RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/COMTD/LLDC/W/2
5March 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0892)
Sub-Committee onLeast-Developed Countries
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
INPREPARATION FOR THE SINGAPORE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Overview Report
Introduction
1. Intheframework ofspecial actions forleast-developed countries tohelpthemintegrate tothe
multilateral trading system, during 1996–andinaddition toregular technical cooperation activities –
theWTO Secretariat organized fourspecial technical cooperation actions. These were: aspecial briefing
session inGeneva forambassadors fromleast-developed countries including thosewithoffices elsewhere
inEurope butnotinGeneva; ameeting ofMinisters from least-developed countries, withthe
participation ofanumber ofadditional personalities andMembers atlarge, ontheWTO andonthe
preparation fortheSingapore Ministerial Conference Agenda; theparticipation ofMinisters fromleast-
developed countries intheSingapore Ministerial Conference; andthesponsoring ofanumber of
journalists from developing countries andleast-developed countries toattend theConference.
I. Briefing Session forAmbassadors from Least-Developed Countries
2. Aninvitation wasextended toEurope-based least-developed countries 'delegations which have
norepresentation inGeneva, toparticipate attheTenth Session oftheCommittee onTrade and
Development andatthemeeting ofitsSub-Committee onLeast-Developed Countries. Bothsessions
tookplace onMonday 23September 1996 andwerefollowed byaspecial full-day Briefing Session
onTuesday 24September 1996. Theobjective oftheBriefing Session wastoprovide anintroduction
tothemain issues ofthemultilateral trading system; tounderline theimportance ofthefull
implementation oftheprovisions andcommitments oftheUruguay Round andoftaking action todraw
concrete andearly benefits from these results, andtofacilitate theparticipation ofleast-developed
countries intheinstitutional work oftheOrganization. TheBriefing Session wasorganized primarily
forthese Europe-based least-developed countries 'delegations thathavenorepresentation inGeneva,
butwasalsoattended by,andenjoyed theactive participation of,mostGeneva-based least-developed
country Members too.
3. Twenty-ninedelegationswereinvitedandtwenty-twodelegationsattendedthemeetings,including
eleven delegations without representations inGeneva which were financed through thecontribution
ofNorway totheWTO Trust Fund.
4. Theprogramme included lectures onthemarket access results oftheUruguay Round andon
theAgreements included intheFinal Act,discussions onthedifferential elements included inthem
forthebenefit ofleast-developed countries, andpresentations anddiscussion onissues pertaining to
theSingapore Ministerial Conference ofDecember 1996.WT/COMTD/LLDC/W/2
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II. Special Meeting ofMinisters fromLeast-Developed Countries ontheWTO andthePreparation
fortheSingapore Ministerial Conference Agenda
5. TheDirector-General extended aninvitation totheMinisters ofleast-developed countries, which
wereMembers oftheWTO orwhose ratification waspending, toparticipate inaSpecial Meeting to
discuss issues intheWTO work programme andprepare fortheSingapore Ministerial Conference
Agenda. Thisinvitation included theMinister andanaccompanying Senior Official ofeachcountry.
6. TheMeeting ofMinisters washeldfrom 13to15November 1996 attheWTO premises.
Twenty-nine countries wereinvited, andtwenty-six delegations participated atthemeeting. Theywere
financed through contributions fromtheGovernments ofNorway, theRepublic ofKorea andtheCzech
Republic.
7. Themain objective ofthisMeeting wastoassist Ministers fromleast-developed countries to
better appreciate theWTO, itsobjectives andfunctions, assessing theimportance ofastrengthened
roleinthemultilateral trading system aswellasdiscussing therequirements andopportunities arising
fromthenewtrading environment. Themeeting alsotriedtofacilitate advance preparation toassist
Ministers inensuring theireffective participation inthefirstWTO Ministerial Conference atSingapore
inDecember 1996.
8. Inordertogiveparticipantsaninsightintospecialissuesinrelationtotheeconomicdevelopment
ofleast-developed countries, theDirector-General invited several personalities toparticipate andto
address themeeting. These included Mr.Tofael Ahmed, Minister forTrade andIndustry ofBangladesh,
Mr.AlecErwin,MinisterforTradeandIndustryofSouthAfrica,Mrs.KariNordheim-Larsen,Minister
forDevelopment Cooperation ofNorway andMr.Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General ofUNCTAD.
III. Participation ofMinisters from Least-Developed Countries intheSingapore Ministerial
Conference
9. Special financial assistance wassecured andmade available forMinisters fromleast-developed
countries, which areMembers oftheWTO orwhose ratification waspending atthetime, toparticipate
attheMinisterial Conference ofSingapore from9to13December 1996. Thefacility wasalsoextended
tooneSenior Official accompanying eachMinister.
10. Thirty countries wereinvited inthismanner andattended theConference. Aspecial fundwas
established withcontributions fromtheGovernments ofAustralia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
Ireland, theNetherlands, Norway, andtheEuropean Union. Singapore financed thelocalexpenses
oftheparticipants.
11. Through thisinvitation, WTO attempted tofacilitate theactive association ofMinisters from
least-developed countries tothisveryimportant event oftheWTO andthereby assisted them in
participating inthedecision-making process established bythemultilateral trading system.
IV. Sponsoring ofJournalists toAttend theSingapore Ministerial Conference
12. Aspecial initiative wasundertaken forjournalists ofleast-developed countries anddeveloping
countries which consisted inproviding financial assistance fortheirparticipation intheSMC.
13. Upon aSecretariat request, theFriedrich Ebert Foundation financed theair-fare tickets for
the15journalists. Singapore provided assistance tojournalists from fiveleast-developed countriesWT/COMTD/LLDC/W/2
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andtendeveloping countries tocover theMinisterial Conference inSingapore, which included hotel
accommodation andperdiem allowance during seven days.
14. Aspecial programme wasorganized forthejournalists invited, which included, inaddition
totheregular briefings bytheWTO spokesman, invitations toattend special briefings byWTO officials;
information kitsandpress background notes covering allWTO topics. They alsoparticipated intwo
round-table discussions organized bythelocalcable television channel. Their experience inSingapore
provided them withafirst-hand opportunity tomeetkeyofficials andtofamiliarize themselves with
thecomplexities ofinternational trade negotiations.
15. Detailed financial reports onthese activities willbesubmitted separately todonor countries
andtotheCommittee onBudget, Finance andAdministration.