WORLD TRADE G/SPS/GEN/23
8July1997
ORGANIZATION(97-2843)
Original: English Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
TECHNICAL COOPERATION
Statement byPakistan attheMeeting of1-2July1997
1. Weareextremely grateful totheSecretariat foracomprehensive noteontechnical assistance
todeveloping countries inthisarea. Werecall thatthisnotehasbeenprepared inresponse toarequest
byPakistan, Egypt andIndia inthelastmeeting oftheSPSCommittee. Wewelcome thenotewhich,
inourview, provides agood basis forfurther discussion andnecessary action. Webelieve thatthe
issue oftechnical assistance todeveloping countries isveryimportant, especially inviewofthefact
thatthetransition period fordeveloping countries hasalready expired on1January 1997.
2. Ourinitial comments relate tothree important points highlighted intheSecretariat 'sNote.
These are:
(a) Paragraph 7oftheSecretariat 'sNoterefers totheneedforcoordination among relevant
international organizations andMembers providing technical assistance. Thisisvery
important toensure effective utilization ofscarce resources aswellaswider coverage
ofcountries thatneedtechnical assistance. Webelieve thatweshould deliberate upon
thepractical steps toimprove thiscoordination. Onepossible waycould betouse
therelevant section intheWTO Secretariat/the SPSCommittee asafocal point for
coordination purposes. However, wewould liketohearother practical proposals to
achieve thisobjective.
(b) Paragraph 8oftheSecretariat 'sNote refers totheissue ofmore active participation
ofdeveloping countries intherelevant international organizations. Inthisrespect,
wemaypoint outthatmany developing countries expressed thesame concern inthe
lastmeeting oftheCodex Commission heldinGeneva. These developing countries
werenotcompletely satisfied withthepresent process which, intheirview, doesnot
fully takeintoaccount their concerns anddoes notgivethem asense offull
participation. Weunderstand thatdeveloping countries willbetaking upthisissue
intherelevant international organizations. However, wewanttoflagthisissue for
theattention ofthisCommittee alsoandfeelthatcomments andsuggestions inthis
Committee could beuseful forthispurpose.
(c) TheSecretariat 'sNotealsopoints outthatitstechnical assistance activities havemoved
from aninitial phase ofcreating general awareness intoamore mature phase of
responding todemand forspecific activities. Paragraph 5(f)hasalsoidentified some
useful field-related andspecific technical assistance requirements. Weagree withthis
identification. Wealsofeelthat:
(i) Thelevelofgeneral awareness inmany developing countries isstilllimited.
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(ii) Thelistofspecific technical assistance needs identified inparagraph 5(f)may
befurther expanded andelaborated.
(iii) Developing countries mayneedtechnical assistance inorder toidentify their
needs forspecific technical assistance. Thismaybesurprising tosome but
isanatural outcome ofalackofgeneral understanding inthisareaindeveloping
countries. Wewould therefore request thattheWTO, other relevant
international organizations andMembers providing assistance should givedue
attention tothisissue intheirtechnical assistance programmes.
3. Wealsohavetwoquestions atthisstage. First, theSecretariat 'sNote, inparagraph 3,has
mentioned thatregional seminars areplanned inWestAfrica andIndiainlate1997. CantheSecretariat
provide thenames ofthecountries thatwillbeinvited tothese seminars? Second, theNotementions
thatsome Members alsoprovide technical assistance. Would itbepossible tohavealistofthese
Members tofacilitate therequests fortechnical assistance from developing countries?