RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
26 September  2022 
(22-7217) Page: 1/11 
Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries  
Ninety -Third Session    
 
NOTE  ON THE MEETING OF 30 MAY  2022  
Chairperson: Ambassador Kirsti Kauppi  (Finland ) 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES IN LDCS  ................................ .............................  1 
(I) Trade development initiatives: Presentation by ITC and The Gambia  ............................  1 
(II) Sanitary and Phytosan itary (SPS) capacity development: Presentation by the STDF 
Secretariat and Madagascar  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 3 
(III)  Supporting industrial development an d enterprise upgrading in LDCs: Presentation by 
UNIDO and Senegal  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  5 
C. REPORT BY THE COORDINATOR OF THE LDC GROUP ON RECENT ACTIVITIES  ....... 10 
D. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 11 
 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Chairperson  welcomed Members to the 93rd session of the Sub -Committee on Least 
Developed Countries (hereinafter the Sub -Committee) which took place in a hybrid format. She said 
that the agenda of the meeting was contained in document WTO/AIR/COMTD/LDC/ 20. 
2. The representative of Cambodia  requested to share experiences with the e-commerce project 
for the benefit of small and medium -sized enterprises (SMEs) titled "Go4eCAM " under agenda item 
B(III). 
3. The agenda was adopted . 
B. SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES IN LDC S 
4. The Chairperson  said that the meeting would focus on initiatives to support SMEs  in LDCs . 
She invited the representatives of the International Trade Centre (ITC), the Standards and Trade 
Development Facility (STDF), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organi zation ( UNIDO)  
to present their initiatives supporting  SMEs in LDCs . She also noted that  capital -based participants 
from The Gambia, Madagascar and Senegal  would  share their experiences with Members . She 
suggested that the meeting start by  the presentations from a ll speakers and thereafter Members 
would get an opportunity to engage in the discussion.  
(I) Trade development initiatives: Presentation by ITC and T he Gambia  
5. The representative of ITC (Mr Ashish Shah , Director of Country Programmes) noted that 
the COVID -19 pandemic , climate change and conflict s had disproportionately affected the LDCs. 
These impacts came  on top of the traditional obstacles LDCs faced, such as structural constraints to 
trade , low competi tiveness, narrow export base, isolation and remoteness from markets, commodity 
dependence and instability due to fluctuating commodity prices.  As an agency speciali zed in Aid for 
Trade, ITC ha d been working with LDCs to address these challenges by increasi ng the WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  competitiveness of micro, small and medium -sized enterprises  (MSMEs ) in keeping  with the ambition 
of the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs for the Decade 2022-2031. 
6. In 2021, ITC  implemented over 100 projects covering 43 LDCs at country and regional level, 
representing 45% of its overall expenditure for the year , closely working with partners like 
the Enhanced Integrated Framework  (EIF), the UN Office of the High Representative fo r LDCs, LLDCs 
and SIDS, the STDF and UNIDO . 
7. He elaborated on the four core areas of ITC's capacity building approach: ( i) ITC work ed 
directly with enterprises, particularly small ones, to increase their capacity to trade and to foster 
market relationships by establishing links with clients, buyers and markets ; (ii) ITC offered services 
to business support organi zations  – such as trade promotion organi zations, chambers of commerce 
and industry, producers and exporters associations  – to create a more supportive business 
ecosystem for MSMEs; ( iii) ITC support ed governments to develop integrated and comprehensive 
trade development strategies and to make the policy and regulatory environment more conducive 
for MSMEs ; and (iv) ITC provi ded business, trade and market intelligence through its global public 
goods, like digital tools, platforms and its publications , helping actors to make optimal trade 
decisions.  
8. He went on to say that in  early 2022, ITC  launched a new strategic plan  with fo cus on  four 
strategic areas, underpinned by ITC's work on regional integration , particularly in Africa , supporting 
the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFT A which include d 32 LDCs :  
− Gender moonshot : He explained that LDCs' economies were  highly dependent on agriculture, 
artisanal manufacturing, and in some cases on services , such as tourism  - areas  were 
women ma de up the majority of the labour force. Therefore,  women's economic 
empowerment was regarde d as an essential element of LDCs' economic development. As an 
example for ITC's work, he mentioned the  ethical fashion initiative in Burkina Faso , where 
ITC was  working with women weavers producing the Burkinabé textile  (Faso Dan Fani ). The 
project helped  introduc e wide looms to the hand weaving process and made products more 
attractive to international buyers. Furthermore, ITC collaborated with the UN's HeForShe 
initiative and challenged communities to re -examine gender roles , including  the division of 
work at home.  
− Youth empowerment  moonshot : He highlighted that  LDCs ha d the largest and most rapidly 
growing youth population with one in four youth expected to live in LDCs by 2050 . 
ITC planned to scale its support for skills development and employment for youth in priority 
sectors, such as sports, technology, tourism and ag ri-business.  As an example, he presented 
ITC's work with youth and returnee migrants to take up entrepreneurship as a source of 
income and employment.  ITC's work during the pandemic also helped to secure additional 
funding through grants.  
− Green growth moonshot : Dedicated to strengthening a green trade ecosystem and building 
the climate competitiveness of MSMEs , ITC's  priority was to support LDCs to achieve a 
transition to a greener economy that w ould ultimately facilitate LDC s' integration into 
internation al trade and allow LDCs to adapt to climate change. As an example he mentioned 
the ITC GreenToCompete Hub  programme,  in Lao  PDR. Through ITC's Green  Activation 
programme, eight small businesses received coaching to grow their online presence and six 
compan ies ha d received a grant to expand their operations. Furthermore, ITC trained and 
certified coaches on Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) and supported businesses to 
complete the VSS programme and pilot some sustainable  initiatives. The Hub ha d also 
engaged with the Government, the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry , and 
international development bodies to green the  country's  coffee, rice and tea sectors, among 
others.  
− Digital connectivity  moonshot : He noted  that LDCs were disadvantaged in terms of 
remoteness, connectedness, and access to major markets , and ITC aimed at increasing 
LDCs' participation in the online trade of goods and services . As an example , he mentioned 
that ITC was using blockchain technology in Rwanda for the woman -owned coffee processor 
(Nova Coffee ), engaged with almost 3 ,000 local small -scale farmers , to track data in the 
supply chain for coffee, from the farmer to the roaster , while supporting the  branding and WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  digital presence of processing companies. He added that greater transparency in the supply 
chain and visibility in the digital sphere helped  MSMEs to access new markets and expand 
operations.  
9. He concluded his presentation with three key takeaways from ITC's work in LDCs : 
(i) long-term support  was an essential precondition for achieving impact with regard to enhanc ing 
productive capacities and bring about structural transformation  in LDCs ; (ii) designing holistic 
programmes and solutions for LDCs to address bottlenecks at micro, meso and macro level was 
critical to achi eving  transformative change in LDCs ; and (iii) co-creation , country engagement  and 
thorough understanding of country needs were  key success factors for working in LDCs.  
10. The representative of The Gambia  (Ms Fatou Darboe , Head of Make3D  Company  Limited in 
The Gambia ) introduced her company which was established in 2019 and had provided 3D -printing 
technology to Gambian businesses, as well as to health care and education sectors  through the 
partnership with ITC .  
11. She said that  Make3D had been one of the first responders in producing personal protective 
equipment (PPE) in The Gambia during the COVID -19 pandemic. As an example , she mentioned that 
the production of soap moulds had allowed small local producers to easily brand their products. As 
a recent project in cooperation with ITC  in the tourism sector , she mentioned the  development of 
the open-source  Ninki Nanka Trail Board Game that would be l aunched at the end of the third quarter 
of 2022. It use d 3D-printing technology , introduce d the natural and cultural heritage of The Gambia , 
and aimed to support the promotion of sustainable tourism, including  through productive capacities 
of local artists . In the educational sector, she had been working  on building capacity in 3D printing 
at The Gambia College  (School of Public and Environmental Health ), to produce  laboratory 
equipment, educational tools, or life -saving tools, such as bracelets and key rings containing medical 
and emergency contact information of patients.  
12. The other  representative of the The Gambia  (Ms Isatou Foon, tour guide  and trainer in 
community -based tourism  in The Gambia)  introduced the "Janjanbureh Tour Guide Association " that 
came  into existence in 2019 with the support of ITC through the Youth Empowerment Project. She 
noted  that many sustainable tourism practices could  be observed in The Gambia. However, the 
tourism industry mainly relie d on packages (accommodation, meals, transfers) that were booked in 
tourists'  home countries before travelling to The Gambia. These tours of ten focus sed on urban areas 
of Banjul and the coast. With the Youth Empowerment Project, the aim was to develop community -
based tourism and to bring visitors to the rural areas.   
13. She said that the tour guide association work ed with several communities, rep resenting 
different cultures and ethnicities, to develop products for the tourism sector, involving both men and 
women, youth and elderly. People were trained, for example, on tour guiding, food safety and 
hygiene, as well as simple bookkeeping to help the m manage their finances. Community -based 
tourism had become a source of income , especially for younger people , as it prevented migration  to 
urban areas or abroad.  She added  that with the support from the Youth Empowerment Project, a 
tourist visitor centre was being planned , offering products from all villages that they work ed with, 
and with the possibility to take  national and international bookings.  
(II)  Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) capacity development: Presentation by  
the STDF Secretariat and Madagascar  
14. The representative of the STDF Secretariat  (Mr Simon Padilla , Economic Affairs Officer)  said 
that the STDF mechanism had been  created 15 years ago by five International Organi zations: 
the Food and Agriculture Organi zation of the U nited Nation s, The World Organisation for Animal 
Health , the World Health Organization , the World Bank and the WTO.  He explained that the facility  
was housed  in the WTO, because its purpose was to provide support to developing countries, in 
particular to LDCs, in comply ing with the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary 
Measures . 
15. He noted  that the STDF worked in three main areas : first, it coordinate d SPS-related technical 
assistance of international organizations and donors ; second,  it engage d in cross -cutting knowledge 
work linked to SPS capacity building ; and third, the facility  funded projects and project development.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  16. He noted that t he purpose of cross -cutting knowledge work was to identify good practises and 
to replicate those good practi ces in various  areas , including the reduction of trade costs, electronic 
SPS certification or good  regulatory practice. He referred  to the publication "Good  regulatory 
practices to improve SPS measures : A practical guide", which had been  launched in  early 2022 and 
aimed to support regulatory authorities in developing countries.1  
17. He explained that the  STDF offered two main funding possibilities: ( i) project preparation 
grants  (up to USD 50,000 ) were offered to developing countries to develop project proposals , 
evaluat e SPS capacities, or for  feasibility studies ; and (ii) project grants (up to USD 1 million ) aimed 
at support ing developing countries  and LDCs, in particular SMEs,  to comply with SPS requirements. 
He encouraged interested Members to visit the STDF webpage for further information on projects, 
eligibility criteria and a guidance note for project funding.2 He indicated that the next deadline for 
submission of funding proposals would be 12 August  2022 (applications thereafter would be 
considered in 2023) . Out of USD  60.4 million mobilized in total by STDF, 60%  (USD 36.4 million) 
had ben efitted LDCs  - 4% targeted low -income countries and 36% other developing countries.  
18. He noted that in order to benefit from STDF projects (but not for project preparation grants) , 
applicants were expected to provide in -kind contributions. The amount of the contribution depend ed 
on the classification of the applicant country according to the OECD DAC list3; such co -financing 
threshold amounted to  10% for LDCs and other low -income countries , 20% for lower -middle income 
countries and 60% for upper -middle i ncome countries. In early 2022, an LDC  transition mechanism 
had been  agreed upon, allowing countries that graduated from the  LDC category  to benefit from the 
10% contribution requirement for LDCs for a period of three  years after they have left the LDC 
category.  
19. He turned to introduce "ePhyto " as one of the specific STDF project s.4 The STDF  had supported 
the International Plant Protection Convention  (IPPC) to elaborate a solution that helped all countries, 
developing as well as  developed countries, to exchange phytosanitary certificates  for export . These 
certificates were issued by the National Plant Protection Organi zation (NPPO) of the exporting 
country ba sed on the requirements of the importing country to certify that a plant or plant -related 
product was free from any plant pest. These documents usually c ame in paper form with a signature. 
The project aim ed to replace physical documents with data transfers  between NPPOs, working in 
three main areas: ( i) harmoni zation of electronic phytosanitary certificates ; (ii) creation of a hub  as 
a mechanism to exchang e certificates ; and ( iii) establishment of a Generic ePhyto National System  
(GeNS)  offered to countries  with no capacity to produce electronic certificate s. He highlighted  the 
advantage that countries connected to the ePhyto hub c ould exchange electronic certificates with all 
other countries connected , compared to the paper -based certificates based on bilaterally negotiated 
protocols.  
20. Since the start of the project two years ago , more than 110 countries were connected to 
the ePhyto hu b; more than 67 countries were exchanging ePhytos regularly , and there ha d been 
more than 100,000 exchanges of certificates  per month . He noted that th e potential of the system 
was even bigger  with a  capacity to exchange 100,000 certificates per day. As an  important 
milestone , he highlighted the connection of EU TRACES to the system in 2020 .5  
21. He pointed out that the implementation of the ePhyto solution in Madagascar was supported 
by the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, exemplifying how the STDF co uld build synergies with 
other agencies, international organizations and donors working on SPS capacity building.  
22. The representative of Madagascar  (Ms Nomenjanahary Saholy Ramiliarijaona , Director of Plant 
Protection of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock , Head of the National Plant Protection 
Organisation ) explained that Madagasca r decided  to implement necessary requirements for the 
ePhyto certificate  – in particular the three trade facilitation  agreement  (TFA) provisions concerni ng 
(7.1) pre-arrival processing , (7.9) perishable goods , and (10.1)  formalities and documentation 
 
1 STDF guid e on good regulatory practice : https://www.standardsfacility.org/good -regulatory -practice   
2 STDF website: https://www.standardsfacility.org/   
3 OECD DAC list: https://www.oecd.org/dac/financing -sustainable -development/development -finance -
standards/DAC -List-ODA-Recipients -for-reporting -2021-flows.pdf   
4 ePhyto project website : https://www.ephytoexchange.org/landing/   
5 See: https://www.ippc.int/en/news/european -commission -traces -welcomed -to-the-ippc-ephyto -
solutionn/   WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  requirements – to improve its competitiveness for plants and plant -based products, simplify imports 
and exports , and to ensure safe international trade, reducing risks of falsifications and fraudulent 
practice.6 
23. She noted  that Madagascar's m ain export products included dry grains (such as black-eyed 
beans  and peanuts ), fruits (such as lychee ), spices  (such as cloves, vanilla, cocoa) and ornamental 
plants . Major export markets for Madagascar were the European Union, the United States, China, 
India and neighbouring islands in the Indian Ocean .  
24. The implementation of the ePhyto solution (officially launched in March 20 21) was led by 
the National Trade Facilitation Committee in collaboration with the IPPC and the Global Alliance for 
Trade Facilitation. As of May 2022, the project was in the second phase, with the official launch of 
phytosanitary certificates scheduled fo r mid-2022. She said that  Madagascar did not have a national 
certification system  and therefore made use of the GeNS.  
25. She elaborated on the outreach measures to raise awareness for the ePhyto system, including 
video platforms, guides and leaflets in Frenc h and the national language ( Malgache ). As main 
obstacles for the implementation she listed : (i) the lack of technical and financial means 
(for example, for computer equipment at the borders); (ii)  the lack of confidence, related to 
insufficient training and awareness raising; and (iii) gaps in the regulatory framework.  
26. As accomplishments since the launch of the project she noted  that all 13 bord ers had been 
equipped with necessary material and technical means to implement ePhyto. More than 300 people 
had been trained to use the system, including SPS inspectors, operators, freight forwarders and 
customs officers. No problems had occurred with ePhy to certificates issued during the pilot phases. 
She concluded by thanking the STDF and collaboration partners and hoped that joint work towards 
the full implementation of trade facilitation provisions would continue.  
(III)  Supporting industrial development and enterprise upgrading in LDC s: 
Presentation by UNIDO and Senegal  
27. The representative of UNIDO  (Mr Frank Van Rompaey , Head of the UNIDO Liaison Office in 
Geneva ) set out  that UNIDO's mandate was to support member States in achieving inclusive and 
sustainable industrial development , which was  recogni zed in sustainable development goal  9 "Build 
resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation ".7 
He outlined that UNIDO offered several forms  of assist ance for its members, but that his presentation 
would focus on one specific programme , the so -called Programme for Country Partnerships (PCP).  
28. He emphasi zed that UNIDO's Operational Strategy and Implementation Plan for LDCs was 
under formulation and aligne d with all six focus areas of the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA)  for 
LDCs for the Decade 2022 -2031. The new PCPs belonged to focus area 6 " Mobilizing international 
solidarity, reinvigorat ing global partnerships and innovative tools: a march towards sustainable 
graduation " and contributed to the national economic and industrial development goals of a country. 
By combining UNIDO's technical cooperation with policy advisory services, as well as  convening and 
partnership development services, UNIDO aim ed to leverage  official  development assistance (ODA) 
to mobili ze large scale public and private investments.  
29. As a key element for the success of PCPs , he highlighted  government ownership , in the form 
of high -level political commitment , the creation of an inter -ministerial national coordination body , 
leadership in partner and resource mobili zation, and the involvement of the Ministry of Finance.  
30. Senegal was chosen as o ne of two pilot countries (together with Ethiopia) to test the new 
approach in LDCs . The Programme was developed under the leadership of the Government, in 
consultation with development  partners, the business sector and financial institutions. It was 
conceived within the overall framework of the Plan for an Emerging Senegal  (PES) , which was 
Senegal's long -term national development strategy. The PES aimed to structurally transform 
the country's economy by 2035. The PCP was designed to implement the industrial component of 
the PES and  focuse d on five main areas: (i)  industrial policy; (ii)  a Special Economic Zones Reform 
 
6 TFA text: https://tfadatabase.org/tfa -text  
7 See: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal9   WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  and Incentive Package; (iii)  integrated industrial parks; (iv)  integra ted competitive agropoles; and 
(v) the development of a regional mining hub.  It also integrate d complementary cross -cutting 
interventions in line with priorities identified by the Government.  
31. UNIDO 's assistance took the  form of advisory support for the la rge-scale industrial reform and 
flagship projects , such as the agropoles , and more traditional type s of technical cooperation for the 
horizontal cross -cutting interventions.  It focus sed on the role of the private sector and assisting local 
SMEs to connect with foreign investors. In the case of Senegal's PCP, partnerships with financial 
institutions were established right from the start of the programme design , including the African 
Development Bank , the Islamic Development Bank , and th e European Investment Bank. 
Furthermore, resources mobilized from multilateral and bilateral partners were essential, including 
Belgium, China, the European Union, Germany, Japan and the Republic of Korea . 
32. He explained that d ue to  the importance of agricul ture in LDC economies, h e zoomed into 
agropoles as one particular component of Senegal's PCP  which  aimed at using agro -industrialization 
as a driving force for export diversification and economic transformation. The  PCP supported the 
establishment of three  agropoles in Senegal that serve d as geographical clusters of infrastructure  
and support services for SMEs  and investors in the agro -industrial sector.  Challenges  that were 
addressed by integrated agropoles included : (i) poor coordination among value -chain actors  and 
limited access to external markets,  resulting in high post -harvest losses for farmers; (ii)  lack of 
adequate infrastructure  (production, transport, storage ); (iii)  constrained energy access and 
unreliable power supply ; and (iv)  aspects of the business environment , such as  access to finance , 
technologies  and institutional support services for SMEs.   
33. Each agropole w ould provide the appropriate infrastructure and services to support the 
development of SMEs , includ ing facilities for processing,  packaging, logistics for storage, and quality 
control for specific product ranges , as well as training for the workforce. It w ould also provide 
capacity building to enterprises, advisory support, research and development and marketing 
services.  
34. He illustr ated the  structure of an agropole  with a main central area, and three  regional facilities 
or rural transformation centres  serving as aggregation centres for raw materials that were required 
for the development of the agro -food sector. In addition, there were five collection platforms which 
were located close to smallholder farmers ; they provide d collection and storage facilities and training 
and advisory services to rural farmers  to increase agricultural productivity and ensure a regular 
supply of quality  raw material. Each agropole w ould operate as a semi -private entity  with 
investments  by the Government of Senegal, as well as the private sector.  
35. He went on to say that UNIDO helped with  pre-feasibility and feasibility studies. The feasibility 
studies ind icated that  for the southern agropole  in Senegal , around 14,500 direct jobs would be 
created and another 35,000 indirect jobs in the wider area. Selected value chains included  mangoes, 
cashew nuts , as well as  aquaculture and livestock products in the north ern agropoles.  
36. The Government of Senegal was supported  by UNIDO in mobili zing strategic partners for the 
financing of the agropoles. Over eight years, a bout USD  25 million were mobilized for 
UNIDO's  technical cooperation work in Senegal. The total public an d private investments mobilized 
for the industrial agenda of  Senegal were estimated at around USD  1.1 billion, including USD  330 
million for industrial parks and more than USD  479 million for the es tablishment of agropoles ; 
however, these still needed to be constructe d. One of the lessons learned  was that these kinds of 
infrastructure programmes  took a long time  and that more work needed to be done, notably in 
cooperation with the ITC and the World B ank. 
37. He concluded by highlighting three main take -aways: First, challenges faced by SMEs needed 
to be addressed in a holistic way. Furthermore, there needed to be a focus on priority sectors to 
avoid dispersion of efforts and fragmentation of resources. It was important to build up 
manufacturing capabilities at the enterprise level.  This was key for the development of the industrial 
sector, but also with respect to spillover  effects, serving the entire economy. Second, independent 
evaluations of the PCP ha d shown that leveraging ODA for mobili zing large-scale public and private 
investments was a promising programmatic approach.  Accordingly, UNIDO was moving away from 
a project -based to a programme -based approach, focussed on partnerships and on leveraging 
resources. Third, a gro-industrial par ks, such as agropoles, were effective vehicle s for the structural WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  transformation of the economies in LDCs through the commercialization of the agricultural sector 
and agro -industrialization, particularly beca use of its focus on much needed infrastructure support.  
38. The representative of Senegal  (Mr Adama Baye Racine Ndiaye , Secretary -General of 
the Ministry of Industrial Development and Small and Medium Industries ) stated that  cooperation 
with UNIDO ha d materia lized through the development of Senegal's new industrial policy and the 
creation of industrial parks , which were part of the industrial component of the "Plan for an Emerging 
Senegal ".8 
39. He said that t he new industrial policy  was initialled in October 2021 , with  financing obtained 
from the African Development Bank with UNIDO. It was developed in the context of the COVID -19 
pandemic and was therefore built as a strategy aim ing at  food and health security  and the 
development of the pharmaceutical industry. It also emphasi zed the industrial development for 
mineral and hydrocarbon resources , as Senegal ha d become a hydrocarbon -producing country , 
as well as the establishment of technology -intensive and innovative industries, including t he digital 
economy, assembly industries and creative industries.  
40. He noted that s ix reforms were considered as levers of industriali zation: (i) the improvement 
of the business environment; (ii) the strengthening of the technical, technological and commercial 
capacities of industrial units; (iii) the development of human capital and industrial innovation; 
(iv) the development of infrastructure; (v) the facilitation of access to financing and priva te 
investment; and (vi) and the establishment of an appropriate governance framework.  
41. He highlighted that in order to successfully implement the new industrial policy , 
the Government had taken several steps , including through the creation of industrial par ks, 
agropoles,  and a regional mining hub . He presented the example of the Diamniadio International 
Industrial Platform, which was under construction  with funding from China. With the support of 
UNIDO, the  French Treasury financed solar power plants, coveri ng around 40% of the electrical 
needs of the park's public network.  
42. Referring to agropoles previously introduced by Mr Van Rompaey , he highlighted that for 
the southern and central agropoles, 29 industrial parks would be set up.  In addition to the  agropoles, 
Senegal plan ned various industrial parks dedicated to the mining, automobile, pharmaceutical and 
leather industries with a view to  increas ing international trade and generate jobs .  
43. He concluded by stressing  the importance of  the Government's contribution to the industrial 
development fund to carry out necessary work, including feasibility studies, to focus the PCP on 
strategic priorities and to facilitate the sustainability of PCP actions. He noted  that it would be 
necessary to speed up the process  for the timely implementation of the PCP. He thank ed UNIDO for 
the support  to implement the industrial projects of the "Plan for an Emerging Senegal ". 
44. The representative of Cambodia  said that  the national e -commerce project "Go4eCam"  
received financial and technical assistance from the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF). 
The overall objective of the project was to increase economic opportunities for Cambodian SMEs to 
participate in the digital econom y, focussing on the digitalization of MSMEs, support to provincial 
SMEs and participation of women -owned SMEs . It aimed at  leveraging B2B2C and B2C e -commerce 
for domestic and cross -border trade of Cambodian SMEs, including through strengthen ed 
entrepreneurship skills  and improved  access to finance.  
45. He elaborated that the " Go4eCAM " project comprise d of four  components : (i) development of  
a visible national B2B2C e -marketplace (CambodiaTrade ); (ii) skills and entrepreneurship for 
e-commerce (SME eBiZNest) ; (iii) access to financing (Investor Platform) for SMEs ; and (iv) project 
management to develop a strategy to sustain the project and scale up results.  
46. CambodiaTrade  (CambodiaTrade.com ) was the first B2B2C marketplace to serve SMEs in 
Cambodia to sell their products online  to potential clients in domestic and cross -border markets with 
a fully integrated system, including a payment gateway and logistic solutions. It was aligned with 
the vision of the Government of Cambodia and the objectives of the Association of Southeast A sian 
 
8 The representative of Senegal had connection disruptions during the meeting and requested to 
incorporate his statement into the Minutes of  the meeting. The statement was also circulated as room document 
RD/DEV/196 . WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  Nations  e-commerce agreement. This government -led initiative ha d onboarded more than 125 
MSMEs , of which  61 were women -led SMEs , and half of them  were provincial women -led SMEs. He 
stressed that more than 1,100 products had been posted for sale and more than 4,000  jobs 
(including more than 2,100  jobs for women) were associated with the project.  
47. For the second component , the Ministry of Commerce had b een collaborating with The United 
Nations Development Programme  and "Khmer Enterprise " to build digital and e -commerce skills of 
SMEs through incubation and innovation challenges program mes. Fifty out of 142 applying  SMEs 
had been selected to join the first cohort of the incubation prog ramme from October 2021 to January 
2022. Graduated SMEs were expected to apply for small grants under the innovation challenges 
program and be able to make use of  e-commerce platform s, especially "Cambodia Trade.com ". The 
innovation challenge programme was in the process of calling for applications from SMEs.  
48. The third component aimed to match SMEs with potential investor s. The project team ha d 
conducted various discussions with key investors . The Ministry of Commerce had also  been 
collaborating with "Cambodia Post " and "Swisscontact Cambodia"  to make logistics services more 
efficient and competitive for the participation in e -commerce. Furtherm ore, work with two 
e-commerce associations  – Cambodia E -Business Associations and Cambodia Digital Tech 
Association  – had been ongoing  to strengthen their capacity in matters related to  e-commerce 
legislation and institutional arrangements.  He thanked the EIF and partners that support ed LDCs in 
integrating  SMEs in regional and global market s.  
49. The representative of the Republic of Korea  welcomed the format of the Sub -Committee 
meeting , hearing a balanced selection of presentations of organizations as well as feedback from 
recipients in LDCs , noting that it was a welcome reminder that what was being discussed at the  WTO 
did shape the businesses and lives of people in LDCs.  
50. Korea, as the donor coordinator country for th e ITC in 2022 , appreciate d the work that the  ITC 
had been doing. It was  supportive of the moonshot initiatives, particularly those on wom en and 
youth empowerment , and would extend support  in scaling up such initiative s. With respect to the 
presentation on  STDF, he asked for the rationale behind the decision to extend technical assistance 
to countries for a period of three years after they graduated from the LDC category.  Turning to 
UNIDO, h e wished  to know how much seed money it provided to initiate the establishment of 
agropoles  to leverage public and private finances.  
51. The representative of the United States  said that an exchange on real world  examples , 
as presented by the ITC, the STDF , UNIDO , and LDC beneficiaries, were important to help Members  
understand how to make trade work for developing countries' exporters.  
52. Referring to the presentation of ITC, she  wished  to know how the new system of traceability , 
specifically for Rwandan coffee , had resulted in customers having more confidence in products and 
supply chain s. In addition, she wondered  what potential barriers  could be for  scaling up such 
activities as this would result in mo re impactful outcome s for the broader economy . With regard  to 
the STDF, she appreciated the results of the ePhyto project, which the United States Department of 
Agriculture  had been funding. With more countries adopt ing the ePhyto technology, she enquired  as 
to what was the most important aspect to consider in  setting  out ePhyto solutions . She also asked  
how UNIDO promoted a culture of quality for small businesses .  
53. The representative of Senegal , on behalf of the LDC Group , thanked all speakers . He took 
note of  the improved infrastructure in The Gambia and hoped  that the initiatives, particularly 
the collaboration with ITC, would support the development of The Gambia's economy, increase its 
productive capacity and help to take advantage of its comparative advant age for the  benefit of all, 
particularly women and children. He encouraged ITC to pursue its efforts undertaken in The Gambia, 
and in all LDCs more generally, in line with the Programme of Action for LDCs to create employment 
and alleviate  poverty.  
54. He unde rlined that  the agricultural sector was vital  for many LDCs , he encouraged the STDF 
to continue to provide support to Madagascar and other LDCs so that their exporters could acquire 
the necessary knowledge to meet SPS standards, increase their exports, cre ate jobs and boost their 
economic growth. He hoped for further exchanges on practices and updates regarding what support 
the STDF had been  offering to LDCs.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  55. He highlighted that the COVID -19 pandemic had shown the extent to which MSMEs in LDCs 
were vulnera ble, in particular because of their lack of digitalization and a low level of 
industrialization. He stated that i ndustries in LDCs, and MSMEs in particular, were in need of 
modernization. Acknowledging the support  by UNIDO, he underscored that UNIDO  should  continue 
to develop and implement industrial projects  in LDCs , bridge the digital divide and boost their 
productive capacity to  better take advantage of global trade, ensure economic recovery and build 
resilience.  
56. The representative of Japan  emphasi zed that the need to close the information gap between 
countries was greater than ever, pointing to the WTO report "e -Commerce, Trade  and COVID -19 
pandemic" .9 She said that Japan had been providing  support for MSMEs in LDCs, including 
investments by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to construct a submarine cable 
connecting Brazil and Angola. In addition, Japan invited LDCs to join  the Informal Working Group on 
MSMEs as it had been sharing useful information on trade participation of MSMEs . 
57. The representative of ITC responded  to the questions  addressed to him by the participants.  
In response to the question from the  representative of the United States, the  ITC believed that 
consumers around the world were demanding more information on where a product was sourced 
from. Hence , there was a need to improve traceability and understand every step of the supply 
chain, including the place of production, the name of the manufacturer as well as the compliance of 
a particular product with different standards. Furthermore, b y making supply chains more 
transparent, traceability could be used as a tool to ensure that a larger porti on of value created 
stayed within LDCs.  
58. He emphasi zed that scale was no longer a choice  but a necessity. New regulatory frameworks 
– such as one of the European Union on mandatory human rights due diligence  - required all 
countries to show greater transpa rency in supply chains.10 ITC was involved with LDCs  and their  
trading partners to elaborate what mandatory due diligence meant for LDCs and how ITC could help 
in the process.  
59. He concluded by  underscor ing that working with you th and women  entrepreneurs could make 
a lasting difference to the development of LDCs and that ITC  planned to use the experience gained 
in The Gambia to apply the model in other LDCs.  
60. The representative of the STDF responded to the representative of the Republic of Ko rea that 
the three -year transition period for countries graduated from LDC status  was the outcome of a 
negotiation process between all STDF members. The STDF Secretariat recently informed the first 
country that would  benefit from the mechanism.  
61. Regarding  the question raised by the representative of the United States on the most 
important steps to be taken at the start of the ePhyto journey, he emphasi zed that the most 
significant  and difficult part for developing countries, in particular LDCs, was to stren gthen 
the national certification system, for which support could be obtained from the Global Alliance for 
Trade Facilitation or the World Bank. Only then, the technical part of the ePhyto solution for an 
electronic exchange of data between countries would  come  into play. On scalability he noted that 
showing concrete, good results regarding the impact of a project helped in getting donors and other 
countries on bo ard. The STDF helped to build synergies in partnerships and communicate results for 
the scaling  up of projects, such as ePhyto. Thanking Senegal for the intervention, he  was supportive 
of discussions with the LDC Group on how the LDCs could benefit more from the  STDF.  
62. The representative of UNIDO  responded to the representative of the Republic of Ko rea that 
UNIDO provided a maximum of USD  100,000 of seed money for agro -industrial parks; there  of 
USD 30,000-50,000 were budgeted for the identification and conceptualization stage  and 
USD 40,000 -50,000 for the design and planning stage. These grants were  conditional on a clear 
interest from donors, including development finance institutions. Donor resources for 
the identifications stage were in the range of USD  500,000 -1,000,000 , and for the design and 
the planning stage at around USD 1.5 million.  He noted that he would be happy to provide further 
details upon request.  
 
9 See: https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/covid19_e/ecommerce_report_e.pdf   
10 See: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_1145   WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
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  63. Responding to the representative of the United States , he said that UNIDO promoted a culture 
of quality for SMEs both from the supply  side as well as  the demand side. On the supply s ide, UNIDO 
helped in developing quality infrastructure, bearing in mind the country's needs. By  working with 
producers, processors,  and small -scale enterprises in specific value chains, as well as through 
national quality awards, UNIDO aimed to create the demand for quality. Furthermore, UNIDO worked 
on strengthening the institutional support available for SMEs, such as through standardization 
agencies.  
64. Turning to the LDC Group, he stressed that UNIDO was in discussion with a number of 
countries regarding their eligibility  for PCPs. For countries that did not qualify for this type of model, 
UNIDO offered other approaches, including country programmes that incorporated many elements 
of PCPs . 
65. The Chair person  thanked the speakers and Members for the  insightful  discussion  that shed 
light on experiences and challenges that small business es in LDCs face d and on how the  international 
community could support them . She suggest ed that the Sub -Committee take note of the 
presentations  as well as the statements made.  
66. It was so agreed . 
C. REPORT BY THE COORDINATOR OF THE LDC GROUP ON RECENT ACTIVITIES  
67. The representative of Senegal , on behalf of the LDC  Group, provided an update on recent 
activities of the LDC Group along three clusters : (i) coordination, (ii)  engagement, and 
(iii) compromise.  
68. On coordination , he highlighted that the LDCs' active participation in the LDC Group had been 
essential for def ining common positions on topics of mutual interests. The proposals on WTO reform  
(JOB/GC/223/R ev.1) and the response to the draft Chair's text on agriculture  (JOB/AG/227 ) 
reflect ed LDCs' collective efforts , which also helped LDCs to better articulate views and perspectives 
to the broader WTO Membership.  He highlighted that the retreat of the LDC Group in March  2022 
had been instrumental in this respect , in the context of MC12. He mentioned the LDC Group's active 
participation in v arious events, including the 37th round of consultations within the Director -General's 
Consultative Framework Mechanism  and two workshop of the WTO Secretariat (on the TRIPS 
agreement, and on circular economy).  
69. On engagement , he highlighted the LDCs' outreach to trading partners. During  
the South -South Dialogue on LDCs and Development, the LDC Group exchanged views with 
South -South partners on shared priorities in WTO negotiations, explored ways on how the WTO 
could be strength ened and discussed  emerging trends that could be of interest to LDCs.  
70. With regard to LDC ' willingness to show compromise in the negotiations , he emphasi zed four 
areas where an outcome at MC12 would have been of great importance for the LDCs: (i)  a 
multila teral response to the pandemic; (ii)  the conclusion of negotiations on fisheries subsidies; 
(iii) steps towards agricultural reform, with immediate priority given to food security challenges; and 
(iv) LDC graduation.  
71. He thanked the WTO Director -General, t he General Council Chair and the Chairs of the WTO 
negotiating bodies for their commitment to support LDCs'  participation in the work of the WTO and 
their active participation at the LDC  retreat in March  2022 and at the South -South Dialogue in 
May 2022. He also thanked trade and development partners for their support for LDCs – in particular,  
the United Kingdom , for sponsoring the LDC retreat , and China , for supporting 
the South -South  Dialogue . He also  acknowledged the support received from  Summit Allianc es 
International . 
72. The representative of China  said that the sharing of information and experiences was valuable 
for the small businesses in LDCs to build resilience in a challenging environment and to bolster  the 
export potential of LDCs by overcoming non -tariff hurdles.  She said that China recogni zed the 
importance and necessity of long -term support to LDCs ' integration into the global economy in a 
holistic approach and through collaborative efforts of the international community.  Her delegation  
took part in the LDC retreat . She expressed appreciation for the holding of the  South -South Dialogue WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93  
 
- 11 - 
 
  on LDCs and De velopment  and underlined that China was ready to share its experience and practices 
with LDC capacity -building and technical assistance . Her delegation echoed the call of the  LDC 
Coordinator for an outcome at MC12 on LDC graduation . 
73. The representative of t he European Union  said that the Committee on Trade and Development 
had noted, in different formations, that the work of international organi zations and partner countries, 
including in LDCs, would be seriously impacted by Russia 's illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable war 
against Ukraine. In addition to concerns related to European security, world peace and the 
international legal order, he pointed to the risks of setting back the development of the developing 
world. Regarding the  European Union 's position, he referred to the statements made at the General 
Council meeting on 10  May 2022 and in different formats of the Committee on Trade and 
Development.  
74. The representative of the United Kingdom  noted that it was  pleased to have fun ded the LDC 
retreat in March where the Ambassador of the United Kingdom gave a keynote address . In both the 
LDC retreat as well as the South -South Dialogue, the United Kingdom outlined the importance of 
supporting LDCs' participation in the WTO , including  WTO reforms,  to keep the organization  fit for 
purpose and inclusive for LDCs.   
75. He noted that the presentations at the Sub -Committee meeting demonstrated the tangible 
benefits of Aid-for-Trade Initiatives that support ed LDCs' trade and development.  He highl ighted 
that t he new International Development Strategy of the United Kingdom support ed trade and 
economic development in developing countries, including all LDCs at its heart .11 The United  Kingdom 
was proud providers of Aid for Trade in The Gambia, Madagascar, Senegal and beyond to support 
trade and development in LDCs. He emphasi zed that the principles of free markets, free trade, 
effective institutions, free speech and shared technology had underpinned development advances 
over decades. The United Kingdom's support under the new strategy would help developing countries 
grow their economies sustainably and inclusively. He regrettably noted that this development 
progress was being significantly hampered by Russia's illegal invasion of Ukrai ne, which was causing 
harm to the people i n Ukraine.  People across the world had been affected  through drastic shortages 
and price increases in vital goods and food.  This applie d particularly to the LDCs, who would  feel the 
strongest crisis according to  World Bank and U nited Nations  predictions. The United Kingdom  called 
on the Russian Federation to end the war. 
76. The representative of Norway  highlighted that the format of the presentations by ITC, STD F 
and UNIDO complemented by experiences shared by repre sentatives of The Gambia, Senegal, 
Madagascar and Cambodia was helpful. He thanked the LDC Group for the report and underlined 
Norway's interest in several priorities of the LDC Group. He stated  that "Russia's continuing illegal 
aggression against its neig hbour" would have an impact on LDCs; reiterating Norway's concern 
regarding the destruction and human suffering being caused by it , he invited Members' attention  to 
Norway's previous statements in the Committee on Trade and Development.  
77. The Chairperson  reiterated that the LDC Group had been coordinating, strategizing, and 
actively engaging with all WTO Members, both in the context of broader areas of negotiations as  well 
as on priorities to LDCs. She  suggested that the Sub -Committee take note of the pres entation by 
the LDC Group as well as the statements made.  
78. It was so agreed.  
D. OTHER BUSINESS  
79. There were no suggestions for any item  under other business. T he Chairperson  informed 
Members that the next meeting of the Sub Committee w ould take place after the s ummer break . 
The exact date would be  communicated in due course.  
80. The meeting was adjourned . 
__________  
 
11 See https://www.gov.uk/government/publi cations/uk -governments -strategy -for-international -
development