RESTRICTED  
  
WT/WGTTT/M/61/Rev.1  
 
20 March 2020  
(20-2299) Page: 1/2 
Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology  
Sixty -First Session    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 13 JUNE  2019  
Chairperson: H.E. Mr Rashidi Said  (Malaysia ) 
Revision  
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
B. ANALYSIS OF THE RELA TIONSHIP BETWEEN TRA DE AND TRANSFER OF 
TECHNOLOGY  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
C. ANY POSSIBLE RECOMME NDATIONS ON STEPS TH AT MIGHT BE TAKEN WI THIN THE 
MANDATE OF THE WTO T O INCREASE FLOWS OF TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELO PING 
COUNTRIES  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  2 
D. REQUEST FOR ATTENDAN CE OF AD HOC OBSERVE R (UNITED NATIONS 
TECHNOLOGY BANK FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUN TRIES )................................ ................  2 
E. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 2 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE A GENDA  
1.   The agenda contained in Airgram WTO/AIR/WGTTT/14 of 3 June  2019 was adopted . 
B. ANALYSIS OF THE R ELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADE AND TRANSFER O F 
TECHNOLOGY  
2.   The Chair man of the Working Group briefed Members on his takeaways from the recent 
informal consultation that he had undertaken , to seek their guidance in his efforts to identify wa ys 
that could bring life to the work of the Group. Expressing his disappointment with Members' response 
to come forward with concrete ideas, he said that he could hardly sense any appetite for reviving 
the work in the Group. He stated that primary responsi bility for driving the process lay with the 
Members, especially the proponents. While there was some interest in pursuing the work in the 
Group, it was also pointed out by some developed Members that the demanders must table formal 
submissions/contribution s, which has not been the case in the last few years . In that context, in the 
absence of any strong interest from the proponents, one Member suggested that the Membership 
should consider disbanding the Working Group. Alternatively , meeting s of the Group sh ould only be 
convened when something interesting was tabled by the proponents.  
3.   Sharing his honest assessment, the Chair man stated that the current prospects of the Group 
were worrisome. However, despite this, he remained optimistic and available to Member s, if they 
wished to share ideas that could help make progress in this area of work.  
4.   Panama shared with the Working Group initiatives and program mes it undertook to promote 
the generation, management and transfer of technology. The project presented was entitled " Design 
of a remote monitoring system for agroclimatic variables in greenhouses using Arduino "; and 
consisted in the use of information and communications technology to provide an effective tool for 
agricultural  producer s to monitor agroclimatic variables in greenhouses, in order to improve 
production, development and crop quality . This project originated in the Centre for Innovation and WT/WGTTT/M/61/Rev.1  
 
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  Techn ology Transfer of the Techn ological University of Panama (UTP) . The latter concluded in 
2015 an agreement with the Latin American Development Bank (CAF) whose objective was to apply 
the CAF Accelerated Patent Development Method  and to transfor m the UTP int o the first Latin 
American university to generate and manage international technological patents . 
C. ANY POSSIBLE RECOM MENDATIONS ON STEPS THAT MIGHT BE TAKEN WITHIN THE 
MANDATE OF THE WTO T O INCREASE FLOWS OF TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELO PING 
COUNTRIES  
5.   Under the agenda item on possible recommendations that the Working Group could make in 
the future, no Member asked for the floor. Hence , no substantive discussion took place.  
D. REQUEST FOR ATTENDAN CE OF AD HOC OBSERVE R (UNITED NATIONS TE CHNOLOGY 
BANK FOR LEAST DEVE LOPED COUNTRIES)  
6.   Under this agenda item,  the United Nations  Technology Bank for L east Developed Countrie s, 
which was granted ad hoc  observer status at the last meeting of the Working Group, made a 
presentation that highlighted the Bank's  mandate, terms of  reference and activities.  The 
presentation pointed out that the mandate of the Bank was to work towards achieving the 
2030 Agenda in the 47 LDCs through  building capacit y in science, technology and innovation  (STI) 
and a ssessing its appropriate technology needs. The focus of the Bank's work was on : 
(a) strengthening  the STI capacity of LDCs ; (b) promoting the development and implementation of 
national and regional STI strategies ; (c) reinforcing partnerships in the public and private  sectors 
and encouraging cooperation among those involved in STI , including academics ; (d) supporting the 
LDCs as they identify, access and use technologies ; and  (e) helping  the smooth flow of transfer of 
technologies to LDCs.  
7.   Since its inception in 2016, the Bank has been working towards facilitating and creating space 
for dialogue among all stakeholders involved in STI within the national policy and regulatory STI 
framework. It has also been involved in the work on improving national legislation and  measures to 
maximize the impact of STI in its constituencies. The objective is to work in close collaboration  with 
diverse expertise and stakeholders across disciplines and industries to develop innovative technology 
solutions. The Bank has been playing a  key role in building networks and matchmaking among 
North -South and South -South players in innovation, technology generation and its transfer. Current 
projects include : (a) enhancing the absorptive capacity to adapt and employ appropriate 
technologies ; (b) matchmaking events  - connecting needs with solutions ; (c) building a database of 
technologies accessible to LDCs ; and (d) establishing a fund for technology transfer.  
8.   Members found the presentation by the UN Technology Bank for LDCs useful and relevant to 
the work of the Working Group. Although the representative of the Bank reiterated the request for 
full observer status, the Working Group decided to continue with its ad hoc  observer status in the 
Working Group.  
E. OTHER BUSINESS  
9.   No matter was raised u nder "Other Business".  
10.   The meeting was adjourned.  
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