RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/LDC/M/89  
 
23 March 2021  
(21-2389) Page: 1/15 
Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries  
Eighty -Ninth Session    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 11 NOVEMBER 20 20 
Chairperson: Ambassador Monique T.G. Van Daalen (Netherlands)  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. MARKET ACCESS FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  ................................ .............  1 
(I) Market Access for Products and Services of Export Interest to Least -developed  
Countries (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/68).  ................................ ................................ .......................  1 
C. TRADE -RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY -BUILDING  
INITIATIVES FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  ................................ ...........................  7 
(I) Update on th e Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF): Report by the EIF Executive 
Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  7 
(II) Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF): Briefing by the STDF Secretariat on 
Recent Activities Relating to LDCs  ................................ ................................ .........................  9 
D. ACCESSION OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  ................................ ..............  12 
(I) State of Play in the Accession Working Parties of Least Developed Countries:  
Report by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....12 
E. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 15 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Chairperson  said that the agenda for the Eighty -Ninth  Session of the Sub -Committee on 
Least Developed Countries (h ereinafter the Sub -Committee) was contained in document 
WTO/AIR/COMTD/LDC/1 6/REV.1.  
2. The agenda was adopted . 
B. MARKET ACCESS FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
(I) Market Access for Products and Services of Export Interest to Least Developed Countries 
(WT/COMTD/LDC/W/6 8).  
3. The Chairperson  recalled that  according to the Work Programme for the Least Developed 
Countries ( LDCs), the Secretariat ha d been preparing a document every year to facilitate the annual 
review of market access for LDCs. The  2020 Secretariat Note was contained in document 
WT/COMTD/LDC/W/68 . She mentioned that the Note include d an additional chapter on trade 
developments in LDCs  in the first half of 2020 to obtain  a preliminary idea of how the COVID -19 
pandemic ha d affected trade in LDCs.  She invited the Secretariat 's Economic Research and Statistics 
Division (ERSD) to present the main points of the Note. 
4. The representative of th e Secretariat  (International Trade Statistics Section, ERSD)  said that 
due to the COVID -19 pandemic, LDC merchandise exports to some 97 economies, including the 
LDCs' most important destination markets, had experienced steep declines in April and May  2020, 
falling to levels of 75% and 59% , respectively  in comparison to January 2019. The LDCs had 
registered a larger drop to these economies than respective exports by the world, which had dropped WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  to a level of 75% in May compared to January 2019. Merchandise e xports of LDCs , as well as at the 
world level , partially recovered in the months of June to August.  
5. He said that in terms of product groups, the decline in LDC exports had been most severe for 
fuels and mining products as well as manufactures  as both product groups  had dropped to levels of  
48% in May 2020 in comparison to January 2019. In contrast, LDC exports  of agricultural products 
had shown some resilience,  dropping to a level  of 81% in May 2020.  He also mentioned that 
preliminary data for July and August suggested a rebound of LDC manufacturing exports back to the 
levels of January 2019 , whereas the recovery of fuels and m ining had been more muted.  
6. He went on  say that a large majority of LDCs ( 35 out of 47 ) had registered declines  in their  
merchandise  exports during March -June 2020 as compared to March -June 2019 , ranging 
from -5% (Central  African  Republic) to -91% (South  Sudan). Twelve LDCs had experienced 
increases in their merchandise exports  during March -June, ranging from +1% (Cambodia)  to +239% 
(Timor -Leste).   
7. He noted that LDCs' agricultural exports had decreased by 3% year -on-year du ring 
March -June 2020, in line with world agricultural exports. Even though export values of agricultural 
products had dropped relatively less compared to other sectors, a number of agriculture -dependent 
LDCs such as Tuvalu ( -80%), Afghanistan ( -57%), The G ambia ( -53%), Guinea -Bissau ( -46%) and 
Burundi ( -43%) had registered steep declines. A number of  LDCs such as Tanzania (+24%), Rwanda 
(+17%)  and Niger (+12%) had registered increases in agricultural exports during March -June 2020 .  
8. He went on to say that the LDCs' exports of fuels and mining products  had decreased by 33% 
year-on-year during March -June 2020, compared to  a drop of 37% at the world level. Exports had 
declined for most LDCs dependent on fuels and mining exports, with South Sudan ( -92%), B hutan 
(-75%), Togo ( -70%), Sudan ( -70%), Yemen ( -59%), Liberia ( -44%) and Angola ( -43%) being the 
most affected.  LDC exports of clothing products  had dropped by 28% year -on-year during March -
June 2020, compared to a drop of 26% at the world level. With the  exception of Ethiopia (+6%), all 
major LDC clothing exporters saw a drop in their exports, with Nepal ( -58%) , Haiti ( -49%) , Lesotho 
(-49%),  Madagascar ( -33%) and Bangladesh ( -32%) being the most affected . 
9. He continued by saying  that in volume terms, LDC m erchandise exports had dropped by 8.1% 
year-on-year in the first half  of 2020 , compared to a drop of 16% in value terms. He explained that 
the contraction of LDC export  was more severe in  value terms due to  the decline in energy prices.  
10. Regarding services, he said that  available data showed that  travel exports of LDCs had 
experienced steep declines in the second quarter  of 2020 . In Asia, t ravel exports had dropped by 
more than 90% year -on-year for Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Timor -Leste, and 
by around 80% for Nepal and Solomon Islands. Similar ly, in Africa travel exports had dropped by 
more than 90% for Angola, Rwanda, Sao Tomé and Principe, Sudan, Tanzania  and Uganda . 
He pointed to the eco nomic dependence of LDCs on travel, with the share of travel in commercial 
services exports being more than 90% in Sao Tomé and Principe and Timor -Leste, and more than 
80% in Angola, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Vanuatu, and Zambia.  
11. He continued by elaborating on trends in LDC trade prior to the pandemic. In 2019,  
LDC exports of goods and commercial services  had declined by 1.5%. The negative growth had been  
due to a decline in  goods exports ( -3.7%), while commercial services exports  had registered a strong 
increase (+9.6%).  The LDCs' trade deficit had reached USD  100 billion in 2019, slightly higher than 
in 2018 (USD  99 billion) and more than twice the deficit in 2011 (USD  41 billion). While the trade 
balance for goods had decreased from a slight  surplus in 201 1 to a US D 77 billion deficit in 201 9, 
the trade deficit for services had shrunk from USD 40.7 billion  to USD  23 billion  over the same 
period . 
12. He went on to note that the LDCs' share in world goods and services exports had  stood at 
0.96% in 2019, slightly higher than in 201 8 (0.95%). The LDCs' share in world goods exports had 
remained at 1.04 % as in 201 8, while their share in world commercial services exports had increased 
from 0.6 7% in 201 8 to 0.72% in 201 9. 
13. Regarding  LDC merchandise trade , he said that  falling  prices for fuels and mining products  
had contributed to a decrease in LDC merchandise exports by 3.1% to USD  190 billion  in 2019,  while WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  LDC merchandise imports had increased by 0.9% to USD  275 billion.  The LDCs' merchandise trade 
deficit had increased slightly from US D 76 billion in 201 8 to US D 85 billion in 201 9, mainly reflecting 
a decrease in LD C oil exporters' trade surplus (from USD  12 billion in 2018 to USD  6 billion in 2019) 
as well as an increase in the deficit of LDC exporters of non -fuel minerals ( from USD 7 billion in 2018  
to USD 10 billion in 2019). He concluded by  saying that in  2019, LDCs' exports of commercial 
services had continued the strong growth of the two previous years and increased by almost 10% 
to USD  43 billion , significantly faster  than the growth  of world  services exports  (+2%) .  
14. The representative of the Secretariat  (Market Access Intelligence Section, ERSD) elaborated 
on market access conditions for the LDCs. He said that the LDCs benefitted from full duty -free market 
access under the LDC schemes of Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland. The share of 
duty-free lines was above 97% in the case of Canada, Chile, the European Union , and Japan ; above 
94% for China  and India; and 90% or higher for Iceland , the Republic of  Korea and Montenegro . He 
mentioned that  Hong Kong, China; Macao, China ; and Singap ore had no LDC  schemes, but the LDCs 
still had access to  full or nearly -full duty -free market access on a most -favoured -nation (MFN) basis.  
15. He went on to say that in  2018, the LDCs had exported the highest number of  products to 
the European Union (above 5,000), followed by Thailand, Canada and the United  States (each above 
2,000). This indicated that the export baskets of LDCs were relatively diversified in these markets.  
He also presented estimates for the share of duty -free exports  as well as trade -weighted average 
tariffs faced by the LDCs when exporting to preference -granting Members. Assuming full preference 
utilization,  LDC exports to China , the top destination market,  would face a trade -weighted average 
tariff of 2.1% , with 70%  of exports entering duty free. In the case of the European  Union,  the top 
second market,  all exports would enter duty free if preferences were fully utilized. For the LDC 
scheme of the United States, the top third market, the trade -weighted average tariff  would be 10.3% 
with 40% of imports from LDCs entering duty  free. He noted that in addition to the LDC scheme, 
the US had also other preferential schemes that included LDC  beneficiaries, such as the African 
Growth and Opportunity Act ( AGOA ) as well as bila teral schemes for Haiti and Nepal . 
16. He continued by presenting a breakdown  of imports from LDCs by tariff category, providing 
insights into the utilization  of preferences. He explained that imports originating from LDCs could be 
broken down  into four categories, i.e. MFN dutiable imports, MFN duty -free imports, imports that 
make use of an LDC -specific or another preferential scheme, and imports that pay MFN d uties despite 
being eligible for tariff preference. Giving a number of example s, he noted that in Thailand 8 4% of 
LDC imports entered MFN duty free, while 7% of imports were MFN dutiable and less than 9% of 
imports were eligible to preferences. In Chile more than 70% of imports made use of LDC 
preferences, while close to 30% of imports paid MFN duties despite being eligible to tariff preference. 
In the case of the United States' AGOA , over 90% of imports  entered duty free, either MFN duty free  
(42%)  or using preferences  (51%) . 
17. The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group , thanked the Secretariat for the 
comprehensive report and efforts made to capture the trade impact  of the COVID -19 pandemic . He 
highlighted  that LDC market access  for goods and services  was a priority issue for the Group , being 
vital for their integration into the global  trading system and for positive spillovers on their economies  
and development . 
18. He expressed concern regarding the depth of the drop in LDC export value s in the first half of 
2020. He noted that LDC merchandise exports had fallen by 16% year-on-year during January -June, 
and by 21% during  March -June, while LDC services exports had dropped  by around  40% in the first 
half of 2020 . He also noted the steep decline in travel exports  of more than 90%  in the second 
quarter of 2020 , which w as an important sector for LDCs . This would have a severe impact on all 
LDCs, including the largest travel ex porters  such as  Cambodia, Ethiopia , Myanmar  and Uganda . He 
expressed concern regarding the negative outlook  and the uncertainty of the recovery of the global 
economy , which would negatively impact the LDCs' shares in global trade in 2020 and 2021 .  
19. He stressed that in addition to the health impact, the pandemic had also a detrimental 
economic impact on LDCs  since they did not have effective stabiliz ation mechanisms  and were 
dependent on the economic health of their trading partners. The LDCs would suffe r a particularly 
deep economic impact due to  the insufficient robustness of their economies,  as well as  low levels of  
industrialization and diversification of their national production.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  20. He went on to highlight the need to recover  from the crisis and  to strengthen  the resilience of 
LDCs so that they would be able to better withstand such situation s in the future.  Emphasiz ing the 
importance of trade and market access as a means to enhance the robustness of their  econom ies, 
he stressed the im portance of full implementation of LDC decisions on duty-free and quota -free 
(DFQF ) market access , preferential rules of origin , and the LDC Services Waiver.  Acknowledging the 
progress that had been made so far and thanking Members for preferences granted, he called on 
Members for further support, in particular with regard to increasing the utilization of preferences, 
which remained too low.  
21. He said that t he LDC Group ha d made recommendations and was collaborating  with the 
Secretariat and their trading partners to compile relevant information and organize workshops on 
the implementation of the se decisions.  He informed that the LDC Group would hold a webinar in 
December 2020  to discuss the impacts of the pandemic on services supply in LDCs. He emphasized 
the LDCs' need for further trade integration as well as economic diversifi cation  to enhance their 
economic robust ness and reduce their dependence on international a ssistanc e. Referring  to the  trade 
deficits in  LDCs, he concluded by asking what the LDCs could do to improve their trade balances  
during times of crisis and in the longer term.  
22. The representative of Nepal  associated his delegation with the statement made by Chad on 
behalf of the LDC Group . He expressed  appreciation for the Secretariat Note, which captured well 
the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic on the trade of the LDCs . He said that  trade was  a critical 
means for accelerating inclusive and sustainable socio -economic development in LDCs, with 
DFQF  market access providing important opportunit ies to promote  their export s. He thanked 
Members for providing LDCs with preferential market access in go ods and services, which the LDCs 
were utilizing at different levels as per thei r capacity . He noted that the LDCs had been  severely 
affected by the  pandemic as their export s had experienced a steeper drop than world trade .  
23. He stressed the  risk of a complex and slow economic recovery in LDCs as they had been 
disconnected from supply chains and had low capacit ies to support recovery . While  digital economy 
and e -commerce could help with a quick recovery from the pandemic , LDCs lacked digital access 
due to  digital infrastructure and capacity constraints . In this context, LDCs would not be able to 
effectively utilize preferential market access unless some specific interventions were made. He called 
on Members to support  cooperation between their private sector s and the private sector s in LDCs in 
order  to help companies from LDCs integrate in supply chains and export their products. This would 
allow consumers in importing markets to experience unique products from LDCs, while  contributing  
to socio -economic development in LDCs. He thank ed development partners for the ir continued 
support to enhance the LDCs' export competency and productive capacity , and urged them to further 
focus on trade capacity -building support to enable an early recovery . 
 
24. The representative of the Republic of Korea  thank ed the Secretariat for the comprehensive 
Note. Referring to the Note, h e noted that the decline in the value of LDC merchandise exports 
(-16%) in the f irst half of 2020 had been steeper than for world exports ( -13%). LDC  merchandise 
exports to the Republic of Korea, which was among the top ten export destinations for 
LDC manufactures , had  dropped  by 18%  during  March -June 2020. He also  mentioned  that 
LDC merchandise exports to the Republic of Korea  had grown  at an annual rate of 13 % during 
2011-2019, which could at least partly be attributed to the fact that  the Republic of  Korea  provide d 
duty-free access on 90% of its tariff lines for products f rom LDCs . He said that t he pandemic -induced 
drop in exports was a reminder of the importance of DFQF market access for LDCs . Recalling that 
develop ing country Members were among the top ten export destinations for LDCs , he highlight ed 
their significant role in offering non -reciprocal preferential market access to LDCs.  
25. He said that w hile developed  countr y Members  offered LDCs preferential treatment on the 
basis of the 1979 Enabling Clause, other Members had  been providing preferential treat ment to LDC 
products on the basis of the General Council Decision of June 1999  (WT/L/304). The latter Decision 
grant ed a waiver from MFN obligations that allow ed developing  countr y Members to grant 
preferential treatment to LDCs. The waiver , initially  granted for a period of 10 years , had been 
extended twice, with the last extension tak ing place in 2019.  
26. He questioned  whether this decennial re newal was necessary . His Government  believ ed that 
the Enabling Clause of 1979 should be interpreted a s a legal basis for WTO Members - developed 
and developing countr y Members  alike - to offer preferential treatmen t to LDCs . He believed that 
this view merit ed the careful consideration of Members. Having a permanent legal basis, rather than WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  one that  was subject to periodic renewal, for developing countries to grant preferential treatment to 
LDCs was a logical next step in support of LDC market access. He mentioned that his delegation  had 
been engaging in consultations with interested Members on this issue  and invited other Members  to 
support this endeavour.  
27. The representative of the United States  expressed  her appreciation to  the Secretariat  for the 
insightful Note. She said that t he United States  had numerous program mes to assist LDCs . In 
addition to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP),  the full scope of preference program mes 
encompasse d the AGOA, the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBERA), including the Haitian  Hemispheric 
Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE)  Acts, and Trade Preference s for Nepal. She 
informed that i n 2019  the U nited States had  imported goods worth USD 1 billion under CBERA 
preferences from Haiti. She said that AGOA and HOPE ha d higher  coverage than GSP, with  the 
duty-free coverage for the 27  LDC beneficiaries of AGOA  exceed ing 97%. She highlighted that the 
United States' many  preference program mes showed its strong commitment to the LDCs, and that  
the true value of these programmes were being appreciated by the LDCs.   
 
28. The representative  of Cambodia  associated her  delegation with the statement made by Chad 
on behalf of the LDC Group . She said that the LDCs continue d facing numerous developmental 
challenges  such as weak health systems, lacking domestic financial resources, an d limited human 
as well as technological capacities. She expressed concern  that t he negative impact of the COVID -19 
pandemic would  slow down their progress towards achiev ing development. She noted that LDC 
exports had decreased more than exports of other countries , particularly in services, where  LDC 
services exports had declined by around 38% -40% in the first half of 2020 , with travel exports 
dropping by  even more ( 58%-60%). In this respect, s he expressed concern regarding the 97% drop 
in travel exp orts of Cambodia  in the second quarter of 2020 .  
 
29. She called on Members to impl ement the  LDC decisions on DFQF  market access , preferential  
rules of origin and the LDC Services Waiver. While some progress ha d been made  on DFQF  market 
access , some developed Members were still to provide duty -free access on at least 97% of their 
tariff lines. Thanking Members for providing trade  preference s to LDCs , she underline d the positive 
role of preferences in increas ing exports , creati ng jobs and reducing poverty . She also called on  
Members not to impose unilateral and unnecessary measures during the pandemic period. She 
informed that Cambodia ha d introduced a number of measures , which it had notified to WTO, some 
of which had already been removed;  Cambodia made every effort to keep its economy open to trade 
and investment . 
 
30. The representative  of the  European Union expressed appreciation for the inclusion of 
information on  trade flows in 2020 in the Note, request ing the Secretariat to continue  monitoring 
trade trends in LDCs during the pandemic. While expressing concern regarding the trade impact of 
the pandemic, she pointed to some positive trends  in the trade relationship between the LDCs and 
the European Union . In 2019, European Union imports from LDCs had increased by 5.2% , reaching 
a value of EUR 42.3 billion  and a market share of 2.2% . Imports from LDCs under the 
European  Unions' Everything but Arms ( EBA) scheme  had experienced a growth of 9.1% and an 
improvemen t in the utilization rate from 93.4 % to 94%. She underlined that the EBA could play an 
important role as part of the support provided by the European Union to the LDCs for trade recovery. 
She highlighted  that the European Union's support to the COVID -19 recovery  was specifically 
target ing LDCs, and that the European Union would continue to stay vigilant to take any measure 
possible to help LDCs during this difficult situation .  
31. The representative of India thanked the S ecretariat for the insightful  Note. She noted that 
India remain ed a leading export destination for the LDCs ; it had account ed for 13.6% of 
LDC merchandise export s in 2019 and ha d seen an increase  in its share of LDC exports of agricultural 
products since 2011 . She said that India continue d to accord zero tariff treatment to LDCs on 96% 
of tariff lines and partial preference on another 114 tariff lines (2.15% of tariff lines ). She requested 
the Secretariat to reflect th is data in Annex Table 8 of the Note where India's duty -free cov erage 
was depicted as  94.1% . She concluded by stating that India remain ed committed to provide support 
to LDCs to strengthen their integration into the global trading system.  
32. The representative of Bangladesh  associated his delegation with the statement ma de by Chad 
on behalf of the LDC Group , and echoed Nepal 's statement. He expressed appreciation to the 
Secretariat for the comprehensive Note which reflected the challenging situation in LDCs  and the 
severe impact of the COVID -19 pandemic. He also thanked preference -granting Members for their WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  support to the LDCs. He sought clarification regarding C hart 27 which illustrated imports from LDCs 
by duty category.  In particular, he asked whether the data used for the United States' AGOA scheme 
included  only LDC beneficiaries or  all beneficiarie s - LDCs as well as  other developing countries .  
33. The representative of  the United Kingdom  thanked the S ecretariat for the Note which provided 
a sobering picture of the impact of  the COVID -19 pandemic on LDC exports. She underlined the 
importance of keeping abreast of the most recent data and analysis to  support  governments' policy 
development and COVID -19 response. She highlighted that her Government  strongly believe d that 
trade c ould be an effective  tool for fostering economic growth  and reducing poverty , which was why 
it provide d DFQF  market access to  the 47 LDCs and grant ed tariff reduction s to other developing 
countries. She concluded by reaffirming the United Kingdom 's commitm ent to support developing 
countries and LDCs in integrating into the global trading system and reducing poverty  through 
trading opportunities .  
34. The repres entative of China  thanked the S ecretariat for the informative Note and welcomed 
that LDCs continue d to benefit from du ty-free treatment provided by Members . Noting that the  LDCs' 
share in world exports had remained unchanged between 2011 and  2019, she said that  there was 
room for further improv ing market access  for LDC exports. She said that t he LDCs  were amongst 
the worst hit by the COVID -19 pandemic which ha d exacerbated their existing vulnerabilities. She 
expressed concern regarding the dramatic contraction  in LDCs' goods and services exports in the 
first half of 2020 and its impact on their economic development. As trade was a key instrument for 
economic recovery, keeping trade open remain ed an  ongoing effort of China. She was encourag ed 
to see that China had been the top export destination for LDCs  in 2019 , importing 28% of LDCs'  
exports . She said that China provided DFQF access o n 97% of tariff lines to 39  LDCs, with  Kiribati 
becoming a  new beneficiary in 2020 . She also informed  Members about  the third C hina International 
Import Expo  (Shanghai , 5-10 November 2020), which had  offered more economic opportunities for 
devel oping countries , including LDCs. She concluded by saying that C hina w ould continue to pursue 
opening up and further widen its market access to support the LDCs ' integration into global value 
chains.  
35. The representative of the Secretariat  (International Trade Statistics Section, ERSD) , 
responding to the question by the representative of Chad, elaborated on  how the LDCs could improve 
their trade balance. He explained that  the LDCs' exports tended to be concentrated in a few products , 
with a number of LDCs being dependent on fuel and travel exports. The drop in fuel prices in 2019 
and during the first half of 2020 had contributed to a  higher  merchandise trade deficit through a 
reduced value o f exports. Similarly, travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic was having  a 
particularly severe impact on the services exports of LDCs. He underlined the importance in making 
progress in terms of product diversification , for instance by climb ing up in value chain s and exporting 
more process ed products . This would  make LDCs less vulnerable to price and demand changes of 
particular goods and service s, and make their trade balance more stable  during emergencies as well 
as in the longer term.  
36. The representative of the Secretariat  (Market Access Intelligence Section, ERSD) , responding 
to the question raised by the representative of Bangladesh, clarified that the data in Chart 27 
include d all ben eficiaries  of AGOA, i.e.  both LDCs and other developing countries. Responding to the 
representative of India, he said that the duty-free coverage of 94% in  Annex  Table 8 reflected the 
year 2016, which was the latest year for which India had submitted data on preferential duties to 
the WTO Integrated Database . He said that  the Secretariat would follow up with the Delegation of  
India to obtain more recent data that would allow updating the statist ics on duty -free coverage .  
37. The representative of Chad thanked all the Member s which had shared their comments and 
noted the support of China, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and 
the United States  amongst others. He also thanked all other Member s which had participated in th e 
discussion  and expressed his appreciation for their continued support.  
38. The Chairper son thanked the Secretariat for the Note as well as for the presentation. She also 
thanked Members for their statements. She trusted that the Note, and the discussion  in the 
Sub-Committee,  helped Members to assess the trade performance of LDCs over the pas t years, and 
improved their understanding of the evolving trade situation due to the pandemic. She noted that  
the exports of the LDCs ha d been hit hard by the pandemic . At the same time,  the impact ha d not 
been uniform  across LDCs and sectors. Exports of fuels and manufactures, as well as of travel 
services, had experienced sharp contractions in the first half of 2020. She said that the  outlook for WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  trade remain ed uncertain as the pandemic continue d to dis rupt activities  around the world . She 
suggested that  the Sub -Committee take note of the Secretariat Note contained in 
WT/COMTD/LDC/W/68, as well as the statements made . She  said that the item would be kept on 
the agenda of the next meeting and suggested that the Secretar iat could present  updated trade 
statistics to  provide  further insights on the impact of the pandemic on LDC trade .  
39. It was so agreed . 
C. TRAD E-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY -BUILDING INITIATIVES 
FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
40. The Chairperson  recalled that the Work Programme for the LDCs mandated the 
Sub-Committee  to monitor capacity -building initiatives taken in favour of LDCs. She said that the 
Secretariats of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) and the Standards and Trade Dev elopment 
Facility  (STDF) would provide reports on their activities in this respect . 
(I) Update  on the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF): Report by the EIF Executive Secretariat  
41. The Chairperson  recalled that the EIF was a flagship Aid -for-Trade programme exclusively 
designed for the LDCs , and that the Sub -Committee ha d been receiving regular updates on the 
EIF Programme. She invited the Executive Director of the EIF Executive Secretariat  to provide an 
update on the activities of the EIF.  
42. The rep resentative of the EIF Executive Secretariat  (Executive Director) said that over the 
course of  the current Phase Two  of the Programme, the EIF ha d redoubled its efforts to guarantee 
that no LDC was left behind , as well as  to support LDCs in becoming  more competitive  and achieving 
sustainable dev elopment and poverty reduction.  He then elaborated on the cumulative results 
achieved by the EIF Programme by the end of 2019 as highlighted in its Annual Report  2019. 
EIF projects ha d contributed to the creation of around  30,000  jobs and helped sustai n over 
100,000  jobs in LDCs.  They had directly generated USD  400 million in export orders , and had 
indirec tly contributed to USD 1.5 billion  in LDC exports . Contributing to inclusive trade, 
EIF interventions had supported over  10,000 micro, small and medium -sized enterprises  as well as  
80,000  women beneficiaries. In terms of  resource mobilization , the EIF had mobilized  USD 42 million 
in co-financing of EIF projects , while  USD 1.9 billion of development support had been aligned with 
LDC priorities as identified  in Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies  (DTIS) . 
43. He said that at the outset of the pandemic,  the Executive Secretariat and the EIF Trust Fund 
Manager (TFM) had put in place a taskforce to prepare a business continuity p lan and risk matrix  to 
address pandemic -related challenges . While the EIF had been able to mitigate significant risk, the 
majority of risks  were still  at the medium lev el. The Executive Secretariat continued to monitor these 
risks and provided updates to the EIF Board , including in October 2020 .  
44. He said that the Executive Secretariat  and the TFM were constantly engaging with national 
implementation units a s well as main implementing entities , including through survey s as well as a  
webinar on 18  September 2020, entitled "EIF Agility and Resilience in COVID -19 – Sharing 
Experiences and Lessons Learned".  The EIF was taking a two -pronged approach in its support to 
LDCs in overcoming the challenges of the pandemic: the revitalization  approach focus ed on 
supporting sectors that ha d been badly hit by the pandemic such as tourism and manufacturing ; the 
acceleration approach focused on accelerating support to sectors that had fared relatively better 
during th e pandemic  such as  agriculture and e-commerce . 
45. He continued by saying that d espite the prevailing context, the EIF Programme ha d continued 
deliver ing on its fundamental mission of supporting the LDCs to achieve sustained trade 
development. In 2020, 22 projects worth USD 18.8 million  had been approved so far , includ ing the  
DTIS Update  in Angola; a trade institutional capacity -building project in Kiribati ; a trade analytical 
study in Burundi; productive sector capacity -building support to Central African Republic (maize, 
sesame and palm oil sectors ), Nepal (tea sector ), Maurita nia (tourism sector ), and Tuvalu (private 
sector development ); and regional productive  capacity -building projects in West Africa 
(trade  facilitation) and the Pacific Islands (quality infrastructure).  He highlighted that under the 
EIF's "Empower Women, Power Trade Initiative"  three projects had been approved, benefitting 
countries such as Burundi, Ethiopia , Haiti, South Sudan and Uganda .  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  46. He highlighted that all approved projects include d dedicated COVID -19 risk and mitigation 
strategies. He also informed on key decisions take n by the EIF Board on the Programme timeline. 
In December 2019, the EIF Board had extended the period for project implementation until 
June 2023 and the operational c ompletion  of the programme until June 2024.  Taking into account 
the COVID -19 situation, the EIF Board, at its last meeting in October 2020, had extended the project 
approval period up to June 2021 .  
47. Regarding  immediate priorities , he said that t he EIF Work Plan for 2021  would deliver output 
milestones under the EIF Phase Two logframe and the objectives of the Medium -Term Strategic Plan 
(2019 -2022) , including to  further  improve the trade environment conducive to inclusive and 
sustainable growth of the LDCs,  and increasing export s and access to international markets.  
He mentioned that other short-term priorities include d: (i) continued support to LDCs during the 
pandemic through the EIF business continuity plan; (ii) increased  engagement with EIF partners ; 
(iii) support to forthcoming meetings of the EIF Board  and the  EIF Steering Committee in November 
and December 2020, respectively;  (iv) delivery of the remaining projects forecast i n the 2020 
pipeline of projects ; (v) increased focus on leveraging private sector resources and building  the EIF 
brand; and (vi) support to the EIF Board  that was oversee ing the EIF  Phase Two  evaluation to be 
completed in  2021.  He particularly  noted the EIF's partnership with the WTO Secretariat on LDC 
graduation, and ongoing efforts to build partnerships with the United Nations Conference on Trade 
and Development  (UNCTAD ) on trade facilitation and with the International Trade Centre ( ITC) on 
digital trade . 
48. He concluded by thanking the EIF partnership – the EIF  donors  for their  financial and 
substantive support , the LDCs for their adaptability , resilience and for delivering impressive results , 
and the EIF partner agencies for their expertise and  collaboration. The EIF remain ed committed in 
assisting  the LDCs in promoting inclusive and sustainable trade despite the cris is.  
49. The representative of  the United Kingdom  thanked the EIF Executive Secretariat  for the 
update . Highlighting that the  COVID -19 pandemic  was the most serious global challenge in a 
generation , she expressed concern  regarding the vulnerability of  many low and lowe r-middle income 
countries , including with regard to  financial instability and macro -economic imbalances. Her 
Government believed that targeted technical assistance link ed to stable and pr edictable rules allow ed 
cross-border trade  to transform economies, unlock growth and reduce  poverty, which would 
ultimately support long -term COVID -19 recovery.  
50. She said that the United Kingdom  had long been a supporte r of the EIF and was proud to be 
one of its largest donors. She commend ed the EIF on its efforts  to ensure that despite the economic 
disruptions  due to the pandemic , trade c ould continue to be an engine for growth in LDCs. She also 
said that her Government  was committed to supporting LDCs to further discuss graduation issues  
they were facing as a result of the pandemic and to continue exploring  measures to facilitate  a 
smooth and sustainable graduation process.  Her delegation  looked forward to further engaging with 
the EIF and other Members on this important issue.  
51. The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group , thanked the EIF Executive Secretariat 
for the report. He highlighted the importance of the EIF Programme as a vital Aid -for-Trade initiative 
for the LDCs  and expressed appreciation for the work carried out by the Executive Secretariat during 
the pandemic . Underlining the  LDCs' need for investm ent, particula rly in e -commerce , he welcomed 
the initiative s launched by the EIF  in collaboration with ITC and UNCTAD. He welcome d all the 
projects that had been launched or were being finalized . He thanked development partners , including 
the United Kingdom, for their continued support to the LDCs t hrough the EIF . He stressed the 
importance of the sustainability of the Programme to achieve sustainable results and enhance the 
robustness of the LDCs' economies to better withstand current and future c rises. He conc luded by 
reiterat ing the LDCs' commitment to work with the EIF and their development partners to  achieve 
even better  result s for the LDCs' trade and development .  
52. The representative of Angola  associated her delegation with the statement made by Chad on 
behalf of the LDC Group. Pointing to difficulties that her Government  had been facing  in materializing  
a request  for a DTIS Update  because  of the pandemic,  she thanked  the EIF Executive  Secretariat  
and the World  Bank for their willingness  to work with Angola  on the Update . She requested  the EIF 
Executive  Secretariat  to take into account  the current  circumstances  and continue  to help LDCs 
develop  activities  linked  to growth  and assist  them in exporting  local products  to international  
markets.  She concluded  by highlight ing the important  role that the EIF played  in supporting  LDCs in WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  integrating  trade  into their national  development  plans and poverty  reduction  strateg ies, as well as 
in coordinating  technical  assistance  in line with their priority  needs.  
53. The representative of Cambodia  associated her delegation with the statement made  by Chad 
on behalf of the LDC  Group. She highlight ed the impor tance of the EIF for Cambodia, which had 
benefitted from capacity -building  for pro-poor trade refo rms, mainstreaming trade into its national 
development plan as well as for addressing supply -side constraints.  She expressed  appreciation to 
the EIF for its timely action in respond ing to the pandemic and for its support in pro moting economic 
growth , sustainable development , and creating jobs for women.  She encouraged the EIF Board to 
continue its effort s in helping LDCs. She t hanked development partners for their contribution s to the 
EIF Programme  and called on their continued support.  
54. The representative of the European Union  thanked the representative of the EIF Executive 
Secretariat for the report and expressed appreciation f or the work undertaken. She reiterated the 
support of the European  Union and a number of its member states to the EIF  Programme . 
 
55. The representative of the EIF Executive Secretariat  said that the financial , fiscal as well as the 
market -related challenges faced by the LDCs  required continue d assistance . He s aid that 
LDC graduation was a fundamental issue not only for LDCs but also for developing  and developed  
countries  as it would reflect success ful North -South, South -South and triangular  co-operation s. He 
mentioned that the graduation of a number of LDCs might be delayed  because of the pandemic , 
while Vanuatu  had decided to go  ahead with its graduation scheduled for  4 December  2020. He said 
that Vanuatu was a  good example of how an LDC  could  overcome significant challenges , attract 
investment and build  its productive capacity to create lasting impact through trade integration.   
56. He also highlighted the importance of mobilization of investment , in particular  private 
investment,  for LDCs in this crisis period . He informed that the EIF ha d partnered with the 
World  Association of Investment Promoti on Agenc ies to provide capacity -building support to  
eight graduating  LDCs and twelve  non-graduating  LDCs for attract ing foreign  direct investments.  
Regarding  e-commerce, he said that the EIF together with UNCTAD  had supported e -trade readiness 
assessments in nine LDCs. The EIF had recently also provided direct support to The Gambia to 
conduct a more comprehensive  digital trade assessment. He underlined that analytical work and 
related action matrices formed the basis of seven different  projects in a number of countries , 
including relatively larger projects in Cambodia, Myanmar and Rwanda.  
57. The Chairperson  thanked the EIF Executive Secretariat for the update and Members for their 
statements . She was encouraged to hear about the efforts made by the EIF to continue its activities 
in support of LDCs despite the cha llenges imposed by the COVID -19 pandemic, and that it continue d 
to make progress in the implementation of the Programme. She said that t he EIF remain ed a very 
important capacity -building initiative for the LDCs.  She suggest ed that the Sub-Committee take note 
of the report provided by the EIF Executive Secretariat, as well as the statements made.  
58. It was so agreed . 
(II) Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF): Briefing by the STDF Secretariat on Recent 
Activities Relating to LDCs  
59. The Chairperson  recalled that t he STDF was a capacity -building initiative to help developing 
countries enhance their capacity to comply with international sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) 
measures. She said that t he LDCs  were among the major beneficiaries of t he STDF, and that the 
Sub-Committee ha d been considering this item on a periodic basis. The Chair invite d the 
representative of the  STDF  Secretariat  to provide an update on the activities relating to LDCs.  
 
60. The representative of the STDF Secretariat  said that unsafe  food including illness, disability 
and premature deaths  resulted in  yearly productivity losses of a round  USD 95 billion in low and 
middle -income countries , with  just one animal disease  (Peste des petits ruminants  - PPR) causing 
up to USD  2.1 billion in economic losses and affecting 330 million of the world 's poorest people . 
Plant pest and diseases were responsible for losses of around 10 %-16% of global harvest s each year 
at an estimated cost of USD  220 billion. Against this background, she highlighted that SPS  capacities 
played an important role in complying with increasing food safety standards, as wel l as in promoting 
exports, job s and economic development.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  61. She said that the  STDF was a global partnership that help ed developing countries improve 
their food safety, and animal and plant health capacity to  meet SPS requirements, based on 
international standards. Its founding partners included the  Food and Agriculture Organization, 
World  Bank Group, World Health Organizat ion, World Organisation for Animal Health and WTO . 
In terms of functions, she said that the STDF served as global platform for dialogue and learning on 
SPS capacity development, carried out knowledge work and  was a funding mechanism to develop , 
implement a nd learn from innovative pilot projects. She also mentioned  that i n January 2020 the 
STDF had launche d its 2020-2024 strategy .  
 
62. Regarding the governance of the STDF, she said that the STDF Working Group held meetings  
twice per year and included the founding partners, other partner  agencies , donors, private sector 
and developing country experts  to plan, monitor and drive forward work under the strategy . 
The STDF Policy Committee provide d guidance and oversight on the d irection of work, decided on 
funding applications and supported resource mobilization. T he STDF Secretariat  implemented the  
STDF work plan a nd manage d the project portfolio. She thanked the donors of the STDF  and invited 
other Members to join in supporting the STDF .  
63. Regarding its  knowledge work, she said that the STDF had identified good practice on 
SPS solutions, including on facilitating safe trade, electronic SPS certification, public -private 
partnerships, good regulatory practice, and priorit izing SPS investments for market access (P -IMA). 
She added that  P-IMA was an evidence -based framework  that encouraged public -private dialogue 
and informed decision -making processes  to help governments chose what SPS  investments should 
be made with limited resources.  
 
64. She went on to say that the STDF had received 43  applications for project grants (PG) and 
project -preparatory grant s (PPG)  in 2019 , of which six PG and seven  PPG had been  approved. She 
highlighted that 71% of new project resources  benefitted L DCs and other low -income countries , 
which was  above the STDF's 40% target.  
 
65. She said that as a funding mechanism, the STDF provided  PPG of up to US D 50,000  which 
could  be used for feasibility studies, the application of capacity -evaluation and prioritization tools, 
or the development of a SPS capacity -building project proposal. The STDF also provided PG, where 
favourable consideration was given to  projects that : (i) identif ied, develop ed and disseminate d good 
practice in SPS related technical cooperation including development and application of innovative 
and replicable approaches; (ii) applied regional approaches; and (iii) include d collaborative 
approaches across food safety, animal and plant health and trade . She added that LDCs were 
required to  provide  at least 10% of the STDF's contribution to a project, either financially or in -kind.  
 
66. She continued by giving examples of PPGs and PGs in LDCs. The  PPG on strengthening 
SPS capacity in the shellfish sector in Senegal  aimed  to identify SPS needs and challenges 
encountered throughout the shellfish value chain , analyse the legislative framework, conduct  
regional and international market researc h and formulate a project proposal.  The PG on 
strengthening the phytosanitary system in Guinea aimed to improve the legislative and regulatory 
framework for phytosanitary control , support the National Plant Protection Organization to 
implement a risk -based phytosanitary inspection and certification system , improve the capacity of 
operators in priority s ectors (mango, potatoes) to apply good practices , and e nhance 
intergovernmental and public -private cooperation .  
 
67. She said that the regional project "Asia Pesticide Residue Mitigation through the Promotion of 
Biopesticides  and Enh ancement of Trade Opportunities " benefitt ed nine countries, including 
four LDCs ( Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao P eople's Democratic Republic  and Nepal ) and focused on 
commercially important crops  (chilli pepper, greens , basil, dragon fruit and rice). The project 
combine d the use of conventional pesticides with the use of biopesticides  to control key pests  and 
fostered South -South cooperation and learning . 
 
68. She continued  by saying that the  STDF had put in place a range of measures to mitigate and 
manage the risk of the COVID -19 pandemic for the  STDF's work. The STDF report "Managing the 
risk of COVID -19" outline d the types of risks faced and mitigation measures taken across 
STDF's  global platform, knowledge work and project portfolio . For PGs and PPGs , the STDF had 
requested implement ing partners to install COVID -19 risk mitigation measures to ensure the 
advanceme nt of work. Challenges  encountered  included poor internet connection at times as well as 
difficulties to carry out some in -field activities such as lab training. At the same time, the pandemic WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  also provided opportunities for innovation such as the use of n ew online training resources, which 
allowed for a greater reach and closer collaboration with local partners.   
 
69. She underlined that  meeting international food safety, animal and plant hea lth standards  
cleared the path to global markets  and contribut ed to new jobs  and inclusive growth.  This required 
a multi -stakeholder approach involving the government, private sector as well as other stakeholders. 
The STDF's technical assistance project s could complement national efforts to facilitate safe trade. 
She concluded by noting that the next deadline for submitting funding proposal s was 
1 January  2021.  
 
70. The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group , thanked the STDF  Secretariat  for the 
briefing . He expressed appreciation for  the STDF 's work  which helped LDCs comply with standards 
and promoted exports of agricultural goods . This was important  as agricultural production was a 
crucial part of LDCs' economies, in terms of both domestic  and foreign trade.  He expressed the 
Group's support to the STDF , which complemented  other technical assistance program mes in helping 
LDCs better integrate into the world trading system.  He concluded by asking whether it wa s possible 
to request  support through the SDTF website.  
 
71. The representative of  Bangladesh  associated his de legation with the statement made by Chad 
on behal f of the LDC  Group . He said that the regional project on residue mitigation through the 
promot ion of biopesticides was a good example of technical support and partnership in the area of 
sustainability, food safety and standardization. He noted that the  project implemented by the 
Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI). In Bangladesh project 
activities were expected to begin soon. His government believed  that the project would help promote 
public health and enhance trade opportunities. He concluded by thanking the STDF and all 
development partners that were supporting this project.  
 
72. The represe ntative of the European Union  thanked the STDF Secretariat for the presentation  
and expressed appreciation for the important work it carried out . Expressing continued support by 
the E uropean  Union  and a number of  its member states for the STDF, she  announced that the 
European  Union  had recently renewed its engagement with an additional contribution of 
EUR 3 million.  
 
73. The representative of Cambodia  said that her country faced difficulties  in conforming with 
Codex  maximum residue limit s for pesticides  and lacked sophisticated equipment for conducting 
related research , which hindered  its access to international market . She hoped that the regional 
project on residue mitigation through the promotion of biopestici des would provide necessary 
support to the  national pesticide authority, farmers, industries association s, agri-food exporters and 
domestic consumers , especially by  increas ing the  availability of integrated pest management tools 
for farmers to better prote ct crops, mitigat ing pest resistance and increas ing international trade. 
She said that the project was being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery. 
After the project start in March 2020, three virtual activities (inception workshop, training on 
laboratory, and training on field research) had been carried out betwee n April and August . 
She concluded by thank ing the STDF for the support on specific SPS issues affecting trade and 
encouraged Members to continue providing this kind of support under  WTO Agreements.  
 
74. The representative of the STDF Secretariat , in answering the question by the  representative  
of Chad , said that a new online application system  was available  on the STDF website . She invited 
delegations to contact the STDF Secretariat  if they would like to discuss an idea or concept  for a 
project, mentioning that the STDF Secretariat could provide feedback for preparing a  funding 
application.  
 
75. The Chairperson  thanked the Secretariat for the briefing  and Members for their statements . 
She was encourag ed to hear that the Facility allocate d around 70% of its project resources to LDCs 
and other low -income countries, which was well above its target of 40%. She said that  the STDF 
played an important role in helping LDCs build their SPS capacity in order to enhance their access 
to international markets . She encouraged the LDCs  to continue making use of the Facility.  
She suggested that the Sub -Committee take note of the briefing made by the STDF Secretariat, as 
well as the statements made.  
 
76. It was so agreed . WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  D. ACCESSION OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNT RIES  
(I) State of Play in the Accession Working Parties of Least Developed Countries: Report by the 
Secretariat  
77. The Chairperson  said that a ccession  was a core element of the Work Programme for the LDCs . 
She noted that eight LDCs were at various stages of the accession process to join the WTO. 
She invited the Director of the Accessions Division to brief the Sub -Committee on the state of play 
in the LDCs' Accession Working Parties.  
 
78. The representative of the Secretariat  (Director, Accession s Divisi on) said that  nine LDC 
accessions ha d been concluded between 2004 and 2016 , facilitated by LDC accession guidelines that 
had been produced in the Sub -Committee. Five LDCs (Cambodia, 2004; Nepal, 2004; Cabo  Verde, 
2008; Samoa, 2012; Vanuatu, 2012) had joined after the adoption of the initial guidelines in 2002, 
and four LDCs (Lao People's Democratic Republic,  2013; Yemen, 2014; Afghanistan, 2016; Liberia, 
2016) joined after the General Council adopted an addendum in 2012 to strength en the guidelines. 
She mentioned that two LDCs ha d graduated from LDC status after their accession , namely  Cabo 
Verde in 2008 and Samoa in 2014 , and Vanuatu was scheduled to graduate in December 2020.  
 
79. She went on to say that  LDCs accounted for eight of 23 ongoing accessions,  and involved 
six LDCs in Africa ( Comoros, Ethiopia, Sao Tomé and Principe, Somalia , South Sudan , Sudan) and 
two LDCs in Asia (Bhutan , Timor -Leste) . The eight LDC accessions were at different stages of the 
accession process , which consisted of a parallel track of multilateral negotiations on rules as well as 
bilateral negotiations on market access. She highlighted that LDC accessions  had been very active 
in 2020 . Good progress had been  made by LDC governments, even though th e COVID -19 pandemic 
had slowed down some of the work.  
 
80. She said that three of the four Accession Working party meetings that had been held in 2020 
related to LDCs. LDC Accession Working Party meetings had been held on Ethiopia (30  January), 
Comoros (14 Sep tember) and Timor -Leste (1 October) , with the latter two meetings combining 
in-person and virtual participation. S he expect ed that  the Accession Working Parties  on these three 
LDCs would hold their next  meeting s during the first quarter of 2021. She noted that the Government 
of Comoros intended to conclude its accession at the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference in 2021.  
 
81. She said that other acceding LDC governments had been carrying out preparatory activities 
for possible Working Party meetings in 2021. The Government of Somalia had submitted its 
Memorandum on Foreign Trade Regime in April 2020  and was preparing to have the first Accession 
Working Party meeting in 2021. The Governments of South Sudan and Sudan had  met with the 
respective Chairpersons of their Accession Working Parties, and were in regular contact with the 
Secretariat, planning for the reactivation of their Accession Working Parties in 2021.  She noted  that 
the LDC accession processes of Bhutan and S ao Tomé and Principe were currently inactive . She 
hoped that governments of Bhutan and Sao Tomé and Principe could  consider reactivat ing their 
accessions before the ir expected graduat ion from LDC status in in 2023 and 2024, respectively . 
 
82. She proceeded by saying that t he Secretariat continued to deliver  technical assistance and 
outreach activities to foster dialogue and experience -sharing. Two High -Level Regional Dialogues on 
WTO Accessions had been held in 2020, i.e.  the Third Regional Dialogu e for Africa in Addis  Ababa, 
Ethiopia , in February  as well as the First Regional Dialogue for the Arab Region in November 
(virtually).  She thanked former trade negotiators from Afghanistan, Liberia and Yemen for sharing 
their accession experiences with acceding governments  at these events . She also thanked Members 
for providing support to the acceding LDCs, making a special reference to China's LDCs and 
Accessions Programme.  
 
83. Noting that more than half of the eight acceding LDCs were fragile and conflict -affected 
countries, she drew Members' attention to the Trade for Peace Week scheduled from 30 November  
to 4 December 2020. She also mentioned that as part of WTO's Trade for Peace Initiative, 
the g7+ WTO Accessions Group, led by Afghanistan, was highlighting the specific needs and 
vulnerabilities of fragile and conflict -affected countries in their efforts to integrate into the global 
economy  and use trade as a vehicle for sustainable peace . She conclud ed by mentioning that more 
information on accessions could be obtained from the forthcoming 2020 Annua l Report on WTO 
Accessions (WT/ACC/38/Rev.1  - WT/GC/228/Rev.1 ) as well as the WTO website.  
 WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  84. The representative of  the United Kingdom  thanked the Secretariat  for the comprehensive 
report . She mentioned that her Government was  supportive of those countries wishing to accede to 
the WTO and recognise d the economic benefits of integration into the rules-based multilateral 
trading  system , which was even more important g iven the pandemic . To that end,  
the United  Kingdom continue d to support eligible developing countries through the Trade and 
Investment Advocacy Fund. She believed that the commitments and reforms that governments 
undert ook when joining WTO would strengthen their trade and investment prospects. Her  delegation 
looked forward to engag ing constructively with acceding LDCs throughout the ir accession process es. 
 
85. The representative of the Republic of Korea  expressed appreciation for the work carried out 
by the Accession s Division. He said that the accession of LDCs enhanced the  inclusiveness  and 
universality of the WTO M embership . Noting his Government's  support  for the exped itious accession 
of LDCs , he high lighted the critical role played by technical assistance and capacity building in this 
regard. He also underlined the importance of facilitating and accelerating LDC accessions through 
simplified and streamlined procedures pursuant to the LDC accession gui delines . He expressed 
support for the Trade for Peace Initiative and countries like Afghanistan and Liberia that had been 
championing this initiative. Given  the Republic of Korea's own past experience , his Government  
understood the benefits of bringing fragile and conflict -affected  countr ies into the multilateral trading 
system.  
 
86. The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group , thanked  the Secretariat  and its 
Accessions Division  for the report and its work on LDC accessions. He said that LDC  accession s 
remained a priority issue for the Group to provide all LDCs better prospects to gain from international 
trade by being part of the rules -based trading system. He welcomed the progress that had been 
made on LDC ac cessions  in 2020 . He urged Members t o facilitate  LDC accession s as much as 
possible , considering the  significant human, financial and institutional constraints  faced by the LDCs . 
 
87. He called on Members to adhere to  the LDC accession guidelines , which requested Members 
to refrain from demanding concessions and commitm ents going beyond the benchmark s for average 
tariff binding s for goods, and in terms of market access for services. He thanked the Secretariat  as 
well as Members for their technical a ssistance, which provided helpful support to LDCs at each  stage 
of their accession process es. He concluded by highlight ing that the need for support , and innovati on 
in support,  was all the more important in the current context  which  limited physical intera ctions.  
 
88. The representative of Cambodia  associated her delegation with the statement made by Chad 
on behalf of the LDC  Group . She expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Secretariat 
and Members for facilitating the accession of LDCs , and thanked Members for recogni zing the 
administrative and resource difficulties of LDCs in accession negotiations . She called on Members to 
negotiate with LDCs , both in bilateral and multilateral  modes,  as per the LDC accession guidelines 
to facilitate their accession process es, including by exercis ing restraint in seeking  market access 
concession s and commitment s on trade in goods and services. She concluded by expressed  
appreciation for Members ' support , including for China's LDCs and Accessions Progra mme, and 
encourage d Members to continue providing necessary support  tailored to the specific  needs  of 
acceding LDCs.  
 
89. The representative of the United States thanked  the Secretariat for the  report . She noted  that 
the United States was an active participant in eve ry Accession Working Party. She said that h er 
Government was a strong advocate of the WTO accession process as it made important and 
long-term contributions to  the sustainable development of Members at every stage of developmen t, 
including LDCs. She underlined that the reform process that had been undertaken by Article  XII 
Members, made them  stronger and more resilient.  Pro-trade domestic reforms required to 
implement WTO rules a s well as  liberaliz ation of  tariffs and trade in s ervices support ed fuller 
integration into world markets and sen t a powerful signal to global investors. The implementation of 
WTO provisions provide d a predictable and stable legal framework that support ed national economic 
goals such as achieving sustainable growth, promoting high -tech industry, attracting foreign 
investment, raising living standards, and asserting national trade interests worldwide.  
 
90. She went on to say that, as evidenced in the Director -General's annual reports on accessions, 
Article  XII Members tended to outperform other Members  in terms of trade growth  and benefitted 
from higher inflows of foreign direct investment. She also referre d to findings of a n empirical study 
which had shown that accessions tend ed to raise income, but only for those countries that were 
subject to rigorous accession procedures.  She highlighted that successful accession candidates took  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  advantage of the benefits  that accrue d from full participation in the accession process, whereby 
Members work ed with the candidate in Accession Working Parties to help bring its regime in line 
with WTO rules.  The iterative process of Working Party meetings serv ed as a tool for acceding 
governments , including LDCs,  to help push throug h at times difficult reforms  and advanc e in the  
implementation of WTO rules.  She emphasized that calls for accelerating the accession process of 
LDCs were misplaced as it would deprive  acceding LDCs from generous  technical assistance that was 
provided for achieving reforms . 
 
91. She underlined that  the WTO accession process require d substantial time and effort , both from 
acceding  governments  but also from  Members participating in Accessions  Working Part ies. She 
stressed the importance of Member s' due diligence of an acceding government 's trade regime  to 
identify what reform was  needed to bring it in line with WTO rules.  Without this due diligence, the 
multilateral trading system wo uld transform  towards being less open, less transparent, and less 
predictable.  She regretted that too often, in particular for smaller applicants, the United States  had 
found  itself nearly alone among Members in Accession Working Parties in undertaking the  intensive 
effort to work with applicants, through the question and reply process, to help th em advance their 
accessions . She invite d other Members to join the United States in these important efforts.  
 
92. The representative of Angola  thanked the Secretariat for the report  and associated her 
delegation with the statement made by the representative of  Chad on behalf of the LDC  Group . She 
congratulated the Government of Timor -Leste for its first Accession Working Party meeting, which 
was an important step towards joining the WTO . She hoped that Timor -Leste's accession process 
would progress in the best possible way.  
93. The representative of the European Union thanked the Secretariat for the  detailed report and 
expressed the European Union's  support to all countries in the process of accession, particularly the 
LDCs. She stressed that accession to the WTO was key to the  inclusiveness of the WTO. She 
encouraged LDCs to take advantage of technical assistance that  was available through the WTO as 
well as on a bilateral basis . She concluded by saying that the accession process could be long , but 
this process and subsequent Membership  would be  rewarding for acceding countries . 
94. The representative of China  expressed appreciation for the work done by the Accession s 
Division. Agreeing with previous interventions, she highlighted that successful accession s of LDCs 
enhanced the  inclusiveness and diversity of the WTO. She was glad that China's LDCs and Accessions 
Programme  could play a n important  role in the accession process and assured  acceding LDCs of 
China's  continued  support in their accession to the WTO.  
95. The representative of the Secretariat  (Accessions Division)  explained that support c ould be 
given to LDCs in different ways. One way was through direct engagement with acceding government s 
in Accession Working Parties  through  asking question and providing comment s on draft legislation s. 
In this respect , she expressed s pecial thanks to the U nited States  for the  important role they ha d 
been playing in all accession s, and agreed on the importance of the work in Accession Working 
Parties . She said that in 2020 a number of Members had be come active in  participating in Accession 
Working Party  Meetings , and encouraged other Members to take interest  in the Accession Working 
Parties.   
96. She said that the technical assistance provided by Members was another important way to 
support the accession of LDCs. In this respect, she mentioned China's LDCs and Accessions 
Programme, the United Kingdom's Trade Advocacy Fund as well as bilateral support p rovided by the 
European Union. She added that a third way of supporting accession was through the chairing an 
Accession  Working Party  and the sharing of experiences. She  concluded by  thank ing Members for 
their support , noting that  the Sub-Committee  was an important platform in suppo rting and 
highlighting challenges of LDC accessions .  
97. The Chairperson  thanked the Secretariat for the report and Members for their statements. 
She said that it was encoura ging that, despite the current difficulties, a number of Accession Working 
Party meetings of LDCs had been held in 2020 and good progress had been made. She said that t he 
accession of LDCs to the WTO contribute d to further enhancing the inclusiveness of the multilat eral 
trading system . She  encouraged all Members to  make a special effort to help LDCs  accede to the 
WTO, and conclude the ongoing LDC accession negotiations as early as possible. The LDC accession 
guidelines ha d been designed to facilitate LDC accessions. She suggested that the Sub -Committee 
take note of the report made by the Secretariat as well as the statements made.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/8 9 
 
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  98. It was so agreed . 
E. OTHER BUSINESS  
99. Since there were no suggestions for any item , the Chairperson  inform ed Members that the 
next meeting of the Sub -Committee was tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 202 1. 
The exact date w ould be communicated in due course.  
100.  The meeting was adjourned . 
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