RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/COMTD/LLDC/W/6
1May1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1903)
Sub-Committee onLeast-Developed Countries
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ONTHE LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
PROJECTED BUDGET
Note bytheSecretariat
ThisNote contains anestimate prepared bytheWTO Secretariat, inconsultation withother
international organisations, ofthefinancial costsinvolved inthepreparation, servicing andfollow-up
totheHigh-Level Meeting onLeast-Developed Countries which willbeheldon27-28 October 1997.
Themain elements involved are:
- Assistance toindividual least-developed countries inpreparing theirdetailed "needs
assessment" fortrade-related technical cooperation. Aninvitation toundertake aneeds
assessment isbeing senttoall(48)least-developed countries. Where possible, requests
fromthese countries forassistance incompleting theirneeds assessments willbemet
bystaffofthesixinternational organisations mostclosely involved intheHigh Level
Meeting. Itistheviewofthese organisations, however, thatitwillbenecessary to
supplement theirownresources byusing consultants intheevent there isastrong,
positive response from theleast-developed countries tobeinvolved intheexercise.
Theservices ofconsultants havetherefore beenincluded inthebudget estimate, costed
atthestandard UNrateof$16,000 permonth plustravel expenses.
- Financing theparticipation ofuptothree officials fromeachleast-developed country
attheHigh-Level Meeting (travel andperdiem expenses atstandard UNrates).
- Servicing theHigh-Level Meeting.
- Financing theparticipation ofrepresentatives ofnon-governmental organisations from
least-developed and developing countries ataseparate non-governmental
organization (NGO) meeting toaddress thesubject ofsupporting trade-related activities
ofleast-developed countries.
- Follow-up. Itisenvisaged thattheprocess ofcompleting initial "needs assessments"
byleast-developed countries andperiodically reviewing themwould continue afterthe
High-Level Meeting astheintegrated approach forsupporting trade-related activities
ofleast-developed countries isapplied onapermanent basis. Thiswould require the
useofconsultants totheextent thattheresources ofthesixinternational organisations
involved were insufficient tomeetdemand.
Atthemeeting oftheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment on21March 1997, delegations
were informed thataTrust Fund hasbeensetupbytheWTO Secretariat tofinance theHigh-Level
Meeting onLeast-Developed Countries aswellasitsfollow-up. TheTrust Fund isintended toensure
thattheHigh-Level Meeting willnotbefinanced outoftheWTO regular budget butrather bythe
./.WT/COMTD/LLDC/W/6
Page2
Member Governments ofthesixinternational organisations involved intheMeeting. Depending upon
thedemand fromleast-developed countries forassistance inpreparing theirneeds assessments, itmay
prove necessary fortheSecretariat torequest thereplenishment oftheTrust Fund atalaterstage.
Delegations wishing tocontribute tothefinancing oftheHigh-Level Meeting areinvited to
contact Mr.Jacques E.Chabert, Director oftheFinance andGeneral Services Division oftheWTO,
telephone (4122)7395036 orfax(41-22) 7395773.
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ONTHE LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES:
PROJECTED BUDGET
(Swiss Francs)
Participation ofRepresentatives from Least-Developed Countries: 1,200,000
General Conference Expenses: 30,000
Consultants toAssist Least-Developed Countries intheirNeeds Assessment: 300,000
NGO meeting: 75,000
TOTAL: = 1,605,000
Overhead Costs (13%)1208,650
GRAND TOTAL: = 1,813,650
1Following thedecision oftheWTO General Council (WT/GC/M/11).