WT/TPR/ 501 
 
30 August  2023 
(23-5791) Page: 1/2 
Trade Policy Review Body    
 
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW  MECHANISM  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY  
COUNTRIES OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY COMMUNITY  (CEMAC)  
THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE  WTO 
Arrangements for Review Meeting  
1. In pursuance of Article  IV, paragraph  4 and Annex  3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of the 
Trade Policy Review Body is scheduled for  20 and 22 September  2023 to conduct the  second  review 
of the trade policies and practices of the countries of the CEMAC that a re Members of the  WTO 
(WTO/AIR/ TPR/149). 
2. This communication sets out arrangements  concerning the review meeting.  In this connection, 
attention is also drawn to the procedures for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules of 
procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/6/Rev. 4). 
1  QUESTIONS IN WRITING IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING AND MAIN POINTS  
3. Members wishing t o submit written questions to the Member s under review should do so 
normally at least two weeks before the review meeting to allow replies to be prepared in time for 
the first session of the meeting. For the forthcoming review, such questions should theref ore be with 
the Trade Policies Review Division of the Secretariat ( tprd@wto.org ) by 5.30 p.m., 
Wednesday  6 September  2023, at the latest. Delegations are informed that the CEMAC countrie s 
have opted for the traditional way of handling questions and answe rs. 
4. In accordance  with the rules of procedure of the TPRB (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 17), 
Members are reminded that they should group their written questions into the following 
three  categories so as to facilitate responses: those related to the Secretariat report (with a 
reference to relevant paragraph numbers); those concerning the Government report (with a 
reference to relevant paragraph numbers); and other questions.  
5. The Secretariat shall identify the main points contained in the questions submitted at least 
two weeks before a review meeting, post them on the Members' Website one week before the 
meeting, and distribute a revised list of main points during the first ses sion of a review when 
questions received after the two-week deadline give rise to si gnificantly new issues. The main points 
may be found on the Members' Websi te under "Forthcoming Meetings:  Documents for Meetings".  
2  ANSWERS IN WRITING BY THE MEMBER UNDER RE VIEW  
6. Answers by the Member s under review sho uld be distributed in writing; advance questions 
submitted by the two-week deadline before the start of the TPRB review should be answered in 
writing by the Member s under revi ew by the start of the meeting.  Quest ions posed subsequently 
should be answered, to the extent possible, before the start of the second session of the meeting. 
Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session should be answered in writing no later 
than one month after the meeting wi th some latitude in the Chair's discretion for Members reviewing 
a very large number of questions . WT/TPR/501  
 
- 2 - 
 
  7. In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member s under review may indicate 
that they intend to provide supplementary information, in writi ng, on specific points raised. Upon 
receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a document containing this information to all Members.  
3  DISCUSSANT  
8. In consultation with the Member s under review, the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review 
Body may choose a discussant who, in her/his personal capacity, will introduc e the discussions in 
the Body.  Ambassador  H.E. Mrs. Usha Chandnee DWARKA -CANABADY (Mauritius ) will act as 
discussant  for the review of the CEMAC countries that are Members of the WTO . 
4  STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING  
9. Trade policy reviews cover four broad headings:  
a. appreciation of the full range of the Members ' trade policies and practices;  
b. relevant background: wider economic and dev elopmental needs, including the external 
environment;  
c. impact of the Members ' trade policies and practices on the functioning of the multilateral 
trading syst em; and 
d. general comments by way of assessment and evaluation.  
10. Meetings take place in two  sessions. The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the Member s under review and the discussant, and remarks and questions from the floor. 
The discussion in the second session, when the Member s under review will reply to questions, is  
based on main t hemes identified after the opening meeting by the Chairperson, the discussant and 
the Secretariat in consultation with the Member s. 
11. As indicated in the rules of procedure for TPRB meetings (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 21), t he 
speakers ' list will follow the order in which questions are rec eived by the Secretariat and in the event 
of more than one batch, the final batch will determine the order of speakers.  Delegations not 
submitting written questions will continue to speak second, in the  order in which their flags are 
raised.  On the day before each review meeting, the Secretariat will post on the WTO Members' 
website a provisional list of speakers for the first session of that meeting, for Members' advance 
information . 
5  DOCUMENTATION AND P RESS ARRANGEMENTS  
12. Reports by the Member s under review and the Secretariat are contained in the following 
documents:  
WT/TPR/G/ 445  Report by the CEMAC Countries  
 
WT/TPR/S/ 445  CEMAC Countries : Report by the Secretariat  
13. The press embargo for the review of  the Countries of the CEMAC will end at 2.00  p.m. Geneva 
time on  20 September  2023. 
6  RECORD OF THE MEETING  
14. The record of the meeting will be circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own 
statements and placed on the WTO website.  
__________