WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/W/119/Rev.2/Add.1
12 December 2003
(03-6461)
Committee on Trade and Development
REGIONAL TRADE POLICY COURSES AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
Note by the Secretariat
Addendum
Paragraphs
REGIONAL TRADE POLICY COURSES1....................................................................................1-7
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES FOR PARLIAMENTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY2...........................8-11
ANNEX
                                                     
1 At the meeting of the Committee on Trade and De velopment of 27 November, Members agreed to put
all regional trade policy courses in an addendum and suspend their implementation, pending consultations under
the good offices of the Chairman of the Committee.
2 Within the context of a full review of technical assistance and capacity-building, a decision will be
taken on the inclusion of regional outreach activities in technical assistance and capacity-building forsubsequent years.WT/COMTD/W/119/Rev.2/Add.1
Page 2
(a) Regional Trade Policy Courses
1. Regional trade policy courses (RTPC) are built on the same model as Geneva-based trade
policy courses, with the objective of attaining a comparable level of excellence.  The courses are
co-delivered by lecturers from the WTO Secretariat and academics and trade policy specialists from
the region.  There is a natural complementarity between the WTO expertise and regional expertisewhich renders this type of training not only more comprehensive but also better adapted to local
needs.  Trainees benefit not only from authoritative explanations of WTO provisions and the workings
of the institution from WTO lecturers, but from lectures and discussions involving specialists from the
region, with a strong emphasis on regional concerns.  Regional specialists add relevance and context
that are generally more difficult for WTO officials to supply, and that are not generated to the same
extent in Geneva courses, where participants may be from several regions.
2. While the key objectives of RTPCs are the same as for the Geneva-based courses, in addition
they are expected to:
• expand the supply of training for government officials up to now accessible only in
Geneva;
• build institutional partnerships at the regional level for capacity building activities;
• establish joint lecturing arrangements at the regional level with academics and
specialists for training government officials;  and,
• create academic networks with institutions of higher learning.
3. The institutional partnerships can by definition only be forged with a single institution within
a region at any one time, but the co-lecturers are dr awn from institutions of higher learning and other
sources from throughout the region.  Thus, linkages are established and/or reinforced with the
academic community as part of an integrated approach for sustainable capacity building.  To this end,
the programme provides for briefings for teaching partners from the regions (see paragraph 61 (ii) of
the main document).  This integrated approach is developed further in sections below.  Moreover, the
regional courses adapt to regional specificities in terms of number of participants from countries, andof frequency of the courses.  A selection of candidates is undertaken in collaboration with the partner
institution.
4. The partnership between the regional institution and the ITTC should evolve over time, with
the regional partner assuming a growing share of th e responsibility for the courses.  The organization
of these courses will thus be closely related to the efforts of the WTO Secretariat to reinforce itslinkages with the academic community in developing countries.  The Secretariat would reduce its
involvement and continue with the partnership on this basis.  The level of involvement would have to
be sufficient to ensure quality control and to al low the WTO to continue to lend its name to the
courses, while leaving most aspects of organizing and running the courses to the partner.  The speed
with which the relationship changes will have to be worked out with the partner on the basis ofexperience, and with a view to ensuring sustainability.  Measurable progress should be made,
however, as the courses proceed.
5. It is envisaged to organize four of these courses in 2004:
• for the Caribbean (University of the West Indies, Jamaica campus);
• for English-speaking Africa (University of Nairobi);
• for French-speaking Africa (partner to be determined);  and,
• for Asia/Pacific (Hong Kong University).WT/COMTD/W/119/Rev.2/Add.1
Page 3
6. It is in our plans to hold RTPCs in regions not yet covered from the year 2005, such as Arab
and Middle East Countries, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the
Caucasus.
7. The costs incurred for the organization of RTPC s, including fellowships for the participants
covering travel, lodging and insurance, are covere d by the Doha Developmen t Agenda Global Trust
Fund (GTF).
(b) Outreach Activities for Parliaments and Civil Society
8. Outreach activities consist of national and regional workshops organised for parliamentarians
and civil society representatives.  National workshops for parliamentarians and civil society
representatives are organised in response to requests from WTO Members.  The regional workshops
are organized jointly with WTO Members and partner institutions, and conducted in selected regions.
Government officials in host countries are encouraged to participate.
9. The objectives of the regional workshops (which feed directly into wider TA objectives as
specified in the introduction) are:
• to foster greater public understanding of and interest in the Multilateral Trading
System (MTS);
• to inform participants on the basic operations of the MTS and key issues on the
international trade agenda;  and,
• to encourage discussion and exchange of views on trade-related and
development-related issues.
10. In the workshops, participants receive a basic introduction to the MTS covering its history,
structure, functions, principles, membership and operating procedures.  Participants are also briefed
on the workings of the WTO Secretariat and decision-making procedures of the organization.  In
addition, participants are informed on key WTO Agreements and the status of the Doha Development
Agenda negotiations.  Workshops are designed as well to cover issues of special interest to theparticular region/group; in this regard, guest speakers are regularly invited to address the workshops.
Finally, workshops are highly interactive and par ticipants are encouraged to exchange views and
experiences on the implications of the MTS for parliaments/civil society.
11. The cost of the outreach programme will be met from the GTF.WT/COMTD/W/119/Rev.2/Add.1
Page 4ANNEX
I REGIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING3
Subject/
ProgrammeRegion/
Sub-regionDescription of the Activity WTO Divisions Cooperation with other
Bodies/OrganizationsNo. of participants
x
days
A. Regional Trade
Policy CoursesCaribbean Based on the same model as Geneva-based
TPC, regional courses are co-delivered with
academics and specialists from the regionITTC, WTO Divisions,
Partnership with the University of the
West Indies (Jamaica campus)(25x60)
1500
Africa
(Anglophone)Based on the same model as Geneva-based
TPC, regional courses are co-delivered with
academics and specialists from the regionITTC, WTO Divisions,
Partnership with the University of Nairobi(25x60)
1500
Africa(Francophone)Based on the same model as Geneva-based
TPC, regional courses are co-delivered withacademics and specialists from the regionITTC, WTO Divisions
(Partner to be determined)(28x60)
1680
Asia/Pacific Based on the same model as Geneva-based
TPC, regional courses are co-delivered with
academics and specialists from the regionITTC, WTO Divisions,
Partnership with Hong Kong University(33x60)
1980
B. Outreach Africa
(Francophone)Workshop for Parliamentarians External Relations Division (40x3)
120
Workshop for Civil Society External Relations Division,
FES (Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung)(40x2)
80
Asia Workshop for Parliamentarians External Relations Division,
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association(40x3)
120
Workshop for Civil Society External Relations Division,
FES (Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung)(40x2)
80
Central and
Eastern
Europe,Central Asiaand CaucasusWorkshop for Parliamentarians External Relations Division (40x3)
120
                                                     
3 The dates and venues of activities will be determined through consultations and with a view to resource considerations and the  spread of activities over the year and
geographically.WT/COMTD/W/119/Rev.2/Add.1
Page 5I REGIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING3
Subject/
ProgrammeRegion/
Sub-regionDescription of the Activity WTO Divisions Cooperation with other
Bodies/OrganizationsNo. of participants
x
days
Pacific Regional workshop for Parliamentarians External Relations Division,
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association(40x3)
120
Total 7300
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