WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/COMTD/W/134 
27 August 2004  
 
(04-3585) 
Committee on Trade and Development    
   
MID TERM REVIEW OF THE WTO TA PLAN 2004 
 
 
BACKGROUND  1. The main purpose of the mid-term review of the TA Plan 2004 is to assess collectively how 
outstanding issues that were identified by the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) in the 
Fall of 2003, have been addressed with a view to further improving the design and implementation of 
the TA Plan.   
2. A total of four rounds of informal consultati ons have been conducted since the beginning of 
2004, bringing together the main donors and benefi ciaries, including developing and least-developed 
countries.  The Secretariat has submitted informal discussion papers covering most of the issues.  
3. This note is a first attempt to articulate some conclusions that emerge from the discussions 
and which provided guidance in the preparation of  the TA Plan for 2005 a nd will assist in its 
implementation. 
INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS 
 
4. A process of conducting informal consultations w as initiated in January 2004 to discuss, in an 
informal mode, issues that are of direct interest to the membership in relation to TRTA.  It is 
considered a useful mechanism, which not only ensu res transparency, but also  allows for a freer  
exchange of views on policy issues, with inputs fro m donors and beneficiaries. It has been agreed: 
(a) to pursue this process of informal consultations on a regular basis. 
NEEDS ASSESSMENTS 
 5. The Secretariat has outlined various options  for conducting country by country needs 
assessments and has undertaken pilot studies cove ring Madagascar, Zambia, Namibia, Sénégal and 
Tanzania. It has consulted with Members on wa ys to conduct their needs assessment and has 
contacted several regional partners and agencies  to determine how to undertake this process 
collectively. Moreover, the Secretariat has prepar ed guidelines to assist beneficiaries to undertake 
their own needs assessment. It  has been agreed that: 
(a) the guidelines would be used as a b asis for country needs assessments; 
(b) the Secretariat would assist Members in conducting these needs assessments, when 
required and provide relevant information and data as an input into the process; 
(c) the Secretariat would endeavour to build in  more fully needs assessment into the TPR 
process; 
(d) the needs assessment would pr ovide a basis for prioritising national requirements, 
prior to undertaking WTO activities, as well as for WTO regional activities, if appropriate;  and, WT/COMTD/W/134 
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(e) these assessments could be used to assist countries in approaching other agencies and 
donors. 
HOW TO ASSOCIATE LDCs MORE FULLY WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE? 
 6. The Secretariat has regularly consulted with least-developed countries and provided more 
specific information on the TA Plan through particip ation in meetings of the LDCs, with regional 
groupings and through meetings with individual LDC Me mbers. It has been agreed that the Secretariat 
will continue to: 
(a) provide priority attention to LDCs;  and, 
(b) relate directly with the LDCs, thus ensu ring that their needs are fully taken into 
account in the design and planning of TA activities. 
MONITORING AND EVALUATION 
 7. Members have discussed ways to pursue the in ternal evaluation process and to initiate a 
process of  external evaluation, including possible terms of reference and it has been agreed that: 
(a) internal monitoring and evaluation will conti nue to be an important element in the 
design and implementation of the TA Plan; 
(b) an external evaluation of WTO technical assistance in the years 2002-2004 will be 
initiated, to be completed in 2005;  
(c) the Secretariat will continue its considerati on of the terms of reference in consultation 
with WTO Members,  and, 
(d) the results of the monitoring and evaluation process would feed back into the design 
of the TA Plan, as well as into its implementation. 
REPORTING 
 8. The Members have considered all the reports prep ared by the Secretariat, including the annual 
report, quarterly reports and reports to Ministers in  the lead up to Cancun. It has been agreed that: 
(a) the Secretariat would prepare one interim report covering TRTA activities in the first 
half of the year which would not only address the number of activities undertaken per se , but would be quality-oriented;  and, 
(b) the Secretariat would prepare one consolid ated annual report on the implementation 
of the TA Plan, which would also include information with regard to the number of 
officials participating in the activities, where this information is readily available, as a 
measure of implementation and cost-effectiveness. 
PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS 
 9. The Secretariat has prepared informal discussion papers on partnerships, as well as case 
studies on the operation of some of the partners hip arrangements. It has been agreed that: 
(a) partnerships with other orga nizations and institutions should be used as part of an 
approach aimed at ensuring sustainable cap acity building, with a view to building 
synergies and enhancing ownership and effici ency in the delivery of assistance;  and,  WT/COMTD/W/134 
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(b) when and where appropriate, and if cost effective, specific TRTA would be 
outsourced. 
ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS 
 
(a) Building and strengthening strategic rela tions with academic partners is a key 
component in the process of long term capacity building;  and, 
(b) the relations with the academic partners shoul d be seen as part of the strategy of the 
beneficiary countries in further engaging universities and academia in analysing and 
formulating trade policy and in training officials. 
A REVIEW OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES 
 
10. A paper was prepared by the Secretariat on out reach activities and discussed by the Members, 
and consultations were held with in terested parties.  It has been ag reed to explore further a mutually 
satisfactory manner in which outreach activities could be addressed in the TA Plan 2005. 
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