WT/ACC/32  
 
17 October 2018  
(18-6475) Page: 1/7 
  Original: English  
 
SEVENTH  CHINA ROUND TABLE O N WTO ACCESSIONS  
ASTANA , KAZAKHSTAN , 26–27 SEPTEMBER  2018 
EURASIAN PERSPECTIVE S ON THE FUTURE OF T HE MULTILATERAL TRAD ING SYSTEM:  
ACCESSIONS AND THE E VOLUTION OF WTO RULE S 
Chair's Report on the O utcome of the Astana Round Table1 
 
INTRODUCTION AND OVE RVIEW  
1. The Seventh China Round Table on WTO Accessions took place in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 
26 to 27 September 2018 (hereinafter: the Astana Round Table).2 This Round Table was organized 
by the WTO Secretariat in partnership with the  Government of China under the framework of the 
China's LDCs and Accessions Programme (hereinafter: the China Programme), and hosted by the 
Government of Kazakhstan.  
2. The Astana Round Table was the seventh in the China Accession Round Table dialogue. 
The specific thematic focus of this Round Table was twofold: (i) to have a discussion on the future 
of the multilateral trading system through the perspective of Eurasia and (ii) to reflect on the 
contributions of accessions to the evolution of WTO rules.  On th e first day  of the Astana  Round Table, 
participants engaged in a dialogue on the state of play in ongoing accessions, discussed accession 
negotiation strategies, and shared best practices. Specific observations were made on the evolution 
of Eurasian access ions, including those in the context of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).  
The contributions of Eurasian accessions to the rules -based multilateral trading system,  and rule -
making  in particular, were also considered. Experience -sharing was facilitated thr ough two dedicated 
round table discussions among (i) the representatives of Article XII Members; and (ii) the 
representatives of WTO acceding governments. These round table discussions addressed some of 
the technical and policy challenges associated with t he accession process and offered reflections on 
the opportunities associated with accession -led reform and WTO Membership.  Discussions on the 
second day  of the Astana  Round Table focused on exploring ways to relate the results of WTO 
accession negotiations to systemic updates of the multilateral trading system. In this context, 
participants also continued  discussions on the joint initiatives in trade, which were launch ed at the 
11th WTO Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires.  
3. The Astana Round Table was attended by former and current Chief Negotiators on WTO 
accessions and  representatives of  6 acceding governments, 12 Article XII Members, including at 
                                                
1 This Report has been prepared under the responsibility of the host Government.  All statements and 
presentations, as well as the list of participants , are available at 
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/seventhchinaround_e.htm .  
2 The Astana Round Table on Accessions was the seventh in the process of the China Round Table dialogue 
which began  in 2012.  The successive China Round Tables – first held in Beijing, China in May 2012, then in 
Luang Prabang, Lao PDR in October 2013, Dushanbe, Tajikistan in May 2015, Nairobi, Kenya in December 2015, 
Siem Reap, Cambodia in March 2017; and Buen os Aires, Argentina in December 2017 – have contributed to 
better understanding of the accession process and have injected positive impetus in specific accessions.  Since 
the First China Round Table, 10 new Members  have joined the WTO, including four from Eurasia (Afghanistan, 
Kazakhstan, Russian Federation and Tajikistan) . WT/ACC/32  
 
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  Deputy -Minister and  Ambassador level. Representatives of several other WTO Members , current and 
former accession Working Party Chairpersons,  and partner institutions also participated.3 
OPENING REMARKS  
4. The Astana Round Table was jointly opened by Ambassador  Zhanar  Aitzhanova , Permanent 
Representative of Kazakhstan to the WTO , Ambassador Zhang Xiangchen, Permanent 
Representative of China to the WTO, and Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff, WTO Deputy 
Director -General.   
5. The opening statements underscored the important role played by WTO  accessions in 
promoting economic and trade growth in the region . Many newly independent states  used accession 
as a vehicle to modernize , to adopt market -based economic principles, and to expand economic 
relations with the rest of the world. While t hese co untries followed  similar paths of economic reform, 
their accession experiences have been distinct . Some joined the WTO after a short period of 
negotiations  of 3-4 years  (for instance, Kyrgyz Republic in 1998 and Georgia in 2000), while others 
(such as the Russian Federation in 2012 and Kazakhstan in 2015 ) spent nearly 20 years in accession. 
Several countries in Eurasia remain outside the rules -based multilateral trading system. 
These  include Belarus and Uzbekistan, which applied for accession under the GATT in 1993 and 
1994; Azerbaijan, which was in the process of accession since 1997; Bosnia and Herzegovina - since 
1999; and Serbia and Iran, which began the WTO accession  journey in 2005. Turkmenistan was the 
only Central Asian country, which was yet to seek observer status in the Organization. For the region 
as a whole, to take advantage of all of the opportunities of potential economic growth, the rules of 
the internatio nal trading system need ed to apply uniformly. Joint efforts would therefore need to be 
made for the full integration of Eurasia into the multilateral trading system through WTO accessions. 
The key role of capacity building, particularly in the context of L DC accessions, was recognized. WTO 
members, the WTO Secretariat and acceding LDCs were called upon  to enhance capacity building on 
accessions.  
EURASIA IN THE GLOBAL ECONOM Y AND THE MULTILATER AL TRADING SYSTEM  
(SESSION 1)  
6.  Session 1  provided a platform to d iscuss the role of Eurasia in the global economy and the 
multilateral trading system, including through the lens of regional integration. The impact of 
economic reforms on the  economic and trade performance of Eurasian countries was also discussed .  
7. The se ssion was moderated by WTO Deputy Director -General Alan Wm. Wolff.  Presentations  
were made by Mr Patrick Low, former WTO Chief Economist;  Mr Hu Yingzhi, Deputy Director -General, 
Ministry of Commerce, China; and Ms Veronika Nikishina, Minister for Trade of  the Eurasian Economic 
Commission  (EEC) . Mr Giovanni Capanelli, Country Director to Kazakhstan, ADB, was a commentator 
for this session.  
8. Speakers  recognized the economic  potential of the Eurasia region which had undergone 
political, economic and institutional transformation since the beginning of the 1990s. At the same 
time, some Eurasian countries continued to face specific challenges, including: (i) continued high 
depend ency on natural resources, (ii) landlocked position, which resulted in increased transportation 
costs, and (iii) the need for further development in connectivity infrastructure (transport and 
communications). The key role of services  for further economic d evelopment in Eurasia  (services  
accounted for 40 -60% of GDP in the region ), was also  highlighted. At the policy level, it was observed 
that, in order to tackle these challenges, economic diversification was necessary and could be 
pursued as a combination o f different industrial policy tools . In this context, a clear time -specific 
strategy, technical capacit y and good governance w ere identified as key prerequisites . While regional 
economic and trade integration could act as a catalyst for growth and developm ent, the value of 
                                                
3 Acceding governments: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Serbia and Uzbekistan; 
Article XII Members: Afghanistan, Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, 
Panama, Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Ukraine ; Origin al WTO Members: Colombia, Costa Rica, EU, Nigeria  
and US; Working Party Chairpersons: Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan and Serbia; and partner 
institutions: Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Trade Centre (ITC), US Agency for Internatio nal 
Development (USAID) and World Bank.  
 
 WT/ACC/32  
 
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  such integration  could only be fully captured if it became a building block towards deeper integration 
of the entire region in the global economy and the multilateral trading system.  The possible long - 
term i mplications of recent  trade po licy developments at the global level  were also discussed.  
9. The interrelation between the multilateral trading system and two major projects in the 
Eurasian economies was also explored by two presenters:  
•  The representative of China said  that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) , launched by China 
in 2013 , helped  build a network of railroads and shipping lanes across 70 countries in Asia, 
Africa, Europe and Oceania. The BRI would enhance connectivity across Eurasia by providing  a 
new platform for international cooperation. He shared his perspective that t his platform  and the 
multilateral trading system were mutually supportive and mutually enhancing in terms of their 
objectives, principles and contribution to economic development , including through trade 
liberalization and trade facilitation. In the past five years, total trade between China and other 
BRI countries had exceeded US$ 5 trillion.  Over 100 countries and international organizations 
had signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements  (with China)  which covered inter alia : 
infrastructure construction, framework cooperation on production capacity, establishment of 
economic cooperation zones, cooperation among SMEs, e -commerce. In his view, t hese 
enhanced mechanisms were expect ed to produce multiplier effects for more comprehensive and 
higher -level trade liberalization among the parties involved.  
•  The representative of the EEC said that  the Eurasian Economic Union  (EAEU) of Armenia, 
Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and t he Russian Federation had a single market of 
183 million people and a gross domestic product of over 4 trillion U.S. dollars. It had been 
established in 2015, following the formation of a Customs Union between Belarus, Kazakhstan 
and the Russian Federation  in 2010.  Currently, the EAEU focused its work on concluding free 
trade agreements with third countries. These agreements served as additional tools for 
enhancing predictability. The EEC facilitated the implementation of WTO commitments of its 
member State s at the supranational level and helped them coordinate their positions in WTO 
work. There was an interest among certain EAEU Members for the EEC to explore the  possibility 
of seeking an observer status in WTO bodies, following  the transfer of full compete nce over trade  
policy to the Union.  
EVOLUTION OF WTO ACC ESSIONS IN EURASIA: RESULTS, IMPACTS AND  NEW TRENDS 
(SESSION 2)  
10. Session 2 , entitled " Evolution of WTO Accessions in Eurasia: Results, Impacts and New 
Trends", began with an overview presentation on WT O accessions in Eurasia  by the WTO Secretariat 
(Ms. Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division) . The presentation highlighted the achievements 
to date and the state of play in ongoing WTO accessions.  
11. The Session continued with a panel discussion on WTO  accessions in the context of the 
EAEU , which was led by  Ambassador  Zhanar  Aitzhanova, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan 
to the WTO and former Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession; Mr Maxim Medvedkov, Director, Ministry 
for Economic Development and form er Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession, Russian Federation; and 
Ambassador  Vladimir Serpikov, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession, 
Belarus. The c ommenta tors for this session were Mr Neil Beck, Director for WTO and Multilateral 
Affairs, Office of the USTR ; Mr Carlos Gimeno  Verdejo , Senior Policy Adviso r, DG Trade, European 
Commission; and Mr Vesa Himanen, former Permanent Representative of Finland to  the WTO and 
Chairperson of the Workin g Party on the  Accession of Kazakhstan. The session was moderated by 
Ms. Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division.  
12. The representatives of EAEU Article XII Members discussed lessons learnt during the accession 
process, highlighting the importance of , inter alia  (i) investing in human resources i n view of 
assuming the obligations of future WTO membership; (ii) defining strategic economic goals and 
relating them to negotiating strategies; (iii) involving the political leadership in the applicant country; 
(iv) learning from the experience of others,  including WTO Members; and (v) developing good 
relationships with in the accession community (WTO Members, WTO Secretariat, Working Party 
Chairperson). The challenges of pursuing accession in the context of the CU/EAEU regional 
integration process were als o highlighted. While having sole competence in certain areas of the 
Union's trade policy, the Eurasian Economic Commission did not currently have a status in the WTO. 
This was a challenge which was yet to be addressed. As the only EAEU Member State remaini ng WT/ACC/32  
 
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  outside the multilateral trading system, Belarus recalled that it already de facto  applied WTO rules. 
The outcome of Belarus' accession negotiations would need to be compatible with the existing 
framework of the Customs Union.  
13. The commentators offered reflections on the value of WTO accession as an instrument of 
domestic reform. In the long term, the accession process, when was accompanied by domestic 
reform, made applicants stronger and more resilient. While acceding governments made a 
contribution to the multilateral trading system by agreeing to the terms of their accession package, 
this was a reciprocal process in which the acceding government also stood to benefit. Promoting the 
establishment of a competitive environment through domestic reform was one of the goals of the 
accession process. Members also saw this as an objective in Belarus' accession negotiations. 
The regional dimension was important and it included the broader EAEU context, which included , 
inter alia,  the EAEU accessions of Armenia a nd the Kyrgyz Republic. Despite the regional context, 
however, it was up to the individual acceding government - in this case , Belarus - to ensure that its 
trade regime was consistent with WTO rules and principles . From a systemic perspective, the 
commenta tors not ed that Article XII Members were active participants in the WTO who tended to be 
advocates for full implementation of  WTO rules. For original Members, advancing the implementation 
of WTO rules through accession negotiations was a systemic objective . Completed accessions made 
a contribution by enforcing existing rules and developing new rules. One commentator noted that  
care had to be taken to ensure that accession negotiations were not used to replace  multilateral 
negotiations.  
14. Session 2 continued with two round table discussions  between representatives of 
(i) Article  XII Members; and (ii) acceding governments and Accession Working Party Chairpersons. 
Several speakers drew on their experience as negotiators directly involved in concluded and ongoing  
Eurasian accessions. The two round table discussions were moderated by Ambassador Zhang 
Xiangchen, Permanent Representative of China to the WTO, and Mr Jovan Jekić, Senior WTO/Trade 
Adviser, USAID Competitiveness, Trade and Jobs Activities in Central Asia  (CTJ).  
15. The round table of Article XII Members  offered perspectives on the benefits associated with 
WTO Membership; the challenges during the accession process and the post -accession stage; and 
best practices in accession negotiations.  The representatives of Article XII Members offered personal 
reflections on their countries' specific WTO accession experiences and articulated views on the most 
important elements needed to deliver successfully on an accession negotiation . Interventions we re 
made by  Mr Avag  Avanesyan, Deputy Minister for Economic Development and Investments, 
Armenia; Ms Iulia Costin, State Secretary -General, Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, Moldova; 
Mr Radoslav  Babic, Deputy Minister of Economy, Montenegro; Mr Zavqi  Zavqizoda, First Deputy 
Minister for Economic Development and Trade, Tajikistan; and Ambassador Mohammad Qurban 
Haqjo, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the WTO.  
16. The Article XII Members agreed that WTO accessions had facilitated  the modernisation  of their 
economies, especially through the establishment of transparent institutional and legal frameworks 
and securing predictable market access to other countries. In particular, these frameworks were 
essential in stabilizing their economies after the  independence gained in the early 1990s.  WTO rules 
also helped landlocked countries in the region to overcome their landlocked -ness, especially through 
the facilitation of trade in services.  Moreover, membership in the WTO was seen as a tool to protect 
national security and to help foster international cooperation.    
17. With respect to lessons learned from their accession processes, the Article XII Members 
underlined the importance of internal coordination within the government and with the private 
sector, base d on an agreed roadmap; a technically competent negotiating team; a strong political 
will of the government to implement structural and institutional reforms; and capacity building to 
prepare for WTO membership.  It was import ant to recognise that while th e accession negotiating 
process was time -consuming, it ultimately produced positive outcomes.  
18. The interactive discussion  also touched upon  (i) the role of international experts , and (ii) the 
effects of WTO accessions on the economic and trade performance o f new Members.  One participant 
observed that  the positive effect of WTO accession  was not always immediate, but could be observed 
in a long -term perspective, could manifest itself in small changes in the business environment, and 
had to be distinguished from other related factors influencing the state of the economy.  Another 
participant offered a diff erent view in some respects, noting increased FDI and income growth 
following a number of accessions.  Participants  also commented on  the importance of tailor -made WT/ACC/32  
 
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  technical assistance. Technical assistance should focus on needs identified by the acceding 
government at a particular stage in the negotiating process.  
19. The round table of acceding governments  highlighted key elements in the accessions of 
Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Serbia and Uzbekistan, including recent developments 
and possible n ext steps. Interventions were made by Mr Hamdo  Tinjak, Chief Negotiator for WTO 
Accession  and Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 
Ms Olivera Jocic, Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession  and Acting Assistant Min ister, Ministry of Trade, 
Tourism and Telecommunication , Serbia ; Mr Mushfig  Osmanov, Head of Division on Trade 
Representatives, Trade Policy and WTO Issues Department, Ministry of Economy, Azerbaijan;  
Mr Askar Mirsaidov, Director, Minister of Foreign Trade , Uzbekistan; and Mr Alireza Jeyrani  
Hokmabad,  Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Iran to the UNOG.  Ambassador Marie -Claire 
Swärd Capra and Ambassador Atanas Paparizov  shared their perspectives as W orking Party 
Chairpersons of the Working Parties on  the accessions of Serbia and of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
respectively.  
 
20. With respect to accession -specific challenges, some speakers  observed that delays in the 
accession process and postponement on necessary policy decisions may lead to new negotiating 
requests by Members and further delays. Astute political assessment was necessary to analyse  all 
parameters  and take action. Political will  by the acceding government  was essential .  
 
21. The acceding governments updated the participants of the Round Table  on the state of play 
in their ongoing accession processes:  
 
a. Azerbaijan re -confirmed its commitment to the WTO  and signalled  readiness to 
intensify the accession process after the implementation of its economic 
diversification policy  in 2020. 
 
b. Bosnia and Herzegovina re -confirmed its  readiness and  desire to complete its 
accession in the near term,  possibly by the end of 2018  or in early 2019, following 
the finalisation of its last outstanding bilateral market access negotiation.  
 
c. Iran elaborated on the stat e of play in its application for WTO accession . It expressed 
readiness to engage technically,  at an opportune moment, building on the initial 
documentation submitted in 2009 -2011. 
 
d. Serbia re -confirmed its commitment to resume the accession process  shortly with a 
view to early conclusion, in line with the target of concluding by the end of 2019 set 
in the country's Accession Roadmap.  
 
e. Uzbekistan reiterated its commitment to reactivate the Working Party process in the 
coming months and discussed recent reform s carried out by the Government in line 
with its liberalization agenda. An updated version of the Memorandum on Foreign 
Trade Regime would be submitted in the coming weeks , along with other documents.  
 
22. The Working Party Chairpersons highlighted the essent ial role of a strong political vision and 
personal dedication, supported by capacity building and all -inclusive WTO -consistent reforms.  
CONTRIBUTIONS OF WTO  ACCESSIONS TO RULE -MAKING (SESSION 3)  
23. Session 3, entitled "Contributions of WTO Accessions to Rule -Making", was moderated by 
Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Chief Trade Negotiator, Federal Republic of Nigeria and former Director 
of the WTO Accessions Division. The Session began with a presentation by the WTO Secretariat 
(Mr Dimitar Bratanov, Accessions Division) entitled "Contributions of WTO Accessions to Rule -
Making". The commentators for this Session s were Ambassador Alfredo Suescum, Permanent 
Representative to the WTO  of Panama and Coordinator of the Article XII Members G roup; Mr Maxim 
Medvedkov, Director, Ministry for Economic Development  and former Chief Negotiator for WTO 
Accession, Russian Federation; and Ambassador Atanas Paparizov, Permanent Representative of 
Bulgaria to the WTO and former Chief Negotiator for WTO Ac cession.  
24. The Secretariat's presentation  outlined the ways in which accession commitments fit into the 
WTO legal framework  and provided analytical observations on how accession negotiations ha d WT/ACC/32  
 
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  provided a vehicle for WTO rule -making.  Specifically, i n some c ases, accessions had been a step 
ahead of the multilateral trade negotiations, such as in the areas of trade facilitation, tariff rate 
quotas (TRQs) and agriculture export subsidies.  
25. The speakers underscored the value of WTO accessions in keeping the Orga nization relevant. 
The results of WTO accession negotiations had reflected changes in the global economy. Specifically, 
the Eurasian accessions had contributed to the dynamism of the WTO. The speakers  acknowledged 
the systemic contribution of accessions to  rule-making in the WTO  and the existence of trends in 
accession negotiations, which could  potentially lead to multilateral action.  They explored ideas about 
the ways in which  the results of WTO accession negotiations could relate to systemic updates of th e 
multilateral trading system.  For instance, some speakers noted that tailor -made approaches to 
special and differential treatment, such as the ones developed in accession negotiations, could be 
explored. It was recognized that , with one-fifth of the WTO M embership now composed of economies 
that have gone through the accession process, and with a further 22 economies in the queue, the 
results of accession negotiations would continue accompanying the evolution of WTO rules.  
Some  speakers argued that Article XII Members could be a benchmark for other Members - on the 
understanding that one size does not fit all - and could play a role, as a group, in the discussions on 
reform and modernization of the WTO. A participant stated that Article XII of the WTO Agreem ent 
states that applicants may accede to the WTO “on terms to be agreed” between it and Members, 
noting that the language seems to have been intended to promote flexi bility and adaptability in the 
Organization.   
JOINT INITIATIVES IN  TRADE (SESSION 4)  
26. Session 4, entitled "Joint Initiatives in Trade", allowed participants to continue discussions  on 
the issues of electronic commerce, investment facilitation, and micro, small and medium size 
enterprises (MSMEs), which had started at the 11th WTO Ministeria l Conference in Buenos Aires, 
Argentina. This session was moderated by Mr Pierre Sauvé, Senior Trade Specialist within the World 
Bank Group's Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice.  
27. The speakers for this session were  Ambassador José Luís Canc ela Gómez , Permanent 
Representative  of Uruguay to the WTO (General  Coordinator of the Informal Group s on Micro, Small 
and Medium -Sized Enterprises), Ambassador Juan Carlos Gonz ález, Permanent Representative  of 
Colombia to the WTO (Coordinator of the Struct ured Discussions on Investment Facilitation  for 
Development ) and Ambassador Alvaro Cedeño Molinari , Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to 
the WTO. Comments were provided  by Ambassador Alfredo Suescum , Permanent Representative of 
Panama to the WTO  and Coordinator of the Article XII Members Group;  and Mr Rajesh Aggarwal , 
Chief, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, International Trade Center.  
28. The speakers provided background information on the development of the joint initiatives and 
reported on the current state of play. They noted the importance of continuing the ongoing 
conversation s on the new initiatives and  on how best to advance the glob al trade agenda.  It was 
stressed that the joint initiatives were not seeking to compete with work carried out by other 
international organizations nor were they currently seeking to create new rules. Like accessions 
negotiations, discussions on the new iss ues could be particularly relevant for the WTO as  they offered 
a means of keeping  the trading system moving forward. The speakers agreed on the value of inviting  
acceding governments as observers  to all discussions on the new initiatives in the spirit of 
inclusiveness.  
FEEDBACK SESSION  
29. Participants found the Astana Round Table useful and informative. In particular, they noted 
that the Round Table provided a useful platform for (i) experience -sharing on accessions; (ii)  offering 
new perspectives on the contr ibution of accessions to WTO rule -making; (iii) learning about new 
issues; (iv) meeting negotiating partners in a non -negotiating setting; and (v)  networking, in 
particular between capital -based officials. In addition, participants underscored the value of  the 
informal nature of the China Round Tables, allowing participants with different views to approach 
difficult issues as a collective endeavour.  WT/ACC/32  
 
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CLOSING REMARKS  
30. The Astana Round Table was jointly closed by WTO Director -General Roberto Azevêdo ; Deputy 
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Yerbolat  Dossayev; and Assistant Minister of Commerce of China Li 
Chenggang. Ambassador Zhanar  Aitzhanova, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the WTO, 
presented a short report on the outcomes  of the Astana Round  Table. This session was moderated 
by Ms.  Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO.  
31. Taking note of the discussions during the Round Table , the speakers : 
• encouraged progress on accessions, and in particular those from the Eurasian region, in 
view of the upcoming  12th WTO Ministerial Conference  in Astana.  
• noted that the Astana Round Table had contributed to the debate about the future of trade 
and the WTO.  
• highlighted the value of regional cooperation in supporting economic growth and 
multilateral cooperation.  
• Underscored the importance of capacity -building in assisting acceding governments in their 
accession processes.  
32. The Astana Round Table expressed appr eciation to the Deputy Prime Minister and the 
Government of Kazakhstan for hosting the Round Table, and for the excellent arrangements and 
generous hospitality.   
33. The Chair of the Astana Round Table expressed appreciation to the Government of China for 
its continuing support for the China Programme, which was aimed at strengthening LDCs' 
participation in the WTO and assisting acceding governments in joining the Organization. The Chair 
further recognized the annual China Round Table as one of the most visibl e pillars of the China 
Programme.  
34. The Chair of the Astana Round Table commended WTO Director -General Roberto Azevêdo for 
his leadership and expressed support for his preparatory work with Members and the Government 
of Kazakhstan on delivering successful ou tcomes for the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference, to be held 
in Astana in June 2020. The Chair of the Round Table expressed satisfaction with the organization 
of the Round Table and the overall implementation of the China Programme.  
 
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