WT/ACC/24, WT/MIN(15)/1  
WT/GC/170, WT/COMTD/LDC/23  
 
8 June 2015  
(15-2985)  Page: 1/9  
  Original: English  
 
 DUSHANBE THIRD CHINA ROUND TABLE ON WTO ACCESSIONS 
POST-ACCESSION: MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS OF WTO MEMBERSHIP AND GLOBAL ECONOMIC 
INTEGRATION, 2-4 JUNE 2015  
THE DUSHANBE STATEMENT 
The following communication, dated 4 June 2015,  addressed to the Director-General of the 
World Trade Organization and to the Chairman of the General Council, is being circulated at the 
request of the Delegation of Tajikistan (H.E. Nematullo HIKMATULLOZODA, Minister of Economic 
Development and Trade, Republic of Tajikistan).   
 
 
_______________ 
 WT/ACC/24 • WT/MIN(15)/1 • WT/GC/170 • WT/COMTD/LDC/23 
 
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  Communication from H.E. Mr Nematullo Hikmatullozoda, Minister of Economic 
Development and Trade, Republic of Tajikist an, addressed to Mr. Roberto Azevêdo, WTO 
Director-General, on 4 June 2015 
 
I have the honour to inform you that the Third China Round Table was successfully held, 
here in Dushanbe, from 2 to 4 June.  Over the 3-day period, Round Table participants focused on 
the subject of "Post-Accession: Maximising the Benefits of WTO Membership and Global Economic 
Integration".  Although the starting point was Po st-Accession and associated best practices, across 
several sessions, we reviewed questions of sy stemic importance such as implementation, 
strengthening WTO regular work and, deepenin g domestic reforms through WTO membership.  
We also seized the opportunity to examine ways in which the WTO could support the cardinal 
objective of the region of Central Asia for trade facilitation and integration. 
 
The exchange of views at the Round Table enab led participants to draw useful lessons.  
The Round Table was unanimous that "the WTO was a catalyser for development.  Accession 
results had raised the bar and had contribute d to strengthening the system".  Accession 
negotiation was an instrument for deep structural reforms, trade integration and improvements to 
governance and rule of law for the region and its individual countries.  We drew valuable lessons 
from the WTO Secretariat framework for post-accession best practices.  The Round Table felt that maximizing the benefits of WTO membership, revolved around the implementation of the 
obligations of membership, in the framework of a balance of rights and obligations. 
 
Please, find attached the Dushanbe Statement:  "Post-Accession: Maximising the Benefits of 
WTO Membership and Global Economic Integration" .  At the request of the Round Table and as a 
host Minister, I would be grateful if you could circulate the Dushanbe Statement as a document of 
the Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries ; the General Council; and, the Tenth WTO 
Ministerial Conference. 
 
Thank you for your letter to H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of 
Tajikistan.  The Government of Tajikistan commends your leadership, as Director-General, of the World Trade Organization and encourages you in your efforts, in coordination with Members, to 
negotiate a realistic, balanced and relevant WTO Work Programme in advance of MC10 in Nairobi. 
 
I commend your Secretariat Team for its excellent work in process and substance to ensure 
that the Dushanbe Round Table was successful. 
  
_______________ 
  
 WT/ACC/24 • WT/MIN(15)/1 • WT/GC/170 • WT/COMTD/LDC/23 
 
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THIRD CHINA ROUND TABLE ON WTO ACCESSIONS 
POST-ACCESSION: MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS OF WTO MEMBERSHIP AND GLOBAL ECONOMIC 
INTEGRATION  
The Dushanbe Statement 
4 June 2015 
1. The Third China Round Table on WTO Accessi ons took place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan 
(hereafter : The Dushanbe Round Table), from 2 to 4 June 2015.  The Round Table was organized 
by the World Trade Organization (WTO), sponsored by the Government of China, pursuant to the 
China LDCs' and Accessions Programme, and was hosted by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.   
 
2. The Round Table was opened jointly by H.E. Mr. Davlatali Said, First Deputy Prime Minister 
of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mrs. Zhao Hong, Commissioner for Negotiations (Director-General), 
Department for WTO Affairs, Ministry of Commerc e of China and, Mr. David Shark, WTO Deputy 
Director-General.    
3. Opening Statements acknowledged the Twen tieth Anniversary of the World Trade 
Organization and the value of the on-going year-long activities that were being implemented to commemorate it.  The statements underscored WTO contributions since 1995 to keep protectionism at bay, update the rules and open ma rkets and, hence contribute to global economic 
recovery and growth through transparent, stable , predictable and strengthened rules, including 
through WTO accession results.  The WTO stood as a key pillar of global governance.  Statements welcomed the decision to hold the Tenth WTO Mini sterial Conference (MC10)  in Nairobi, Kenya, 
from 15 to 18 December 2015 – the first-ever to be held in Africa.  The Government of Kenya was 
praised for its acceptance to host the Tenth Ministerial on behalf of Africa.  WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo was commended for his leadership of the Organization in the on-going 
negotiations to build consensus for a WTO Work Programme that would be realistic, balanced and 
ensure the continued relevance of the WTO to respond to the challenges of the global economy in the 21
st Century.  The Dushanbe Round Table urged WTO Members to change into speed gear to 
ensure that the end July time-frame for a decision on the Work Programme was met.  Participants, 
unanimously, called for the ratification of the Trad e Facilitation Agreement by Members to ensure 
that the Agreement would enter into force by MC10.    
4. The Dushanbe Round Table was a continuation of the China Accession Round Table process, 
thematically focused on priority questions for Acceding LDCs, LDC Members, Article XII Members 
and interested WTO Members.  More broadly, as in the past, Round Table participants engaged in 
dialogue.  Participants, inter alia , exchanged views on accessions best practices and results and 
associated implementation questions and challeng es.  A range of trade policy developments of 
multilateral interest were examined.  The Dushanbe RT provided a forum to connect accession-specific technical assistance demand and supply, particularly in the Post-Accession period.  Overall, 
the Round Table served to improve understanding on several questions confronting Acceding and 
Article XII LDCs, and other participating Members, hence, sharpening their capacity for trade policy and sustaining support for a strengthened  rules-based Multilateral Trading System.   
 
5. The specific thematic focus of the 2015 Dushanbe China Round Table was on: 
"Post-Accession: Maximizing the Benefits of WT O Membership and Global Economic Integration" .    
 
6. The Round Table was attended by WTO Chief Negotiators and Representatives from 
4 Acceding Governments, 10 Article XII Members and other WTO Members.  Representatives of multilateral and regional institutions participated.      
 
7. The Dushanbe Round Table was preceded by a one-day "International Conference on Trade 
and Investment", organized by the Asian Developm ent Bank (ADB) and hosted by the Government 
of the Republic of Tajikistan.   
 WT/ACC/24 • WT/MIN(15)/1 • WT/GC/170 • WT/COMTD/LDC/23 
 
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  I. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE  ON TRADE AND INVESTMENT 
8. The International Conference on Trade and Investment was sponsored by the ADB and 
co-hosted with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan on 1 June 2015.  This Conference was 
in response to the statement by H.E. President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, at the WTO General 
Council in December 2012,1 at the formal adoption of the Report of the Working Party on the 
Accession of Tajikistan.  President Rahmon had stated at the General Council that a Trade and Investment Conference would be organized, post -accession, to present the Accession Package of 
Tajikistan, as a business package, to the investment community and to regional and multilateral 
institutions for engagement and support.    9. The WTO (Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, Director, Accessions Division) was invited to moderate 
Session 1: "Post-Accession Benefits of WTO Membership" and, to discuss the Post-Accession 
Benefits of WTO Membership for Tajikistan.  Presentations were also made by the Government of Tajikistan, the Chamber of Commerce and the Re presentative of the Kyrgyz Republic.   
 
10. The dialogue in Session 1 revolved around the benefits of WTO membership; the core 
commitments in the Accession Protocol of Tajikistan that, provided incentives, appropriate price 
signals and improved the legal, economic and policy framework for business and the investment 
community.  Tajikistan reported to the conference on the progress it had made in the implementation of its commitments in its WTO Accession Protocol.    
11. The Conference noted the strong progress in the implementation of commitments in the 
Protocol on the Accession of Tajikistan and welc omed the ambitious agenda of domestic reforms 
that Tajikistan had set beyond the commitments in its Protocol of Accession.   
 
12. Conference participants were unanimous in stressing that the benefits from Post-Accession 
were considerable and wide-ranging.  WTO Members enjoyed non-discriminatory MFN-based 
access to the markets of all WTO Members.  This market access was predictable and legally 
secure.  Each Member had the right, pursuant to the rules, to comment on draft trade regulations 
and bills of other WTO Members before they became  law and/or regulated trade so as to ensure 
transparency, stability and predictability in international trade relations.  Any Member had the 
right to invoke the Dispute Settlement Understandin g (DSU), one of the most powerful systems of 
dispute resolution in Public International Law, so as to challenge the trade measures of any other Member, whose trade measures may nullify and/or impair its benefits.  New Members obtained a 
seat at the table, by right, to participate an d contribute to the negotiation of new WTO work 
programmes, new trade rules and, benefitted from technical assistance and capacity-building.  It was noted that the relative importance of the be nefits that a Member enjoyed, as a right, could 
weigh more or less, depending on the economic circumstance of the new Member.  The Conference 
noted, for instance, that landlocked economies, such as Tajikistan, accorded premium value to the right to freedom of transit and trade facilitation.   
 
13. However, the enjoyment of the benefits of WTO membership was not automatic.  
They accrued to those Members that were domestically well-organized and coordinated and, had been able to transform their accession negotiatin g structures and direct them to the ends of 
Post-Accession and operationally active membership goals.   
 14. Post-Accession gains also accrued to those with sustained long term commitment to 
domestic reforms, implementation of their a ccession-specific commitments and, self-binding 
commitments to the core WTO values of trade integration to a competitive, rules-based global market economy, good governance and the rule of law.  Benefits multiplied with pro-active 
engagement in the regular work of the Orga nization and its agreed work programmes.  
WTO membership was a contract, based on balance of rights and obligations.   
 15. The Conference noted the 470 areas identified by  the Chamber of Commerce of Tajikistan as 
investment priorities and the establishment of region al export promotion centers.  It invited public-
private sector partnerships to invest and/or provide support in the identified areas.  The Conference also noted Tajikistan's need for continued assistance and partnership to develop 
and strengthen its hard and soft infrastructure in  the areas of standards (SPS and TBT), Small and 
Medium Enterprises, arbitration bodies for disp ute settlement, Single Window Arrangements for 
                                               
1 WT/CG/M/140, 5 February 2013.   WT/ACC/24 • WT/MIN(15)/1 • WT/GC/170 • WT/COMTD/LDC/23 
 
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  investors.  The Conference welcomed the plan by the International Trade Centre (ITC) to organize 
a Round Table designed to strengthen the National Standards Bureau of Tajikistan: Agency on Standardization, Meteorology Certification and Trade Inspection of Tajikistan.    
16. The Conference welcomed the Progress Report by Economic Development and Trade Minister 
Nematulluo Hikmatullozoda on the domestic ratification of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), the steady and determined implementation  of the commitments and obligations in the WTO 
Protocol on the Accession of Tajikistan and, th e firm commitment by Tajikistan to a sustained 
"agenda of domestic reforms" for trade integration and competitiveness and hence the maximization of the benefits of WTO membership.    
17. In Session 3 of the International Conference on Trade and Investment, WTO Deputy 
Director-General David Shark made a case for the ratification of the TFA.    
II. CENTRAL ASIA AND THE WTO  
18. The Dushanbe Round Table commenced with Session 1, focused on the Central Asia region.  
It was Co-Moderated by Tajikistan (Mr. Saidrahm on Nazriev, First Deputy Minister of Economic 
Development and Trade) and the WTO (Mr. David Shark, Deputy Director-General).   
 19. Presentations were made by the World Bank (Mr. Saroj Kumar Jha, Regional Director for 
Central Asia), China (Mrs. ZHAO Hong, Commissioner for Negotiations (Director-General), 
Department for WTO Affairs, Ministry of Comme rce), the Eurasian Economic Commission (Mr. 
Andrey Tochin, Director, Trade Policy Department ) and the WTO (Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, Director, 
Accessions Division).  There were commentarie s by Afghanistan (H.E. Mr. Muzammel Shinwari, 
Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industries and Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession), Kazakhstan 
(Mr. Yernar Bakenov, Director, Department of International Economic Integration, Ministry of National Economy) and the International Monetary Fund  (Mr. Alexei P. Kireyev, Senior Economist).   
 
20. This session reviewed the challenges that faced the region of Central Asia, its priorities and 
the opportunities it offered.  How could the WTO better engage with the region and assist?  How could other institutions engage, positively, with the region?  What were the lessons emerging from 
the dynamic transformation underway in the region?   
 21. There was specific focus on the regional setting of Central Asia and the five countries at its 
center, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; its bordering 
countries, such as Afghanistan (and its expanding trade relations with some fast growing economies such as China, India and Turkey).  Th e region was of strategic importance, confronted 
with significant challenges, but offered opportunities for deeper trade integration and trade 
facilitation.    22. The presentations, analysis and exchange of vi ews indicated that the challenges confronting 
the region revolved largely around low connectivity between countries in the region; low level and 
quality of infrastructure; severe restrictions an d burdensome border crossings; and, persisting 
transparency, governance and rule of law questi ons.  In some areas, progress was being made, 
but there was wide scope for deeper reforms which carried potentially significant gains for trade 
growth, development and enhanced welfare.  Furthermore, on-going changes required greater transparency and guarantees of predictability and stability.   
 
23. The Dushanbe China Round Table agreed that that WTO accession negotiation was an 
instrument for intensive and deep structural reforms, trade integration and improvements to governance and rule of law for the region and its in dividual countries.  Significant benefits accrued 
from WTO accessions.  At this stage, only Ky rgyzstan and Tajikistan were WTO Members.  
The Round Table welcomed the report that Kazakhstan was poised on the threshold of completing its WTO accession negotiations.  The Round Table urged its immediate conclusion at the twenty-
year mark of the negotiations.  Participants welcomed the progress report by Afghanistan that a 
decision was imminent by its Government on it s WTO Draft Accession Package.  The Round Table 
was informed that the Working Party on the A ccession of Uzbekistan was dormant and that 
Turkmenistan had not applied to join.  
 24. The exchange of views, however, also made  evident that improvements in individual 
countries would not necessarily yield region-wide improvements.  Individual country improvements WT/ACC/24 • WT/MIN(15)/1 • WT/GC/170 • WT/COMTD/LDC/23 
 
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  would require mutually supportive region-wide improv ements.  To this end, there were a range of 
suggestions that could offer opportunities for accelerating trade integration and growth in the region.  These included the idea of a Central Asia-wide Border Crossing Agreement; a Central Asia Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA); and a Central Asia Transit Agreement.  Round Table participants 
expressed support for an open, inclusive and non-discriminatory "One Belt One Road" initiative by 
China, along the historical silk route.  The process and opportunities offered by trade and 
economic integration in the Eurasian Economic Un ion (EAEU) were noted.  The Round Table noted 
with appreciation the high value projects by the World Bank in Central Asia.  It also noted scope 
for IMF technical assistance and capacity building in trade policy areas of macro-critical importance.    
25. Dushanbe Round Table participants felt that future improvements and associated gains for 
Central Asia should urgently be directed at upgrading infrastructure to improve connectivity (roads, railroads, air transport and "virtual" – E-connectivity); scaling-up the trade policy and 
trade facilitation agenda; improving the busine ss environment, through greater transparency, 
more predictable policies, improved governance and the rule of law.    
26. The Dushanbe Round Table noted that Central Asia should remain at the centre of attention 
and support from the WTO, partner regional and multilateral institutions and its traditional trading partners and rapidly growing economies.  The hope was expressed that the China Round Table 
process would take this dialogue forward beyond Dushanbe.   
 
III. TRANSITION FROM ACCESSION TO MEMB ERSHIP – MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS OF 
WTO MEMBERSHIP 
27. Session 2 was moderated by the WTO (Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, Director, Accessions Division).  
This session addressed the inter-related questions of how Article XII Members had managed the transition from negotiating their membership (over long periods) to settling-in as new Members.  
Did best practices exist in the management of this transition?  How could Article XII Members 
maximize the benefits of WTO membership?   
 28. The Round Table noted the results of an on-going WTO Secretariat survey (presented by 
Ms. Maika Oshikawa).  It also noted presentations from Tajikistan (Mr. Saidrahmon Nazriev, First 
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade); China (Ms. Yuan Yuan, Director Trade Policy Review Division, Ministry of Co mmerce); Yemen (Mr. Nagib Hamim, Permanent 
Mission of Yemen to the WTO); Samoa (H.E. Mr. Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell, Minister for Public 
Enterprises); Ukraine (Ambassador Valeriy Pyatnitskiy, Advisor to the Prime Minister); Brazil (Mr. Thiago Carneiro, Permanent Mission of Braz il to the WTO); and, a Consultant (Mr. Michael 
Daly).   
 29. The Dushanbe Round Table welcomed the results of the on-going WTO Secretariat survey on 
post-accession practice for active and operational membership upon accession.  It noted the six 
broad indicative areas around which post-accession practice had coalesced for the Article XII 
Members surveyed.  These areas of practice were: i) a policy framework for domestic implementation; ii) an institutional structural adjustment; iii) a legislative framework for domestic 
implementation; iv) a transparency mechanism for notification obligations; v) technical assistance 
and capacity building; and, vi) outreach.  The Round Table noted that the survey was work in 
progress and encouraged the Secretariat to  extend and deepen the survey and seek 
comprehensiveness to the extent possible.   
 30. The Round Table took note of the reference to and re-presentation of an earlier proposal by 
the LDCs' Consultative Group on a "Proposal for the Establishment of a Post-Accession Work 
Programme for Recently Acceded LDCs" (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/50).   
 31. On the transition to membership and whether a model or template existed on post-accession 
for Article XII Members, Round Table participants felt that although common practices existed, as 
indicated in the Secretariat Survey and served  useful ends, individual Article XII Member 
narratives at the Dushanbe RT also indicated that experiences varied.  There were similarities but 
also differences.  Although one size would not ne cessarily fit all, the identified common practices 
provided useful pointers and underlined usable lessons.    WT/ACC/24 • WT/MIN(15)/1 • WT/GC/170 • WT/COMTD/LDC/23 
 
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  32. There was a constructive and convergent exchan ge of views by the Round Table on how best 
to maximize the benefits of membership.  Round Table participants agreed that maximizing the benefits of WTO membership, revolved, around the implementation of the obligations of membership, in the framework of a balance of rights and obligations; a sustained commitment to a 
WTO-linked agenda of domestic reforms, based on the acceptance that commitment to reforms 
was not time-bound.  Trade and economic policies must be open, transparent and predictable.  Maximizing the benefits from membership also depended on a vision, a firm resolve and 
acceptance by a Member that the rules of th e Multilateral Trading System inherently and 
fundamentally served its interests and the national economy.  Participants felt that Members should not argue the reason of domestic laws to relinquish multilateral obligations.  WTO Members were encouraged to reflect the WTO principles of non-discrimination in domestic laws.   
 
33. The Round Table was unanimous that, "the WTO was a catalyser for development.  
Accession results had raised the bar and had contributed to strengthening the system" .  WTO 
Membership vested a Member with the "capacity to  influence".  Maximizing the benefits of the 
system, included using the system to its fullest,  including invocation of the right of dispute 
settlement.   
 
34. The Dushanbe Round Table reiterated its welcome of Samoa's graduation from LDCs' status 
The Round Table felt that Samoa's graduation wa s a growth and development gain from Samoa's 
domestic reforms, assisted by WTO accession-based reforms.   
 
IV. POST-ACCESSION: PARTICIPATION IN  WTO REGULAR WORK – ARTICLE XII 
MEMBER PERSPECTIVES  
35. Session 3 was moderated by the WTO (Mr. David Shark, Deputy Director-General and 
Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, Director, Accessions Division); and, Session 4 was moderated by Brazil (Mr. Thiago Couto Carneiro, Permanent Mission of Brazil to the WTO).  Both sessions focused on 
the Post-Accession participation in WTO regular work  of Article XII Members.  The questions turned 
on how Article XII Members had used the system of regular committees and WTO bodies.  What have been their priorities?  What challenges have they faced?    
36. The presentations and commentaries were made by: Lao PDR (Mr. Bountheung 
Douangsavanh, Permanent Mission of Lao PDR in Geneva); Georgia (Mr. Samson Uridia, Georgia 
Revenue Service, Tax and Customs Administration – SPS Border Control Agency, Ministry of 
Finance); Ukraine (Ambassador Valeriy Piatnyskyi, Advisor to the Prime Minister; and, Mrs. 
Svitlana Zaitseva, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade); Kyrgyz Republic (Ms. Nazira Sultanova, Permanent Mission of the Kyrgz Republic to the WTO); Oman (Ms. Hilda Ali Rashid 
Al-Hinai, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Oman to the WTO); IMF 
(Mr. Alexei P. Kireyev, Senior Economist); UN Economic Commission for Europe (Mrs. Virginia Cram-Martos, Director, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division).    
37. The presentations and commentaries were highly informative and indicated a bigger picture.  
They made evident a range of perspectives and im proved understanding on the focus, substance, 
priorities and approaches to the participation of Article XII Members in WTO regular work.  
The analysis indicated that new Members had used their WTO accessions negotiations, the results 
therefrom and, the implementation of their terms and conditions of membership, to deepen their 
domestic reforms, raise the bar to sustain an agen da of domestic reforms and, in some instances, 
go beyond their WTO "legal" obligations" because they believed it to be in their own national 
economic interest.    38. The areas of priority engagement in regular work were, inter alia , a function of the 
circumstance of individual Article XII Members.  Several points were common.  The core values of 
the WTO: non-discrimination, integration to a competitive global market economy, good governance, transparency and the rule of law, were central in the planning, calculations and 
economic development strategies of Article XII Members.  WTO accession was considered 
indispensable as an instrument of domestic refo rms, modernization, improvement of the business 
environment and trade facilitation.  The WTO and it s values were highly regarded and viewed as a 
catalyst for development.  Individual presentati ons suggested positive effects on trade, greater 
openness and better resource allocation.  While, in theory, WTO membership could entail adjustment costs, for the public and private sect ors, in the medium to long term, there were 
considerable efficiency and welfare gains.   WT/ACC/24 • WT/MIN(15)/1 • WT/GC/170 • WT/COMTD/LDC/23 
 
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39. Round Table participants noted the particular fo cus on progress in individual country efforts 
to ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement.  Even more significant were the evidently positive steps 
being taken for the practical application of the ob ligations of the Agreement.  The presentations 
and exchange of views highlighted the severe challenges of connectivity, restrictions and/or 
blockages on the movement of goods and persons and the high trade costs in the Central Asia 
region.  The Dushanbe Round Table felt that the im plementation of the letter and spirit of the TFA 
would contribute to addressing the connectivity and related challenges of trade and governance in 
Central Asia.     40. In this regard, the Dushanbe Round Table felt that stronger multilateral attention and trade 
development support were required to complement regional integration efforts and other 
initiatives, such as the "One Belt and One Road" project.    
41. The Round Table also noted that accession terms and conditions had leveraged increased 
GPA accession and accession to the ITA.  Specifically, it was also noted that those Article XII Members with accession-specific plurilateral commitments to accede to the GPA upon WTO 
accession, were improving their offers to ensure GPA accession.  The Round Table commended and 
encouraged Ukraine and Tajikistan in this regard.    42. The Round Table underscored the indispensabl e importance of the WTO Dispute Settlement 
Understanding as one of the fundamental rights in the balance of rights and obligations of 
membership.  Enforcement and compliance were essential.    
43. In the context of a specific exchange of view s on contracts and trade policy, the point was 
made that both were distinct and that, commercial issues of a contractual nature were not for the WTO.  These were matters for commercial courts.   
 
44. The Round Table noted the presentation on the ch allenges in the use of GATT Article XXVIII.   
 45. The Round Table underscored the value of non-discriminatory and open regionalism.  
The view was shared that in spite of the best effo rts of individual countries, regional collaboration 
was essential in solving problems of a cross-border nature, such as connectivity, and maximizing the gains of facilitating trade.   
 
V. POST-ACCESSION: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING  
46. Session 5 was moderated by the Institute for WTO Studies, University of International 
Business and Economics, China (Mr. LU Xiankun).   
 47. Presentations and commentaries were made by both demandeurs  and suppliers of technical 
assistance and capacity-building.  These included Bhutan (Mr. Sangay Phuntsho, Regional Director, 
Ministry of Economic Affairs); Sudan (Ms. Hiba Elfadil Mohammed, Head of the Executive Office, 
National Secretariat for WTO Affairs, Accessions Division, Ministry of Trade); Tajikistan  (Mr. Kasimov Inoyatullo, Head of the WTO Affair s Department, Ministry of Economic Development 
and Trade); WTO (Maarten Smeets, Chief of Section, Institute for Training and Technical 
Cooperation); as well as local representatives of the ADB, EBRD, ITC, UNDP, World Bank, Swiss Cooperation Office, EU Delegation, GIZ, KFW and USAID.   
 
48. The representatives of multilateral, regional institutions and the representative of local 
development partners shared with Round Table participants their assistance programmes.    
49. Round Table participants emphasized the import ance of technical assistance and capacity-
building, during accession and post-accession.  Hardware and software support were essential for the realization of the benefits of WTO membership.  In addition to general capacity building, Article 
XII Members required accession-specific assistan ce, designed to meet post-accession specific 
needs, starting with the domestic ratification of  the Accession Protocol, the implementation of WTO 
obligations and commitments, and capacity buildin g for domestic stakeholders, including civil 
society, private sector and universities to ensure continued ownership and support, the buy-in of 
domestic reforms and ownership.    WT/ACC/24 • WT/MIN(15)/1 • WT/GC/170 • WT/COMTD/LDC/23 
 
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  50. It was noted that accession-specific technical assistance and capacity-building programmes 
and activities were not in short supply.  It was important that acceding governments prioritize, maximize the use of ample available supply and that both suppliers and demandeurs  improve 
coordination.   
 
V. CONCLUSION 
 The Dushanbe Round Table was the third in th e process of the China Accession Round Table 
dialogue and the first to be held in Central Asia.  From 2 to 4 June, Round Table participants 
engaged in a healthy, constructive and frank exchange.   
  The Dushanbe Round Table welcomed the strong progress made on WTO accessions in the 
past twenty years with the conclusion of 33 accessions.  Recently, the WTO welcomed 
Seychelles as the 161st Member to the WTO in 2015 and Yemen that acceded after the last Second China Round Table in Luang Prabang in 2013.  The Round Table commended the 
WTO Secretariat for facilitating the process of accession negotiations and its strong and 
effective partnership with Members.   
 
 The Dushanbe Round Table called on the Workin g Parties on the Accessions of Afghanistan, 
Kazakhstan and Liberia to conclude the negotiations of these Acceding Governments as "2015 deliverables", before or at the Tenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Nairobi on 15-18 December.   
 
 The Dushanbe Round Table welcomed the progre ss made in ratifying the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement and commended the leadership role pl ayed by Tajikistan in being of one of the 
first WTO Members to ratify the agreement.  The Round Table urged other Members to ratify 
the Agreement, so that the Agreement comes into force by MC10.   
 
 The Dushanbe Round Table urged Members to ratify the amendment to the TRIPS 
Agreement, so as to fulfil the mandate of th e Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and 
Public Health.  
 
 The Dushanbe Round Table expressed its satisfaction to the WTO Secretariat in its 
organization of the China Round Table process, and commended the Secretariat on the overall implementation of the "China Programme".  Round Table participants noted that the 
China Round Table had emerged as a unique instrument for technical assistance, capacity-
building and policy exchange of high value for LDCs in support of the rules-based Multilateral Trading System.   
 
 The Dushanbe Round Table commended the WTO Secretariat, in coordination with the 
Government of China and the Government of Kenya on the consultations underway to convene the Fourth China Round Table, from 12 to 13 December 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya.  
The Round Table welcomed the support of this initiative by the Joint Meeting of the WTO 
LDCs' Consultative Group and the WTO African Group on 1 May 2015 in Geneva on the holding of the China Round Table in Nairobi - the first China Round Table to be held in 
Africa.   
  The Dushanbe Round Table commended WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo for his 
leadership of the Organization and encourag ed him in his efforts with Members and the 
Government of Kenya to work for a successful Tenth WTO Ministerial Conference.   
  The Dushanbe Round expressed its appreciation to H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, President of 
the Republic of Tajikistan and to the Governme nt and People of Tajikistan for hosting the 
Dushanbe Round Table and for the excellent  arrangements and warm hospitality by 
Tajikistan.   
 
 Round Table participants requested that this " Dushanbe Statement " be circulated as a 
document of the Sub-Committee for LDCs, the General Council and the Tenth WTO 
Ministerial Conference.   
  
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