WT/COMTD/102  
 
23 November  2022 
(22-8724) Page: 1/7 
   
 
 
REPORT (20 22) OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  This report covers the work of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) in 20 22. An 
overview is provided of the work of the CTD's Regular Session, the Dedicated Session on the 
Monitoring Mechanism  (MM) on Special and Differential Treatment  (S&D) , the Dedicated Sessions 
on Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs), Preferential Trade Arrangements (PTAs) and 
Small  Economies, the  CTD's work on Aid  for Trade, and the  work of the Sub -Committee on Least 
Developed Countries.1 
2  REGULAR SESSION  
2.1.  The CTD in Regular Session held three formal meetings in 202 2, on 25 March  (117th Session), 
20 June (118th Session) and 17 November (1 19th Session). The minutes of these meetings ar e 
contained in documents WT/COMTD/M/1 17, WT/COMTD/M/ 118 and WT/COMTD/M/1 192, 
respectively. The 117th Session was chaired by Ambassador Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha (Pakistan). 
At the end of that meeting, Ambassador Usha Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius) was elected 
Chairperson of the CTD for 2022  and subsequently  chaired the 118th and 119th Sessions.  
2.2.  Memb ers agreed to continue to invite a number of intergovernmental organizations on an 
ad hoc meeting -by-meeting basis. A full list of intergovernmental organizations with observer status 
in the Committee is contained in document WT/COMTD/W/22/Rev.8. The CTD c ontinues to have 
outstanding requests for observer status from the League of Arab States, the Organization of the 
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC), 
the Organisation internationale de la Francophon ie, the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), 
the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and the Groupe de la Banque 
Africaine de Développement.  
2.3.  The principal areas addressed by the CTD in Regular Session during the period covered in this 
report included the following:  
• Technical cooperation and training;  
• Market access for developing and least developed countries;  
• Report of the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO  
(ITC) ; 
• Ministerial Declaration from the Twelfth Ministerial Conference  (MC12)  on the WTO response 
to the C OVID -19 pandemic and preparedness for future pandemics;  
• Trade and development - work in the Committee on the basis of the Chairman's concluding 
statement from the Eighth Ministerial Conferen ce (MC8); 
• Work Programme on Electronic Commerce;  
• Duty-free and quota -free (DFQF) market access for least developed countries (LDCs) . 
 
2.1  Technical Cooperation and Training  
2.4.  At the 11 7th Session, the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC)  provided  a 
briefing  on WTO technical assistance (TA) activities  in 202 2. It was noted, inter alia , that the 
Secretariat intended to progressively resume face -to-face activities as soon as the conditions were 
in place . At the 11 8th Session, the Commi ttee took note of the TA Annual Report for 202 1 
 
1 The Special Session of the CTD, dealing with the issue of S&D, has its own reporting channel . 
2 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/102  
 
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  (WT/COMTD/W/2 65). The report indicates, inter alia , that the COVID -19 pandemic continued to be 
the main constraint for the WTO's TA in 2021. Overall, the 66% TA success rate as measured under 
the results -based management approach was stable compared to 2020. However, this stability of 
results was overshadowed by the almost total absence of face -to-face activities and a drop in 
participation. The total number of learners fell by 23% compared to 2020 and request s for national 
activities declined to a historic low. "Digital fatigue ", increased global competition for 
e-learners'  time, and the difficulties of remote working are identified as possible contributors to this 
situation.   
2.5.  At the 119th Session, the Chairperson  provided an update on the WTO Chairs Programme 
(WCP). An independent evaluation found that Chairs had successfully generated high -quality 
research and advice that translated into concrete policy action on the ground. The Chair person  
reported, inter alia , that the evaluator's recommendations for improvement had been implemented . 
The programme added five LDCs in its third cycle taking the total number to seven . It ha d greatly 
boosted its presence in previously underrepresented areas across Africa,  Asia and Latin America. 
The programme was now more integrated with other WTO TA and research activities. With the 
addition of 17 new institutions , the network now comprise d 36 institutions. The Chair person  recalled 
the D irector -General 's plan to shorten t he intervals for admission of new Chairs and  that this 
expansion require d longer -term stability of resources. Regional events and the in -person annual 
conference in July 2022 featured sustainable trade, MC12  outcomes and enhanced coordination with 
WTO Memb er groups in prioritizing research.  
2.2  Market Access for Developing and Least Developed Countries  
2.6.  With regard to RTAs, a notification was made concerning the Protocol to amend the Framework 
Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation  and certain Agreement s thereunder  between 
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China  (Goods)  (WT/COMTD/N/20/Add.2) .3 
Notification s were also  made concerning the Accession of Seychelles to the Common Market for 
Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)  (WT/COMTD/RTA23/N/1)4, and the Comprehensive 
Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the United Arab Emirates (Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/RTA2 4/N/1) .5 
2.7.  A number of document s were submitted by Uruguay on behalf of  the member countries of the 
Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) . These included a communication circulated in 
documents WT/COMTD/RTA/W/9 and WT/COMTD/RTA/W/9/Corr.1  concerning  additional protocols 
concluded by the LAIA member countries under the 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (TM80). Following 
from this communication, 439 notifications were circulated in accordance with the document symbols 
specified in Annexes I to VIII of WT/COMTD /RTA/W/9 and WT/COMTD/RTA/W/9/Corr.1. A second 
communication, circulated in documents WT/COMTD/RTA/W/10 and WT/COMTD/RTA/W/10/Corr.1, 
was concerned with notifications to the WTO of instruments concluded under the TM80 in 2020. 
Following from this communica tion, 33 notifications were circulated in accordance with the document 
symbols specified in WT/COMTD/RTA/W/10 and WT/COMTD/RTA/W/10/Corr.1.6 
2.8.   A reference to the RTA notification concerning the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Customs 
Union remained on the a genda. The communication from China, Egypt and India titled "Systemic 
and Specific Issues arising out of the Dual Notification of the GCC Customs Union" 
(WT/COMTD/W/175) also remained on the agenda.   
 
3 This notification was reflected on the agenda of the CTD's 16th Dedicated Session on RTAs, which was 
held on 25 March 2022 .  
4 This notification was reflected on the agenda of the CTD's 17th Dedicated Session on RTAs, which was 
held on 20 June 2022.  
5 This notification was reflected on the agenda of the CTD's 18th Dedicated Session on RTAs, which was 
held on 17 November 2022 . 
6 The documents submitted by Uruguay on behalf of the LAIA member countries were reflected on the 
agenda of the CTD's 1 6th Dedica ted Session on RTAs, which was held on 25 March 2022.  WT/COMTD/102  
 
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  2.9.  As regards PTAs, notifications were made concerning the Generalized System of Preferences 
(GSP) schemes of the United States  (WT/COMTD/N/1/A dd.12)7, Norway  (WT/COMTD/N/6/A dd.8)8 
and Japan (WT/COMTD/N/2/A dd.18).9 
2.3  Report of the Joint Advisory Group on the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO  
2.10.  The JAG held its 55th Session on 2 November 2021 and its 56th Session on 13 September  2022. 
The Chairman of the 55th Session of the JAG, Ambassador Paul Bekkers (Netherlands)  presented the 
report of that meeting (ITC/AG/(LV) /284) to the CTD at its 117th Session.  The report of the 56th 
Session of the JAG (ITC/AG(LVI)/288) was presented to  the CTD at i ts 119th Session  by a 
representative of  the ITC, on behalf of  the Chairperson of the JAG's 56th Session, Ambassador Usha 
Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius) . The Committee took note of the reports and forwarded 
them to the General Council for adoption.  
2.4  Ministerial Declaration from the Twelfth Ministerial Conference on the WTO response 
to the COVID -19 pandemic and preparedness for future pandemics  
2.11.  An item concerning the MC12 Ministerial Declaration on the WTO Response to the 
COVID -19 pandemic and preparedness for future pandemics (WT/MIN(22)/31 - WT/L/1142) was 
listed on the agenda of the 119th Session . Under this agenda item, the Committee considered a 
communication from the United States titled "Responding to the COVID -19 Pandemic and Supporting 
Resiliency" (WT/COMTD/W/268).  Some ideas were shared on possible work for the CTD to undertake 
in the contex t of th e Ministerial Declaration. It was agreed that  the item concerning the Ministerial 
Declaration would remain on the CTD's agenda until the end of 2024.  
2.5  Trade and Development - Work in the Committee on the basis of the 
Chairman's  concluding statement f rom the Eighth Ministerial Conference  
2.12.  At MC8, Ministers , inter alia , reaffirmed the positive link between trade and development and 
called for focused work in the CTD. Ministers called on Members to fully operationalize the mandate 
of the CTD as a focal po int for development work. The Committee continued its discussions in the 
course of 20 22 on the outstanding proposals for work under the MC8  mandate. One proposal 
– by Barbados, Belize, China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group (WT/COMTD/W/208) – is 
for the CTD to report on development -related activities and development issues raised in other 
WTO bodies. The other remaining proposal – by China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group  
and contained in document WT/COMTD/W/192  – is for the CTD to make a recommendation for the 
parties to RTAs to submit their notification and information requirements jointly. The Chair person  
encouraged continued engagement among Members in order to make progress on these proposals.  
2.6  Work Programme o n Electronic Commerce  
2.13.  The item concerning the Work Programme on E -Commerce  was listed on the agenda of the 
117th, 118th and 119th Sessions. Discussion took place  on a communication from India and 
South  Africa titled "Global Electronic Commerce for Inclusiv e Development" (WT/COMTD/W/264).  
Members ' attention was drawn to the MC12 Ministerial Decision on the Work Programme on 
E-Commerce (WT/MIN( 22)/32 – WT/L/ 1143), in which it was agreed  - inter alia  - to reinvigorate the 
work under the Work Programme on E -Commerce, based on the mandate as set out in WT/L/274 
and particularly in line with its development dimension.   
2.7  Duty -free and quota-free market access for LDCs  
2.14.  An item concerning DFQF market access for LDCs was listed on the agendas of the 11 7th, 
118th and 119th Sessions. The Committee was informed of some updates with respect to the provision 
of DFQF market access for LDCs. At the 11 9th Session, the Committee conducted its annual review 
of the steps taken to provide DFQF market access to LDCs.  The Chairpe rson informed t he Committee 
 
7 This notification was reflected on the agenda of the CTD's 8th Dedicated Session on PTAs, which was 
held on 2 5 March 202 2.  
8 This notification was reflected on the agenda of the CTD's 8th Dedicated S ession on PTAs, which was 
held on 25 March 2022 .  
9 This notification was reflected on the agenda of the CTD's 10th Dedicated Session on PTAs, which was 
held on 17 November  2022. WT/COMTD/102  
 
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  that her informal consultations had not found a way forward that would allow the Secretariat to 
update its report on Members'  DFQF market access for LDCs, as instructed in the Bali Ministerial 
Decision (WT/MIN(13)/44 – WT/L/919).  She invited  Members to consider the matter and provide 
guidance.  In the meantime, she believe d that the CTD  should continue with its annual DFQF reviews 
even with out a Secretariat report, as it had been doing since 2017.  
3  DEDICAT ED SESSION ON THE MONITORING MECHANISM ON SPECIAL AND 
DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT  
3.1.  The Dedicated Session on the MM on S&D held two formal meetings during 2022, on 20 June 
and on 17 November, both chaired by Ambassador  Usha Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius).  
The minutes of these meetings are contained in documents WT/COMTD/MMSDT/M/ 16 and 
WT/COMTD/MMSDT/M/ 1710, respectively. At the June Session, the Chair person  noted that, 
according to the Decision establishing the MM (WT/MIN(13)/45 - WT/L/920), the monitoring of 
special and differential provisions is to be undertaken on the basis of written inputs or submissions 
made by Members, as well as on the basis of reports from other WTO bodies to which submissions 
by Members c ould also be made. She observed in this regard that there were still no written 
submissions in the MM. She also referred to paragraph 12 of the Decision establishing the MM, which 
states that " The Mechanism shall be reviewed three years after its first for mal meeting, and 
thereafter as necessary, taking into account its functio ning and evolving circumstances" . It was 
recalled  in this regard  that delegations had expressed different perspectives on the question of the 
review . She indicated that she would be h olding discussions with Members in informal settings in 
order to explore what could be done to make the MM operational.  Discussion on these issues 
continued at the November session.  The Chai rperson  urged Members to work together in order to 
come to a commo n understanding on how to move forward with the MM.  
4  DEDICATED SESSION ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
4.1.  Three meetings of the CTD 's Dedicated Session on RTAs were held in 202 2. The 16th Dedicated 
Session on RTAs was held on 25 March 2022 and was chaired by 
Ambassador  Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha (Pakistan). The general minutes of this meeting are 
contained in document WT/COMTD/RTA/M/16. At the meeting, the Committee took note of a 
notification concerning the Protocol to amend the Framework Agreement on Comprehen sive 
Economic Cooperation and certain Agreements thereunder between ASEAN and China  (Goods)  
(WT/COMTD/N/20/Add.2) . Note was also taken of a number of documents submitted by Uruguay on 
behalf of the LAIA member countries11, and of the Chairman's report on t he status of the preparation 
of factual presentations of RTAs (WT/COMTD/RTA/W/11). The Committee then considered the 
Free Trade Agreement between Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/RTA1/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA1/1)12, as per the provisions of the 14 December 2006 
General Council Decision on a Transparency Mechanism for RTAs (RTA TM).13  
4.2.  The 17th and 18th Dedicated Session s on RTAs were held on 20 June 2022  and 
17 November  2022 respectively and were chaired by Ambassador Usha Chandnee 
Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius).  The general minutes of the 17th Dedicated Session on RTAs are 
contained in document WT/COMTD/RTA/M/17. At this meeting , the Committee took note of a 
notification concerning the Accession of Seychelles to the Common Market for E astern and 
Southern  Africa (COMESA) (WT/COMTD/RTA23/N/1), and of the Chairperson's report on the status 
of the preparation of factual presentations of RTAs (WT/COMTD/RTA/W/12).  The general minutes of 
the 18th Dedicated Session on RTAs  meeting are contained  in document WT/COMTD/RTA/M/1 8.14 At 
this meeting, the Committee took note of a notification concerning the CEPA between India and the 
United Arab Emirates (WT/COMTD/RTA24/N/1), and of the Chair person 's report on the status of the 
preparation of factual pr esentations of RTAs (WT/COMTD/RTA/W/ 13). The Committee then 
considered the Free Trade Agreement between the GCC Member States and Singapore (Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/RTA22/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA22/1, WT/COMTD/RTA22/2 )15, and the Accession of 
 
10 To be issued.  
11 The description of these documents can be found in paragraph 2.6 above.  
12 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA 1/M/1.  
13 WT/L/671.  
14 To be issued.  
15 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RT A22/M/1 (to be issued).  WT/COMTD/102  
 
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  Seychelles to COMESA (WT/COMTD/RTA23/N/1 , WT/COMTD/RTA16/1)16, as per the provisions of 
the RTA TM . 
5  DEDICATED SESSION ON PREFERENTIAL TRADE ARRANGEMENTS  
5.1.  Three meetings of the CTD 's Dedicated Session on PTAs were held in 202 2. The 8th Dedicated 
Session on PTAs was held on 2 5 March 202 2 and was chaired by Ambassador Muhammad Mujtaba 
Piracha (Pakistan) . The minutes of this meeting are contained in document WT/COMTD/PTA/M/ 8. 
At the meeting, the Committee took note of notification s concerning the GSP  schemes of 
the United  States  (WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.12 ) and Norway (WT/COMTD/N/6/Add.8) . Note was also 
taken of the Chairman's report on the status of the preparation of factual presentations of PTAs 
(WT/COMTD/PTA/W/ 6).  
5.2.  The 9th and 10th Dedicated Session s on PTAs were held on 20 June 2022 and 17  November  2022 
and w ere chaired by Ambassador Usha Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius).  The minutes of the 
9th Dedicated Session on PTAs are contained in document WT/COMTD/PTA/M/9. At this meeting , the 
Committee took note of the Chairperson's report  on the status of the preparation of factual 
presentations of PTAs (WT/COMTD/PTA/W/7). The minutes of the 10th Dedicated Session on PTAs 
are contained in document WT/COMTD/PTA/M/10.17 At this meeting , the Committee took note of a 
notification concerning Ja pan's GSP  scheme (WT/COMTD/N/2/Add.18) and of the Chairperson's 
report on the status of the preparation of factual presentations of PTAs (WT/COMTD/PTA/W/8).  
6  DEDICATED SESSION ON SMALL ECONOMIES  
6.1.  The CTD's 43rd Dedicated Session on Small Economies was on 20 May 2022 and was chaired 
by Ambassador Usha Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius ). The minutes of th is meeting are 
contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/M/ 43. At the meeting, the Dedicated Session agreed to a n 
outline of a background document  by the Secretariat on the topic of "integrating small economies 
into the post COVID -19 economy: effects of the pandemic, challenges and opportunities ".18 The 
outline was proposed in a submission by Guatemala on behalf of the Group of Small, Vulnerable 
Economies (WT/COMTD/SE/W/44) . The Chairperson indicated that  a meeting of the Dedicated 
Session would be convened once the Secretariat document was ready, so that Members could begin 
their discussion  on this topic.  
7  AID FOR TR ADE 
7.1.  The CTD held its 54th, 55th and 56th Sessions on Aid for Trade on 8 February, 4 May and 
11 October  2022, respectively . The meetings were chaired by Ambassador Muhammad Mujtaba  
Piracha (Pakistan) in February and Ambassador Usha Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius) in 
May and October. The minutes of the meetings are contained in documents WT/COMTD/AFT/M/54, 
WT/COMTD/AFT/M/55 and WT/COMTD/AFT/M/5619, respectively.  In addition , a series of thematic 
workshops were organized  in proximity to each formal CTD Aid -for-Trade meeting . A workshop on 
digital connectivity and economic diversification was held on 7 February  2022. This was followed by 
a workshop on the Aid -for-Trade Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) exercise on 31 May  2022. The 
final them atic workshop of the biennium was organized on 10 October  2022 to consider the economic 
diversification impact of Aid for Trade.  
7.2.  At each formal CTD Aid -for-Trade meeting , Members reviewed the implementation of work 
activities within the framework of the 2 020-2022 Work Programme on "Empowering Connected 
Sustainable Trade" (WT/COMTD/AFT/W/81/Rev.1)  and provided updates on their Aid -for-Trade 
activities. Updates were also provided by a number of international organizations , multilateral 
 
16 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA23/M/1  (to be issued) . 
17 To be issued.  
18 In the MC12 Ministerial Decision on the Work Programme on Small Economies 
(WT/MIN(22)/25 -WT/L/1136 ), instructions were given for work to be undertaken on this topic. In particular, 
the Secretariat was instructed " to provide relevant information and factua l analysis for discussion among 
Members in the CTD's  Dedicated Session on Small Economies, inter alia , in the areas identified in item k of 
paragraph 2 of the Work Programme on Small Economies and, in particular, to work on integrating small 
economies into  the post COVID -19 economy: effects of the pandemic, challenges and opportunities ".  
19 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/102  
 
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  development banks and other agencies , including the African Development Bank, the  
Asian  Development Bank, the Enhanced Integrated Framework  (EIF), the European Bank for 
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Inter -American Development Bank, the Islamic Trade 
Finance Corporation  (ITFC) , the ITC, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development 
(OECD), the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), the United Nations Conference on 
Trade and Development  (UNCTAD) , the United Nations Industrial Development O rganization 
(UNIDO)  and the World Bank Group . During the meetings, t he Secretariat provided briefings  on 
various aspects of the Aid for Trade initiative , including on preparations for the 8th Global Review of 
Aid for Trade  and on responses to the M&E exerc ise.20 Reports of the corresponding Aid -for-Trade 
workshops were also presented.  At the CTD's 56th Session on Aid for Trade, Deputy Director -General 
Xiangchen Zhang made a statement outlining  the importance of the Aid -for-Trade initiative and 
reflecting on ways in which it could be reinvigorated.  
7.3.  The 8th Global Review of Aid for Trade, the centrepiece of the 2020 -2022 Aid -for-Trade Work 
Programme , was held on 27 -29 July 2022 at the WTO. Over the three days, a total of 53 se ssions 
were held on trade and development themes. Research publications were also released by the WTO, 
the OECD, multilateral development banks and other collaborators. More information on the event  
and the publications can be accessed at www.wto.org/aidfortrade . 
8  SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
8.1.  Three formal meetings of the Sub -Committee on Least Developed Countries (hereafter the 
Sub-Committee) were held in 2022.  These meetings took place on 16 February (92nd Session), 
30 May (93rd Session) and 20 October (94th Session). The minutes of the se meetings are contained 
in documents WT/COMTD/LDC/M/92, WT/COMTD/LDC/M/93 and WT/COMTD/LDC/M/9421, 
respectively. The meetings were chaired by Ambassador Kirst i Kauppi (Finland). The delegation of 
Chad represented the LDC Group in the 92nd and 93rd Sessions of the Sub -Committee. The delegation 
of Djibouti acted as the LDC Coordinator at the 94th Session.  
8.2.  The Sub -Committee considered the following subjects: (i) m arket access for LDCs; 
(ii) WTO technical assistance and training for LDCs; iii) Fifth UN Conference on the LDCs (LDC5); 
iv) World Bank's support provided to LDCs in the area of digital trade; and v) South -South Dialogue 
on LDCs and development. Furthermor e, the Sub -Committee had focused discussions on supporting 
small businesses in LDCs and the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in 
economic growth and development.  
8.1  Market access for LDCs  
8.3.  At the 92nd Session, the Secretariat provided an  update on LDC trade in goods and services in 
2021 (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/69), which showed that the decline of LDC exports during the pandemic 
was stronger for LDCs than for the rest of the world. The LDCs urged Members to continue to take 
initiatives to help th em improve their participation in goods and services trade.  
8.4.  At the 94th Session, the Chair person  announced the release of the 2022 note on market access 
for products and services of export interest to LDCs (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/70). The LDC share in world 
exports remained static at 0.93 per cent over the last two years.   
8.2  WTO technical assistance and traini ng for LDCs  
8.5.  At the 92nd Session, the Secretariat provided an account of TA and training activities carried 
out over the past two years and planned LDC -specific activities for 2022. The LDCs expressed 
appreciation for the continuation of internship and trai neeship programmes during the pandemic.  
They also  highlighted the difficulties they faced in fully benefiting from virtual training programmes 
in view of their limited internet access.  
 
20 The joint OECD -WTO Aid-for-Trade M&E exercise for the 8th Global Review can be found in document 
WT/COMTD/AFT/W/92 . 
21 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/102  
 
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  8.3  Fifth UN Conference on the LDCs (LDC5)  
8.6.  At the 92nd Session, the United Nations Office of the Under -Secretary -General and 
High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and 
Small  Island Developing States (UN -OHRLLS) provided an update on the LDC5 Conference . 
The UN Member States adopted the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs for the decade 2022 -2031 
on 17 March 2022 in New York. The second part of the LDC5 Conference will take place in 
Doha,  Qatar, from 5 -9 March 2023.  
8.4  Supporting digital trade  
8.7.  At the 92nd Session, the Sub -Committee considered a briefing by the World Bank on its support 
to developing countries in the area of digital trade, covering digital infrastructure, e -payments, as 
well as digital trade governance. The LDCs underlined the need to addre ss the digital gaps to benefit 
from opportunities arising from digital technologies and wished to deepen the engagement with the 
World Bank.  
8.5  Supporting small businesses in LDCs  
8.8.  At the 93rd Session, the Sub -Committee had a thematic discussion on support to small 
businesses in LDCs. Representatives from the ITC, the STDF and UNIDO presented initiatives 
supporting small businesses in LDCs. During the session, capital -based representatives from 
The Gambia, Madagascar and Senegal shared their experiences with th ese initiatives. The LDCs 
encouraged the ITC, STDF and UNIDO to pursue their efforts in  supporting small and medium -sized 
enterprises in  LDCs, including to better realize the opportunities offered by the multilateral trading 
system.  
8.6  Role of the African Con tinental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in economic growth and 
development  
8.9.  At the 94th Session, Members focused on the role of the AfCFTA in economic growth and 
development in LDCs. Following the overview of the AfCFTA by the Coordinator of the African Group 
(Cameroon), representatives from Djibouti and Togo shared their experiences with the AfCFTA.  
8.10.  LDC development partners  – the European Union, United States Agency for International 
Development  and TradeMark East Africa – shared their perspectives and support p rovided with 
regional integration efforts in Africa. Developing and developed country Members expressed their 
commitment and support for AfCFTA Member States to realize gains from increased regional and 
global trade opportunities.  
8.7  South -South Dialogue on LDCs and Development  
8.11.  At the 92nd Session, the Coordinator of the LDC Group provided a report on 
the Fourth  South -South Dialogue on LDCs and Development, held in Montreux, Switzerland in 
September 2021. A report on the Fifth South -South Dialogue  on LDCs and Development, held in 
Geneva, Switzerland in May 2022, was provided by the LDC Coordinator at the 93rd Session. Both 
these events focused on the current discussions in the WTO negotiations and LDC trade priorities. 
The LDC Group expressed appre ciation for the continued support by China to help them integrate 
into the multilateral trading system.  
8.8  Report by the LDC Coordinator on recent activities  
8.12.  At the 93rd Session, the LDC Coordinator provided an update on the Group's recent activities 
to advance their priority interests in the WTO. The LDCs reiterated the call for an outcome on 
LDC graduation at MC12 and highlighted recent submissions by the LDC Group on W TO reform 
(JOB/GC/223/Rev.1) and agriculture (JOB/AG/227). At the 94th Session, the LDC Coordinator 
provided a further update on the Group's recent activities and encouraged Members to engage 
constructively on LDC priorities, including on the revised propo sal on LDC graduation 
(WT/GC/W/807/Rev.1) . 
__________