G/TBT/W/424  
 
26 October 2015  
(15-5646)  Page: 1/1  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  REQUEST FOR OBSERVER STATUS BY THE INTER-GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY ON 
DEVELOPMENT (IGAD) TO THE WTO COMMITT EE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE 
SUBMISSION FROM UGANDA 
The following submission, dated 22 October 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Uganda. 
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 Uganda would like to recall that the Chairperson of the TBT Committee informed Members in 
the Committee meeting of 17-18 June 2015 that a new request for observer status in the TBT Committee was received from the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). 
 The delegation of Uganda has reviewed the request for observer status made by the IGAD 
Secretariat circulated by WTO Secretariat in docume nt RD/TBT/1/Rev.2 and would like to note that 
the aims and objectives of IGAD include, inter alia; promotion of free movement of goods and 
services; creation of an enabling environment fo r foreign, cross-border and domestic trade and 
investment; initiate and promote programmes and projects for sustainable development of natural resources and environment protection; facilitate, promote and strengthen cooperation in research, 
development and application in the fields of science and technology. 
 In addition, one of the areas of cooperation among IGAD Member States is to develop and 
expand cooperation and undertake to coordinate their effort to: preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment; develop harmonious environmental management strategies and 
policies; work towards the promotion of trade and gradual harmonization of their trade policies 
and practices and the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade so that it can lead to regional economic integration; and cooperate in the gradual harmonization of their national 
policies in scientific and technological research and development, transfer of technology, and their 
policies on capacity building in science and technology. 
 As can be recognized from the preceding paragraphs, some of the aims and objectives of IGAD 
and areas of cooperation of IGAD Member States relate closely to the issues that are regularly 
discussed by the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade as well as to the aims and objectives and scope of the TBT Agreement. 
 Furthermore, the Agreement establishing IGAD provides for the Authority to relate with other 
regional organizations and inter-governmental and non-governmental agencies in pursuit of its 
aims and objectives. In this respect, the delegation of Uganda believes that the WTO is one such inter-governmental organization which IGAD can relate and cooperate with. 
 The delegation of Uganda also believes that granting IGAD observer status in the TBT 
Committee will enable IGAD Secretariat to better monitor the developments in the Committee and advise its Member States on how to exercise their rights under the TBT Agreement and enhance 
their compliance with the obligations in the Agreement. 
 It is in line with the above background that Uganda supports the request for observer status 
by IGAD in the WTO TBT Committee. 
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