaration
1. Paragraph 42 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration instructs the Sub-Committee for
Least-Developed Countries (hereafter the Sub-Committee) to report on an agreed work programme tothe General Council at its first meeting in 2002.  The following Work Programme was agreed by the
Sub-Committee on [25 January 2002.]
2. Broad participation in the work of the Sub-Committee is desirable to ensure that the outcome
of its deliberations reflects the views of LDCs and the wider WTO Membership, including, when
possible, those not resident in Geneva.  Where possible, meetings of the Sub-Committee will bescheduled to coincide with Geneva Week (this year scheduled for April and October), particularly
when issues of concern to many non-resident members and observers, such as accession, are on the
agenda.  In view of limited capacity of LDC delegations, the work programme will focus on areas
where it can add value, and shall avoid duplication with the work programmes of other WTO Bodies.
3. The Doha Ministerial Declaration
1 explicitly recognized  the particular needs, interests and
concerns of LDCs in 21 different paragraphs.2  These references fall into two broad categories.  They
touch on broad, systemic issues and they form part of the negotiating mandate of particular WTOBodies.
4. The WTO Work Programme for LDCs shall focus on the following systemic issues:
(a) Market Access for LDCs;
(b) Trade-Related Technical Assistance and Capacity building Initiatives for LDCs;
(c) Participation of LDCs in the Multilateral Trading System;
(d) Accession of LDCs to the WTO; and
(e) Follow-up to the Ministerial Decisions/Declarations including mainstreaming trade
Commitments made at the Third UN Conference on LDCs (Brussels Conference).
                                                     
1 WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1, 20 November 2001.  (The Ministerial Declaration was adopted on
14 November 2001).
2 These are paragraphs 2, 3, 9, 15, 16, 21-22, 24-25, 26, 27, 28, 32-33, 36, 38-39, 42-43, 44 and 50.WT/COMTD/LDC/W/25
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(a) Market Access
5. In paragraph 42 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, WTO Members committed themselves
"to the objective of duty-free, quota-free market access for products originating from LDCs" and "to
consider additional measures for progressive improvements in market access for LDCs".
6. The Work Programme shall thus include:
- annual reviews of market access improvements, in the Sub-Committee,3 of any
market access measures undertaken by Members, on the basis of factual annual
studies by the WTO Secretariat. The annual studies will, inter alia , accord attention
to market access barriers to LDCs' products with their trading partners;
- examination of additional measures for progressive and predictable improvements in
market access.
The results of the review and examination by the Sub-Committee shall be formally reported, annually,
to the Committee on Trade and Development.
(b) Trade-Related Technical Assistance a nd Capacity-Building Initiatives for LDCs
7. WTO Members established a firm understanding on the important role of technical
cooperation and capacity building in paragraph 2 of the Declaration.  They undertook specific
commitments on technical cooperation and capacity-building in 11 operative paragraphs of the
Declaration.4  In the 11 different operative paragraphs as well as in the New Strategy for WTO
Technical Cooperation: Technical Cooperation for Capacity Building, Growth and Integration ,5 it is
agreed that priority shall be accorded, in par ticular, to the LDCs.   Paragraph 43 of the Doha
Ministerial Declaration endorses the Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance as
a viable model for LDCs' trade development and urges development partners significantly to increase
contributions to the IF Trust Fund.  Ministers also urged core IF agencies, in coordination with
development partners, to explore IF enhancement, with the objective of addressing LDCs' supply-side
constraints, and extending the IF to all LDCs.
8. In accordance with this mandate, the Sub-Committee, inter alia,  shall monitor and make
recommendations, as appropriate, on:6
- implementation of the Integrated Framework Pilot Scheme and follow-up action in
pilot countries;
- the review of the Integrated Framework (IF) and the appraisal of the ongoing Pilot
Scheme in selected LDCs;
- the extension of the IF Pilot Scheme to other LDCs;
- trade-related  technical assistance an d capacity-building for LDCs undertaken by
Geneva-based organisations, other organisations and bilateral donors, to promote
information flow and coordination, consistency of approach, and
                                                     
3 See paragraph 34 of WT/COMTD/LDC/M/25 for the reporting procedures of notifications of market
access measures specifically in favour of LDCs.
4 Paragraphs 16, 21, 24, 26, 27, 33, 38-40, 42 and 43.
5 Endorsed by Ministers in paragraph 38 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration.
6 The monitoring function of the first three tirets of this paragraph relate to the mandate of the
Integrated Framework Steering Committee (IFSC).WT/COMTD/LDC/W/25
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prioritising/sequencing in support of LDCs' development strategies.  This will include
support provided for the diversification of LDCs' production and export base;
- technical assistance support to LDCs, in areas of agreed negotiations at Doha.
The results of the monitoring and review process by the Sub-Committee shall be formally reported,
annually, to the Committee on Trade and Development.
(c) Participation of LDCs in the Multilateral Trading System  and the Global Economy
9. In paragraph 3 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, WTO Ministers recognize the particular
vulnerability and structural difficulties of LDCs in the global economy. They committed themselves
to address “the marginalization of least-developed  countries in international trade and to improve their
effective participation in the multilateral trading system." In paragraph 42, Ministers agreed that “the
meaningful integration of LDCs into the trading system and the global economy will involve efforts
by all WTO Members."
10. In accordance with this mandate to enhance the participation of the LDCs in the multilateral
trading system and the global economy, the Sub-Committee shall:
annually review and consider recommendations on the item entitled: Enhancing the
participation of LDCs in the Multilateral  Trading System and the Global Economy .
The basis for this review shall, inter alia ; include:
(i) Initiatives in favour of Non-Residents;
(ii) Information Technology support;
(ii) the diagnostic trade integration studie s, currently underway in the Integrated
Framework Pilot Scheme, for LDCs' integrat ion into the multilateral trading system
and the global economy;
(iv) participation of developing countries, especially LDCs, in international standard
setting bodies;
(v) LDCs' Trade Policy Reviews; and,
(vi) the negotiating agenda of the LDCs.7
The results of the review process by the Sub-Committee shall be formally reported, annually, to the
Committee on Trade and Development.
(d) Accession of LDCs to the WTO
11. In paragraph 9 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, Ministers stated the importance they
attached to concluding accession proceedings, particularly those of LDCs, "as quickly as possible." In
paragraph 42, Ministers agreed to work to facilitate and accelerate accession negotiations with
acceding LDCs and instructed the WTO Secretariat to reflect the priority attached by Members toLDCs' accessions in the WTO Secretariat-Wide Annual Plans for technical assistance.
                                                     
7 LDCs Ministers adopted the Zanzibar Ministerial Declaration contained in document WT/L/409.WT/COMTD/LDC/W/25
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12. In the implementation of the Ministerial mandate to "facilitate and accelerate the accession
negotiations" with acceding LDCs and for technical assistance priority to LDCs,
- accession shall be an item on the agenda of the Sub-Committee twice in 2002, ideally
to coincide with Geneva Week so as to benefit from the contributions of acceding
LDCs who are not resident in Geneva;
- the Chairpersons of LDCs' Accession Working Parties shall be invited to brief the
Sub-Committee on progress made by the Working Parties in fulfilment of the
Ministerial mandate;
- the Chairman of the Sub-Committee shall report to the General Council at its first
meeting in 2003 with appropriate recommendations, agreed in the Sub-Committee, on
the implementation of the commitment by Ministers to "facilitate and accelerate" the
accession of LDCs;
- the WTO Secretariat shall prepare a report on the outcome of technical assistance
activities in support of LDCs accession which are to be accorded priority in the
Annual WTO Secretariat-wide Plan for Technical Assistance. The Report shall be
examined by the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries.  The Chairman of
the Sub-Committee shall report on the results of the examination to the GeneralCouncil at its first meeting in 2003, with appropriate recommendations, agreed in the
Sub-Committee; and,
- a status report shall be submitted by the Director-General to the 5
th Ministerial
Conference under the heading: "Implementation of the Commitment by Ministers to
Facilitate and Accelerate the Accession of the LDCs.
(e) Follow-up to Ministerial Decisions/Declarations including integrating within the mandate
of the WTO, the Trade Commitments made at the Third UN Conference on LDCs (Brussels
Conference)
13. In paragraph 3, WTO Ministers recall the commitments made to help LDCs secure beneficial
and meaningful integration into the multilateral trading system at the Ministerial meetings in
Marrakesh, Singapore and Geneva, and by the international community at the Third UN Conference
on Least-Developed Countries (LDC-III) in Brussels. Ministers expressed their determination that the
WTO will play its part in building effectively on these commitments under the Work Programme
being established.
14. In October 1997, the WTO organized the High-Level Meeting on Integrated Initiatives for
LDCs.
15. The Sub-Committee agrees :
- to establish an item on its agenda entitled: "Follow-up to Ministerial
Decisions/Declarations" where Members will be invited to report on measures taken
in fulfilment of these decisions and declarations (High Level Meeting; Brussels
Conference; WTO Ministerial Declarations).
16. As part of this Work Programme, we recall  that the Director-General was requested by
Ministers in the Doha Ministerial Declaration, following coordination with Heads of the other
agencies, to provide an interim report to the General Council in December 2002 and a full report to
the 5th Session of the WTO Ministerial Conference on all issues affecting LDCs.WT/COMTD/LDC/W/25
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17. We agree  that all the above items shall be standing items on the agenda of the Sub-Committee
on Least-Developed Countries.
18. As mandated by Ministers, the Sub-Committee agrees to report this Work Programme to the
General Council at its first formal meeting on [13 February 2002].
Overview of LDC Aspects of Negotiating Mandates
19. In the Doha Ministerial Declaration the special needs of LDCs were highlighted in the
negotiating mandate of particular WTO Bodies.8  Chairpersons of relevant Committees and Bodies
will be invited to provide status reports on how this aspect of the mandate is being discharged.  These
reports will be compiled to provide an overview, to the Committee on Trade and Development, in
accordance with paragraph 51 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration.
                                                     
8 See paragraphs  16, 24, 26, 27, 28, 32WT/COMTD/LDC/W/25
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CALENDAR OF MEETINGS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE FOR 20029
Proposed Date Meeting
25 January 27th Session of the Sub-Committee on LDCs
26 March 28th Session of the Sub-Committee on LDCs
27 May 29th Session of the Sub-Committee on LDCs
21 October 30th Session of the Sub-Committee on LDCs
__________
                                                     
9 The comprehensive list of technical assistance activities for LDCs in 2002 is contained in document
WT/COMTD/W/95. These activities include inter-alia Trade Policy Courses, national technical assistance
programmes, seminars and activities specifically under the Integrated Framework.