WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/COMTD/W/165 
6 May 2008 
 (08-2141) 
Committee on Trade and Development  
  
 
ANNUAL REPORT ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING 
(1 JANUARY TO 31 DECEMBER 2007) 
 
 
I.
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................2  
II. A BROAD OVERVIEW OF TH E ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN.....................................3  
III. GLOBAL TRAINING COURSES (TPCS, RTPCS) .............................................................4  
IV. REGIONAL APPROACHES TO TRTA AND PARTNERSHIPS......................................7  
V. STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY.............................................12  
VI. E-LEARNING..................................................................................................................... ....13  
VII. INTENSIVE COURSE ON TRADE NEGO TIATIONS SKILLS (ICTNS) .....................14  
VIII.  FINANCIAL SITUATION ....................................................................................................14  
TABLE  I  -  TRTA BY REGION IN 2007........................................................................................16  
TABLE  II  -  OVERVIEW OF TRTA PROVIDED IN 2007..........................................................17  
TABLE  III  -  NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN 2007 ......................19  
TABLE   IV  -  EXTRA-BU DGETARY CONTRIBUTIONS 2007.................................................20  WT/COMTD/W/165 
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  I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
1. The main purpose of the Secretariat's trade capac ity building programmes, as contained  in the 
annual TA Plan, has been to provide direct s upport to beneficiaries enhancing their human and 
institutional capacities to deal with the challe nges emerging from the multilateral trading system.  
2. To achieve that goal, the Secretariat has undertaken some 460 activities, of which a majority 
were organized in partnership with  other international organizations.  Particular emphasis has been 
put on assistance provided to Africa, and more specifi cally to LDCs, both in Africa and other parts of 
the world, who have widely been associated with the Secretariat's TRTA activities. Several products 
are specifically geared towards LDCs, including the Integrated Framework, Introduction courses, 
Geneva weeks, reference centres and the Netherlands Trainee Programme (NTP).  
3. More generally, beneficiaries were targeted  through the Geneva-based and Regional Trade 
Policy Courses (RTPCs), regional and national wo rkshops, as well as through eTraining and distance 
learning programmes.  At the same time, efforts we re geared towards providing more specialized and 
targeted assistance on specific WTO-related topics, in  line with the requirements and priorities in the 
DDA negotiations.  
4. Efforts were pursued to refine the selection of participants to the activities, so as to better 
target the audience, ensuring a continued high quality of activities and harmonizing levels of 
knowledge and training, prior to the event.  The u se of distance learning often proved useful in the 
preparatory process. 
5. One of the main challenges in executing the Plan continued to be the financing aspects, and 
more specifically, to ensure timely  and adequate levels of funding.  Regrettably the target dates for the 
funding requirements were missed, thus underm ining a smooth planning and implementation of 
activities.  WT/COMTD/W/165 
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  II. A BROAD OVERVIEW OF THE ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN 
6. This report provides a brief qualitative and quant itative overview of the technical assistance 
and training activities undertaken in the year 2007, as contained in the TA Plan 2007 (WT/COMTD/W/151).  It complements information provided in the semi-annual report submitted to 
Members on activities carried out in the course of the year.   
7. In designing the Secretariat's TRTA activities,  the main objective was to build long-lasting 
human and institutional capacity and to enhance owners hip.  The products have, as much as possible, 
been tailored to the needs of the be neficiaries.  Countries have been invited in writing, to submit to the 
Secretariat directly, their requests for national tec hnical assistance at any time during the year, when 
the need arises.  This flexibility has been found to be indispensable to allow for the delivery of TA 
that is focused and timely, related to identified need s.  Also, as a rule of thumb, developing countries 
were entitled to two national activities, Least develope d countries (LDCs) to three.  This is in line 
with the scarce human resources in the Secretariat, a nd the experience that there is a natural limit to 
the number of TRTA activities that can be undertaken  in any given year, but also because of the 
limited absorption capacity in beneficiary countries.  
8. The Secretariat has used all opportunities to  explain the features of the TA Plan and 
beneficiaries' entitlements, and to draw their atten tion to how technical assistance can be requested.    
The regional desks in the ITTC continued to interact  with beneficiaries, to ensure that the proposed 
TRTA would meet the countries' requirements.  They acted as liaison officers between the line 
divisions in the Secretariat and the beneficiary, to ensure that the right terms and conditions for 
successful TRTA were set.  Those countries that were not using their rights were contacted, to explore 
whether they would have any particular need for assistance.  TRTA also featured prominently on the 
agenda of the Geneva Week, in order to alert non-residents to the possibilities of benefiting from 
WTO Programmes.  In order to monitor the quality of the products and to ensure that the needs of the 
beneficiaries are best catered for, the activitie s are assessed through the Back-to-Office Reports 
(BTORs), which are systematically analyzed by  the Technical Cooperation Audit Unit (TCAU), 
leading to follow-up recommendations. 
9. In 2007, and in line with expectations, a to tal of 457 activities were implemented including 
Geneva-based activities as well as those held abroad.  This number comprises activities of 
significantly different durations, varying between one day to 12 weeks, and involving as little as one 
staff member, or as many as over two dozens for the l onger courses.  Also, the nu mber of participants 
varies from one activity to another.  In addition to  this are the internships, doctoral studies and 
research collaboration. 
10. As to the objective of maintaining a regional balance in the distribution of the technical 
assistance activities, (cf Table 1), the majority of activities were held in Africa (166), representing 37 
per cent of WTO's TRTA, followed by Asia and Paci fic (77), representing one sixth of all activities.  
A total of 55 activities were organized for Latin Amer ica (12 per cent), 28 for the Central and Eastern 
Europe Central Asia and the Caucasus (CEECAC) (6 per cent), 24 for the Arab and Middle-East 
countries (5 per cent), and 19 for the Caribbean (4 per cent).  While the LDCs are not listed 
separately, it should be noted that out of all activ ities, LDCs have been associated with around 44 per 
cent of all TRTA.  This includes national activities held in LDCs (58) as well as regional seminars, 
workshops and training activities to  which LDCs were invited.  
11. In terms of national vs.  regional activities, it can be observed that a total of 214 activities 
were held at the national level and 152 activities we re regional events.  Thus, while the total number 
of regional seminars has remained relatively st able, the number of national activities has increased.  
This is consistent with the notion that more targ eted TRTA is required at the national level.  In 
addition, some 91 activities consisted of WTO's partic ipation in activities organized by other agencies WT/COMTD/W/165 
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  and to which the Secretariat was asked to make a contribution, as well as WTO's representation in 
trade-related conferences, symposia and high-level m eetings.  As is discussed further in the report, 
these activities are mostly undertaken as part of the partnership arrangements with other agencies that 
the WTO cooperates with, and are directly releva nt in terms of TRTA and capacity building.  
12. The total number of regional and global activities undertaken, as contained in Tables 1 and 2 
includes the Joint Integrated Technical Assist ance Programme (JITAP) regional workshops and 
seminars, university workshops in preparation of  the RTPCs, the eTraining modules, as well as 
regional activities that were held under WTO's pa rtnership arrangements with other agencies and 
bodies, to which WTO was requested to make a specific input.   
13. With the exception of the three month Trade Po licy Courses (TPCs) held either in Geneva or 
in the regions (RTPCs), the logistical and administrative arrangements, as well as the human resource 
inputs and the cost relating to regional seminars ar e most demanding.  Preparation time requires up to 
nine weeks, depending on whether the activity is organi zed solely by the WTO, or whether it is part of 
a partnership arrangement with another agency.  Th rough the implementation of the partnerships, this 
burden is lessened somewhat, particularly when other agencies are taking charge, in part or in full, of 
the logistical and administrative arrangements of the regional activities. 
14. As to the subjects covered the majority of ac tivities held at the national level (Table 3), 
specifically addressed WTO Agreements.  With regard  to topic-related seminars, besides the more 
general seminars aimed at building capacity, servi ces and assistance provided in support of the Trade 
Policy Reviews (TPRs) were in strong demand, followed by market access issues (non-agricultural 
market access (NAMA), customs valuation, rules of origin), trade facilitation (TF), trade-related 
Intellectual Property rights (TRIPS), development is sues, rules and sanitary & phytosanitary measures 
(SPS). 
15. In line with the Doha Declaration, priority atte ntion continued to be given to LDCs.  Not only 
is this confirmed with the absolute and relative numbers, i.e. the frequency with which LDCs have 
been associated with TRTA, but this is also expressed through th e products, several of which are 
specifically and/or largely geared towards LDCs.  In this regard, mention can be made of the 
Integrated Framework (IF) and JITAP, the th ree-week Introduction Courses for LDCs, Geneva 
Weeks, the Reference Centres Programme, the Netherlands Trainee Programme (NTP), support 
provided in the needs assessments and TPRs.  Also , it is recalled that LDCs are entitled to three 
national activities and that they receive priority a ttention in the accession process.  More generally, 
and whenever possible, priority was given to LDCs  in the selection process for Geneva-based training 
courses. 
 
III. GLOBAL TRAINING COURSES (TPCS, RTPCS) 
(a) Geneva-based (Trade Policy) Courses 
16. In 2007, the WTO Secretariat conducted, as pl anned, 15 training activities as part of its 
Geneva-based training programme.  Activities consis ted of four twelve-week TPCs, two three-week 
Introduction Courses for LDCs, one three-week Sp ecialized Course on SPS measures, one two-week 
Thematic Course on Trade Negotiations, three one-w eek Thematic Course on Dispute Settlement, one 
seven-day Follow-up activity to the Specialized Course on SPS held in 2006, and three one-day 
Introduction days.  The training programme represente d 320 days of training performed at the Geneva 
WTO Headquarters.  The Geneva-based training pr ogramme was financed from he regular budget, for 
a total amount of roughly SwF3.5 millions.  A total of 495 government officials from developing 
countries and economies in transition participated in the activities, including 213 in the Introduction 
days.  WT/COMTD/W/165 
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  17. Geneva-based courses, and in particular TPCs, continued to function as "laboratories" for the 
development of programme designs, specific traini ng modules, and adapted training material, which 
are re-used, and adjusted as necessary, in other ty pes of TRTA activities held in Geneva or in the 
field.  The comparative advantages of Geneva-based  training activities, such as the easy and direct 
access to experts from WTO specific divisions as well as delegates based in Geneva, the opportunity 
given to participants to have a hands-on and in site experience of the functioning of the WTO – 
including through attendance to WTO meetings, th e constant animation and course monitoring by 
in-house trainers, and the possibility to manage on-site  the totality of logistical matters, allowed the 
WTO Secretariat to effectively use Geneva-based courses as "incubators" for the development of its 
training programmes and training content, at relatively low costs. 
18. The pedagogical approach followed in these training activities evolved to a resolutely 
interactive and participatory training.  Programme  design was based on practi cal and concrete needs 
constantly revised through an inte nsive and thorough evaluation process.   In that context, the first 
ex-post evaluation of TPCs was conducted in 2007 by the Technical Cooperation Audit unit 
concluding that "the TPCs imprinted a good image of WTO in the responding participants and their 
supervisors and (that) the result app ear(ed) to have left a long-lasting impact on the participants".  The 
study concluded that both in terms of relevance and in terms of sust ainability of results, TPCs were 
reaching their target.  Useful recommendations for fu rther improvements were also contained in the 
report and will feed the continuous improvement process for these and other Geneva-based courses, 
building on the careful evaluation process performed for each activity. 
19. For each Geneva-based course, a core team composed of two training officers, one 
programme coordinator, one training assistant in charge of logistics, and one fellowship assistant 
supported the activity.  Training delivery was en sured by in-house trainers, WTO experts from 
virtually all WTO divisions, and occasionally guest speakers.  Several sessions were delivered in 
partnership with other international organisations , e.g. the World Bank, UNCTAD, ITC, AITIC, and 
WIPO.  
20. A selection process was systematically performed to ensure both that participants' profiles 
matched the criteria communicated to the nominati ng authorities, and that equitable coverage of 
eligible countries was ensured, taking into account previous participations in similar courses.  The 
interest and demand for the Geneva-based training  courses remained stable with more than 670 
applicants for the 257 WTO fellowships granted in 2007 (excluding participation in the Introduction 
Days, for which the number of seats is not limited and no selection is carried out). 
21. Building on the constant demand for courses held at the WTO Headquarters expressed by 
Members, and on the encouraging results of the eval uations in terms of relevance, efficiency, and 
effectiveness, the Geneva-based training activities will therefore continue to be an important 
component of the WTO TRTA Programme.  
(b) Regional Trade Policy Courses (RTPCs) 
22. A total of five regional training activities were  conducted under the auspices of the RTPCs in 
2007.  The activities comprised three RTPCs held in pa rtnership with: the University of Chile (Latin 
America); the University of Namibia (Englis h-speaking African countries), and the National 
University of Singapore (Asia-Pacific region); one  consolidation course in partnership with the 
University of the West Indies, Jamaica (Caribbean ) and one four-week regional introduction course in 
partnership with the University of Yaoundé II,  Cameroon (French-speaking African countries).   
23. Some 170 government officials from developing countries participated in the courses.  The 
five regional courses represented 215 days of traini ng (with sometimes two or more courses being WT/COMTD/W/165 
Page 6  
 
  held in parallel), corresponding to 1,290 hours of training.  The regional training courses and 
preparatory workshops were funded from the Global Trust Fund. 
24. Three preparatory workshops, one for each of the RTPCs, were also carried out in 2007.  A 
total of 51 academics attended these wo rkshops, which each lasted three days. 
25. The partner educational institutions  are responsible for the on-site running of the RTPCs.  For 
both the University of Chile and the University of Namibia, 2007 was the third and final year of 
partnering with the WTO on the RTPC.  The experi ence gained by both partner universities over the 
previous two years led to increased efficiency in th e running of their respective RTPC in 2007.  For 
the National University of Singapore, 2007 was the fi rst year of partnering with the WTO on the Asia-
Pacific RTPC.  This course was considered to have been carried out very successfully.   
26. The focus of the RTPCs in 2007, in addition to strengthening the partners hips with the partner 
institutions, was to strengthen and monitor the th ree global changes in the RTPCs that had been 
introduced in 2006: 1) theme sessions; 2) communica tions skills workshop; and 3) the introduction of 
final Revision Sessions.  This kept the focus of the RTPCs on practical, interactive training.   
27. The network of regional resource persons who co-deliver the RTPCs together with WTO 
officials underwent some changes in keeping w ith the objective of expanding the number of 
academics in the project.  As a result, some new ac ademics were introduced to the network, in some 
cases replacing others who had participated over a number of years. 
28. The Consolidation Course was a three-week c ourse comprising of three one-week modules on 
regionalism, trade in services and TRIPS, co-delivered by WTO officials and regional resource persons, and was  held in partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI) for the Caribbean 
region.  It was agreed with UWI that 2007 would be an opportune time in which to hold a 
consolidation course which would allow former RTPC participants to solidify the training received 
during the RTPCs.  Sixty-seven government officials pa rticipated in the course.  Initially, it had been 
proposed in the TA Plan for 2007 to hold two such consolidation courses in partnership with UWI but 
resource constraints resulted in just one consolida tion course being held in February 2007.  Following 
the success of the course in 2007, it is propo sed in the TA Plan 2008-2009 to hold another 
consolidation course in the Caribbean in 2009. 
29. The Regional Introduction Course held in partne rship with the University of Yaoundé II took 
place instead of the RTPC for French-speaking Africa  contained in the TA Plan for 2007.  Unforeseen 
difficulties which arose in the preparatory phase of the RTPC proved to be insurmountable within the 
necessary time-frame, and the RTPC had to be cancelled.  A month-long Regional Introduction 
Course to the WTO was held instead.  This course was co-delivered by WTO officials and academics 
from the University of Yaoundé II.   
30. Three preparatory workshops were organized at the WTO for the regional resource persons 
co-delivering the RTPCs in 2007.  The purpose of the workshops is to provide an update on WTO 
activities to the regional trainers to assist them in  their preparation for the RTPC.  The programme for 
the workshops in 2007 have evolved over the years a nd consisted of a series of updates on the Doha 
Round together with roundtable discussions on WTO-related topics involving WTO officials, 
workshop participants, and on occasion, Geneva-ba sed delegates.  The programme also included 
RTPC preparatory meetings between WTO official s and regional resource persons who would co-
deliver training together.  Participants to th e workshops commented on the usefulness of the 
programme and the opportunity to meet and interact  with WTO officials as we ll as other members of 
the regional network.  Issues which arose during the 2007 preparatory workshops and which still need 
to be addressed include how to overcome th e challenges inherent in co-training.  WT/COMTD/W/165 
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  IV. REGIONAL APPROACHES TO TRTA AND PARTNERSHIPS 
(a) English-speaking Africa  
31. English-speaking African countries benefite d extensively from regional seminars and 
workshops, national technical assistance activities a nd internship programmes.  The regional TA 
activities encompassed the three-month RTPCs, three-month Geneva-based TPCs, regional seminars 
of limited duration and participati on in international conferences organized by other agencies.  The 
national TA missions covered the Integrated Fram ework under various config urations, e.g. outreach, 
DTIS validation workshops, Standards and Trad e Development Facility (STDF) missions, JITAP 
missions and Reference Centre. 
32. The subjects covered in the seminars and wo rkshops included agriculture, TF, trade in 
services, TRIPs, NAMA, TBT, SPS, customs valuati on, rules, regional trade agreements (RTAs), 
government procurement and trade negotiations ski lls (TNS).  Resource persons from the different 
Divisions adopted their own selection process to improve the quality of the TA. 
33. The WTO, the African Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Economic 
Commission for Africa (UNECA) have enjoyed wa rm collaboration since 2001 and organized five 
joint TPCs for all African countries (French and Eng lish), each course lasting two weeks.  The main 
objective of the TPC was to deepen the knowledg e and understanding of African countries, in 
particular the LDCs among them, about the i ssues under negotiations on the Doha Development 
Agenda.  The goal was to strengthe n the capacities of African countries and enable them to participate 
more effectively in future negotiations and ther eby take full advantage of the multilateral trading 
system. 
34. Representatives of sub-regional bodies like NEP AD, Central African Economic and Monetary 
Community (CAEMC), COMESA, ECCAS, ECOWAS, SADC and UMA were invited to make brief presentations on "Regional Coopera tion and Economic Integration --- A strategy for effective 
participation in liberalising globa l trade:  perspectives of regiona l groupings".  These TPCs drew on 
the contributions of resource persons with expertise on specific trade issues from the WTO 
Secretariat, the ADB, the UNECA, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Trade Law centre for Southern 
Africa (TRALAC), the Department of Trade and Indust ry of South Africa, the South African Institute 
of International Affairs, the Department of Agricultu re of South Africa, the University of Pretoria, the 
University of Western Cape (South Africa), the Un iversity of Nairobi, the University of Dar es 
Salaam and the University of Namibia.  The Secret ariat has also been exploring ways of deepening 
institutional relations with the NEPAD Secretariat with the view of assisting NEPAD in achieving its 
goals in the field of trade. 
35. The TPCs together with the various technical assistance workshops underlined the potential 
contribution of trade and improved market access to wards the achievement of the objectives of the 
Doha Work Programme, and of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. 
36. At the end of the TA activity, WTO experts di stributed to participants feedback evaluation 
forms in which participants were requested to rate  their impressions of the resource person, training 
materials, teaching methods, allocation of time for ea ch subject, adequacy of training tools, how much 
they had learnt, as well as their impressions of the training facilities and services provided.  The feedback demonstrated that knowle dge was imparted and understanding of the role and functions of 
the multilateral trading system enhanced, as we ll as on key negotiating positions of major WTO 
Members, and the state of play in the DDA negotiations.   
 WT/COMTD/W/165 
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  (b) French speaking Africa 
37. The activities carried out in French-speaking A frica in 2007 consisted of  regional and national 
activities.  Most activities focused on specialized topics such as the agriculture negotiations, industrial 
products, regional integration, sanitary and phyto sanitary measures, the negotiations on trade in 
services, TRIPS, special and differential treatment, and government procurement.  A course on the 
Doha Development Agenda was held with the assistance of national consultants from the host 
country, to the satisfaction of participants. 
38. Four regional activities were conducted with the support and financial assistance of the OIF 
(International Organization of la Francophonie) – in particular for the French-speaking countries of 
the Asia-Pacific region and the member countries of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes 
Countries (CEPGL) – and of sub-regional institu tions such as the West African Economic and 
Monetary Union (WAEMU) and CAEMC, or within the framework of the WTO's specific partnerships, with, for instance, the Internati onal Development Law Orga nization (IDLO) and the 
Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).  These activities we re conducted on the basis of cost sharing with 
the partner institution or through specific contributions from the WTO.  
39. With regard to the national activities and in accordance with the requests made by the 
countries, these generally related to matters curre ntly under negotiation, including market access, 
agriculture, rules, TF, the implementation of multilateral agreements, technical cooperation, 
development aid, and notifications.  Most nati onal activities were conducte d by experts from the 
WTO Secretariat and some with consultants.  One issue of increasing concern is that frequently the 
missions, which are always planned in close consu ltation with the authorities of the countries where 
the activity is to be held, are postponed or even ca ncelled at the last minute by the beneficiary (23 
cases this year).  Several times the Secretariat ha d to postpone the activity, because the beneficiary 
country had failed to confirm the activities.  This  seriously undermines the smooth planning of the 
activity and implementation rate, and preven ts other countries to benefit from TRTA. 
40. In May 2007, a partnership agreement was conc luded with the OIF for 2007/2008, formalized 
through an exchange of letters be tween the Administrator of the OIF, and the Director of the ITTC.  
The activities carried out within the framework of this cooperation with the OIF include regional or 
national training seminars in Africa, Asia and/or the Middle East, and the provision of documents and 
training material.  These activities are conducted on th e basis of regular consultations between the two 
institutions and cost sharing.  This form of colla boration has so far functioned to the satisfaction of 
both parties.  During the second half of 2007, the basis for reactivating the Rexpaco training 
programme on trade-related matters, jointly impl emented in 2004-2006 by the OIF, the WTO and the 
WIPO, was also discussed. 
(c) Asia-Pacific 
41. In the Asia and Pacific region, the partners hip arrangement between the WTO and the United 
Nations Economic and Social Commission for As ia-Pacific (UNESCAP) ensured high quality 
interaction in the preparation and implementation of joint technical cooperation and capacity-building 
activities.  One example is the September 2007 WTO/UNESCAP Conference on the Doha Development Agenda Negotiation Issues organized jointly with the Department of Trade of 
Indonesia.  The main objective of this WTO/UNESCAP  Conference was to provide an opportunity for 
senior officials from Asia and Pacific economies to further reflect on the meaning of the development and trade discussions of selected items of the Doha  Work Programme.  The Conference also provided 
a forum for exchanging views on national, region al and multilateral trade related activities and 
initiatives, with contributions by resource pe rsons from the WTO and national, regional and 
international organizations with expertise on the specific issues.  WT/COMTD/W/165 
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  42. The WTO/UNESCAP Conference focused on sel ected substantive issues of the Doha 
Development Agenda Negotiations, e.g. development issues, TRIPS, agriculture, NAMA, services, 
TF, WTO and RTAs and dispute settlement.  This event included senior repr esentatives from the Asia 
and Pacific region.  The Programme was designed to promote enhanced awareness of key issues and 
proposals in selected areas, to ex change information on the implications of existing disciplines and 
practices at national, regional and multilateral le vels, and to discuss capacity-building needs, 
especially with a view to assisting the Asia and Paci fic economies to participate more effectively in 
WTO's negotiating activities.  To encourage the shar ing and exchange of info rmation and experiences 
on national and regional disciplines, it was suggested that participants come prepared, where possible, 
with material relevant to their domestic and regi onal policies and practices to contribute to the 
WTO/UNESCAP Conference. 
43. Over the years, distribution of tasks and cost-sharing between WTO and UNESCAP 
expanded and strengthene d cooperation between the two Institu tions.  In 2007, joint activities 
included programmes such as the regular Regional Seminars on specific DDA Negotiations issues,  services negotiations, agriculture negotiations, TRI PS and public health, training  on implementation 
of the TBT agreement, a workshop for junior researchers on research tools and on modernizing 
curricula of international trade in Asia and Paci fic universities, and a work shop for senior researchers 
on trade research.  WTO and UNESCAP joint TA/CB operations have engineered strategic partnership arrangements since UNESCAP, as part of the United Nations, contributes both a global and regional development persp ective and facilitates the constr uctive exchanges between Asian 
capital-based and Geneva-based trade officials. 
44. The WTO also collaborates with the IDLO and its Sydney based Asia-Pacific Training Center 
in the delivery of the Asia-Pacific Regional Public  International Trade Law Course, pursuant to a 
Memorandum of Understanding betw een the two Institutions.  The sixth course was held in 
November 2007 with the participation of 32 selected government officials from 13 Asia and Pacific developing countries.  The objectives were:  (a) to provide the participants with a greater 
understanding of the rules, operations and impact of the WTO multilateral trading system, including 
the work program set out in the Doha Developm ent Agenda (DDA), and of the relevant regional 
trading arrangements; (b) to enhance the ability of  government officials from WTO member countries 
to effectively participate in the work of the WT O, in particular in the DDA negotiations and to 
implement the WTO Agreements domestically; (c) to  assist participants in devising strategies for 
meeting the challenges of, and benefiting from, global trade liberalization and regional economic 
integration; (d) to enhance the ability of participants  to more effectively contribute to the formulation 
of trade policies and strategies for mainstreami ng trade into national development and poverty 
reduction policies and to translate national an d regional policy objectives into governments' 
negotiating positions in interna tional trade negotiations; and (e ) to contribute to building 
constituencies for multilateral trade liberalisati on and economic reform amongst APEC economies. 
45. The collaboration between the WTO and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) was 
reinforced in 2007 with the joint organization of three Specialized Regional Workshops (TBT, 
Advanced Course on DDA Negotiations for Senior Officials and Trade Negotiations Skills) for the 
14 Pacific Islands countries.  These technical assi stance activities result in an in-depth, subject-
specific assistance, and a deepened knowledge in th e field of key WTO Agreements, thus enhancing 
the fuller integration of PIFS countries into the tr ading system.  Particular emphasis was put on 
fisheries trade-related issues for Pacific Island Economies. 
(d) Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia,  
46. In Central and Eastern Europe, technical assistance was provided through a mixture of 
national and regional seminars, as well as by associ ating participants to the Geneva-based TPCs and 
training events.  It is recalled that several countri es are in the process of accession, for which national WT/COMTD/W/165 
Page 10  
 
  based TA activities are often the most effective m ode of delivery.  For the delivery of regional 
seminars, close cooperation continued on a regular b asis with the Joint Vienna Institute (JVI), which 
provides excellent training facilities for WTO traini ng courses and which hosts an average of 8 WTO 
related training events every year.  The cooperati on arrangement between the Secretariat and the JVI 
works to mutual satisfaction.   
47. In several cases, close cooperation took place with the World Bank, with whom the 
Secretariat co-organized a training events on WTO issues, essentially geared towards acceding and 
recently acceded countries.  Cooperation also tak es place with other training centres/bodies, including 
the IDLO.  In all cases, the partnership arrangeme nts imply a clear and well established division of 
labour in terms of logistical preparation and subs tantive inputs.  The practical working arrangements 
and financial modalities are mostly established at the beginning of the year. 
48. By way of illustration, a one week traini ng course was held at the JVI premises, 22-26 
October 2007, organized jointly by the WTO and the World Bank Institute (WBI), which brought 
together officials from acceding countries, to  specifically address accession related issues for 
countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Centra l Asia.  This was the second such course jointly 
organized between the WTO and WBI on Accessions and had been designed in such ways as to 
combine economics, including theory and practice, while at the same time engaging participants 
through an interactive process, e.g. through question and answer sessions, quizzes, country 
presentations and a discussion of case studies.  The WTO was represented by officials from ITTC and 
the Accessions Division, the World Bank Institute  was represented through a consultant/WB lead 
economist. 
49. A total of 18 government officials attended th e seminar, all representing acceding countries, 
including Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ira n, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Russian Federation, 
Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.  Two othe r countries, Afghanistan and Belarus, were invited 
and did not attend, because of visa related issues.  This one week training course offered basic training 
on the economics of trade policy reform and on the WTO, WTO accession and the Doha Round.  The 
objectives set out at the beginning of the course include d that by the end of the course the participants 
would gain a thorough overview of the economic rationales for trade reform and for accession and 
would acquire improved know ledge of the basic WTO-related inte rnational trade architecture.  The 
course was delivered through a combination of face-to-face lectures, case studies, interactive exercises and participants' presentations.  The on-site  evaluation performed of the activity confirmed a 
positive overall outcome of the seminar.  As stated in the audit report, this was largely attributed to a 
good preparation of the activity between the offici als of the WTO and the WBI, experience with 
previous joint events, prior cons ultations and planning, the conduc t of quizzes and questions and an 
overall high degree of interaction achieved, throug hout the seminars.  Also, training material and 
documentation was made available to participants throughout the course.  Participants were asked, on 
the first day, to prepare national 'country' presenta tions highlighting specific issues and challenges in 
the accession process.  Time was set aside to unde rtake the necessary work and the trainers were 
available for consultation and to provide guidance to the participants.  This certainly contributed to a 
higher level of engagement and th e presentations that were made on the fourth and fifth day were 
considered very beneficial by all participants.  It is true that the preparation process was rather 
intensive for some participants, but the outcome was highly satisfactory. 
(e) Arab and Middle-East Countries 
50. In 2007, the Secretariat designed and delivered an extensive programme of TA for the Arab 
and Middle-East Countries.  Some 24 events were organized, which were conducted at the regional as 
well as at the national levels and mainly took the form of seminars and workshops designed to assist 
Arab officials to further increase their understa nding of the WTO Agreements and enhance their 
capacity to participate more actively in the MTS, including the ongoing DDA negotiations.    WT/COMTD/W/165 
 Page 11 
 
 
  51. Furthermore, the Secretariat maintained its collaboration with partne r institutions in the 
region, such as, the Arab Monetary Fund (A MF), the United Nations Economic and Social 
Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) and the Is DB, which continued to be of great value and 
use.  These arrangements were particularly effective in identifying the specifi c needs and concerns of 
countries in the region, which is a crucial element in  the design of TA programmes.  An example, of a 
successful activity that was organi zed jointly with a partner institu tion in 2007 is the DDA Advanced 
Training Programme for Arab Senior Government O fficials, held in collaboration with the Arab 
Monetary Fund (AMF), at its Headquarters in Abu-Dhabi (UAE) from 18 to 22 November 2007.  
Thirty-four Arab senior officials, including some at Vi ce Minister level participated in the event.  On 
the whole, the activity achieved its immediate objectiv es, that is to deepen the participants' knowledge 
on the issues under the DDA negotiations, to strengthen their capacity to participate more fully in the 
WTO, and to take full advantage of the MTS.   
52. Through joint initiatives, the Secretariat was ab le to reach a larger audience, as partner 
institutions regularly invite representatives from the private sector and the academic community to 
participate in their events.  Finally, it is worth noting that partner institutio ns provided and financed 
simultaneous interpretation into Arabic for all jo int activities.  This was extremely useful and 
contributed in improving the flow of information and in bridging the language barrier that exists in 
several Arab countries.    
53. The Secretariat has also been actively enga ged with countries in the region whose trade 
policies were subject to review in 2007.  The objective is to assist these countries through the TPR 
process to identify their TA needs.  This was th e case for the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2007.   
(f) Latin America and the Caribbean Countries 
54. The WTO Secretariat continued its well establis hed, fruitful collaboration with the regional 
institutions, in particular the Inter American  Development Bank (IADB) and its development 
Institute, INTAL,  involved in the delivery of TR TA.  The work programme has covered South and 
Central America, and the Caribbean Countries (Eng lish-, Spanish- and French-speaking Caribbean 
Countries), where the collaboration of the CARICOM Secretariat has been fundamental.  
55. The TA activities conducted in Latin America and the Caribbean show an  increasing interest 
on in-depth, subject-specific assistance, addressi ng problems relating to the implementation of 
commitments and the participation in negotia tions.  An advanced level of awareness and 
understanding on the part of the officials that have be nefited of the TA has continued to be evident.  
56. The IADB, through its INTAL Institute, has been the principal partner of the WTO 
Secretariat both in terms of funding and taking car e of the logistics related to the TA regional 
activities conducted in the region.  On the other hand, the knowledge and the experience accumulated 
by the CARICOM Secretariat has been fundament al in the smooth implementation of the TA 
activities in the Caribbean, and the collaboration of the ALADI Secretariat has been much appreciated 
by both the WTO Secretariat and  the participants in the different events organized in the ALADI 
Headquarters.  The Secretariats of the Andean Community, and ASIECA in Central America have 
collaborated very efficiently every time that they have been invited. 
   WT/COMTD/W/165 
Page 12  
 
  V. STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY 
57. The implementation of a new five year strate gy for the STDF began in 2007.  The Medium 
Term Strategy, adopted by the Policy Committee in December 2006, sets out three main work areas 
for the STDF: co-ordination, project development a nd project funding.  The Strategy placed relatively 
more emphasis on the STDF developing into a cen tre of good practice and coordination of SPS-
related technical assistance.  Operations in 2007 reflected this change in emphasis.   
58. Two principal actions were undertaken in  relation to co-ordination in 2007: 
• a programme of regional consultations was st arted to examine SPS capacity building needs 
and responses in three regions: Central America, the East African Community and a sub-group of 
ASEAN nations (Cambodia, Lao P.D.R. and Viet Nam); and  
 
• tracking of flows of SPS-related technical assistance.  59. The programme of regional consultations was in itially planned to cover just Central America 
and the East African Community, but was subsequently extended to a sub-group of ASEAN countries 
(Cambodia, Lao P.D.R. and Viet Nam).  The other major change made was that the programme was 
linked to the broader Aid for Trade initiative, and sp lit into two stages.  The first stage has focused on 
a survey of SPS capacity evaluations and a paralle l review of SPS-related technical cooperation 
activities in each region.  The studies were presented at  the Regional Reviews of Aid for Trade held in 
Peru, the Philippines and Tanzania in September 2007.   
60. The second stage of work in each of the pilot re gions will be completed in 2008.  This work 
will be based on a gap analysis of needs and the supply of technical assistance which will identify and 
prioritize outstanding needs not covered by existin g or planned SPS-related technical assistance.  
Results will be presented at regi onal workshops in mid-2008.  
61. Accurate reporting on the level of donor activity in the SPS area is problematic.  As part of 
STDF's coordination role, discussions were held with  the OECD on how to improve tracking the flow 
of SPS-related technical cooperation funds.    
62. On project development, the Medium Term Strategy also placed importance on the use of 
project preparation grants (PPGs) to provide a basis for donor interventions and as a vehicle for 
mobilizing funds for projects developed by the STDF .  In 2007, five applications for PPG funding 
were accepted by the Working Group.   The Secretariat started to pa rticipate more actively in field 
missions to (a) improve the quality of PPGs and th e resultant projects, and (b) match outstanding 
requests for funding with available donor resources in -country.  A number of PPGs are also expected 
to follow from the regional consultation work.  To stimulate the flow of PPGs, linkages with the 
Enhanced Integrated Framework are also being further strengthened. 
63. The STDF approved eight projects for funding in 2007.  Another four projects were approved 
for funding outside the Facility, fo r which the Secretariat already identified various funding options to 
be further pursued in 2008.  The STDF relies on the services of partner and observer organizations to 
implement and/or monitor projects.  To facilitate  this process, framework agreements have been 
agreed with FAO, the World Bank and ITC.  It is to be noted that the negotiation of these agreements 
delayed implementation of projects approved for funding.   Three early STDF projects completed in 2006 were externally evaluated in  2007.  Five projects were completed in 2007 and these will be 
externally evaluated in the course of 2008.  
64. In 2007, the STDF met its target level of donor  funding of US$5 million as set by the Medium 
Term Strategy.  The Secretariat has been strengthe ned with the recruitment of additional staff who  WT/COMTD/W/165 
 Page 13 
 
 
  will join in March 2008.  Management of the STDF website was transferred from the World Bank to 
the WTO in order to facilitate its continuous upda ting and improve its functi onality.  Various efforts 
were also made to publicize and distribute STDF work more broadly, both in-house at WTO and 
outside through participation in va rious meetings and workshops.   
 
VI. E-LEARNING 
65. In 2007, almost 1800 government officials fro m developing Members and Observers enrolled 
and successfully completed an eTraining course, mo re than twice the number recorded in 2006. 
66. Eighteen interactive courses on the WTO and sel ected multilateral trade agreements were 
organized in 2007 using the eTraining website (http s://etraining.wto.org).  These courses comprised 
four Introduction courses on the WTO and its basic principles1, four specialized courses on trade 
remedies1, four specialized courses on agriculture1, four specialized courses on TBT1, one specialized 
course on SPS2 and one specialized course on TRIPs2. 
67. Participants had online access to the training ma terial (modules, tests, case studies, support 
documents, library) as well as to the website intera ctive functions (discussion forum, internal email 
system, chat allowing live interaction with ot her participants and invited WTO experts). 
68. A new interactive function - The Enquiry Bo ard - was developed and offered to online 
participants in 2007.  Government officials from developing Members and Observers participating in 
an eTraining course and working on a WTO issue had access to the board, where they described 
problems they were facing, posted specific questions on a WTO issue and received answers from the appropriate WTO experts. 
69. Each participant received support from a WTO tuto r and a course administrator.  Tutors were 
experts from various WTO Divisions (depending on the course subject).  The role of eTraining tutors 
was to answer participants' questions or clarifi cation requests on the course substance and participate 
in the discussion forum.  Course administrators  monitored participants' study pace, sustained 
participants' motivation throughout the course, answ ered questions and clarification requests dealing 
with the course organization, facilitated exchang es among participants, moderated discussions in the 
forum or the chat and managed the Enquiry Board. 
70. An eTraining online Helpdesk was also available to deal with participants' technical problems 
and answer clarification requests on the website functions. 
71. Feedback on the courses was very positive with  high marks on course content, online support 
(tutors, course administrator, helpdesk), interac tive activities and overall organization of the activities. 
72. In 2007 the material for four new specialized courses was finalized:  TBT, in collaboration 
with the trade and environment division; agriculture , in collaboration with the agriculture division; 
SPS, in collaboration with the agriculture division;  TRIPs, in collaboration with the intellectual 
property division.  In addition, the specialized cour se on trade remedies was revised, in particular the 
module on subsidies and countervailing measures to pr ovide more information on some topics and to 
include more examples and illustrations. 
73. On the WTO webpage (http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/d_learn_e/d_learn_e.htm), a link 
was added to the programme of the Fifth Special Meeting on Procedures for Information Exchange of 
                                                     
 
1 Two in English, one in Fr ench and one in Spanish. 
2 In English. WT/COMTD/W/165 
Page 14  
 
  the TBT Committee, held on 7-8 November 2007, with the possibility to  access the PowerPoint 
presentations and related audio-clips. 
 
VII. INTENSIVE COURSE ON TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SKILLS (ICTNS) 
74. The intensive course on trade negotiations skills (ICTNS) is designed to provide participants 
with skills and knowledge concerning appropri ate strategies and tactics for the conduct of 
negotiations, as well as techniques of systematic d ecision analysis for monitoring and managing the 
negotiating process.  It contributes directly to th e objectives of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) 
by improving, deepening and enhancing particip ants' understanding of the DDA negotiations, more 
particularly the August 2007 Chairmen's text on Draft Modalities for Agriculture and NAMA, as well 
as the 2005 Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration, and th e 2004 July package.  The core of the course 
encompasses all the stages in trade negotiations— from the consultation stage to actual negotiations, 
involving real give-and-take.  The use of the DDA mandate for the simulation exercise makes this 
training program particularly relevant since pa rticipants can apply their strengthened skills 
immediately to real world negotiati ons in Geneva and other forums. 
75. Six regional intensive courses were held in 2007, in Malaysia, Ghana, Singapore (RTPC), 
Vienna, Yemen and Senegal, and one  national intensive course in Mali.  The participants assigned to 
the developed country groups had the opportunity to engage in trade policy formulation and 
consultation process from the perspectives of devel oped countries – a rare opportunity to view the 
same issues from different perspectives.  The cour ses have been found to be very valuable, bringing 
participants into real negotiation mode.  Feedb ack from participants has been very positive and 
reassuring.  Virtually all participants indicated in  the evaluation forms that they had benefited from 
the course and expanded their knowledge of bilatera l and multilateral trade negotiations.  Several 
participants indicated that they would use the knowledge and skills acquired in preparing their 
countries' positions for the ongoing Doha negotiations, in  preparing their countries' services offers, in 
ACP-EU-EPA negotiations, as well as accession negotiations. 
76. The training material has evolved on the basis of  feedback from participants and colleagues.  
A selection process has been introduced to improve th e quality of the results.  Selected participants 
are those who have good knowledge of the WTO Ag reements, have attended a WTO workshop or 
seminar before, or have followed the WTO eTraining.   
77. The WTO has built partnership with the APEC -Economic Integration project, Canadian 
International Development Agency and the Conference Board of Canada in running intensive courses 
on trade negotiations skills in Asia.  In Africa, partnership has been built with the Organisation 
Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Univer sity of Pretoria, the University of the Western 
Cape (South Africa), the University of Dar es Salaam  and the University of Nairobi.  The IsDB has 
been involved in partnership arrangements in the Middle East.  The  partners contributed, both in 
terms of resource persons and financial resources.  
 
VIII.  FINANCIAL SITUATION 
78. The activities covered in the TA Plan are budgete d at some SwF30 Million, partly financed 
from the regular budget and partly through the DDAGTF.  The real expenditures in 2007 amount to some SwF24 million, of which SwF18.7 million was covered form the DDAGTF. 
79. It is recalled that the DDAGTF was estab lished in December 2001, pursuant to the 
commitment contained in paragraph 40 of the Doha  Declaration, to finance technical assistance 
programmes and training activities for developing an d least developed countries as well as economies  WT/COMTD/W/165 
 Page 15 
 
 
  in transition.  One of the purposes for creating a global fund was to consolidate the extra-budgetary 
funds in one single un-earmarked fund, so as to pr ovide a solid and stable financial basis for the 
delivery of a global programme.  Following the fina lization of the 2007 TA Plan in Fall 2006, the 
General Council approved the recommended target amount of SwF24 million for the planned volume 
of TA to be financed from the DDAGTF in 2007, thus  maintaining the cost of the Plan at the same 
level since 2003. 
80. Implementation of the activities under the DDAGTF is  subject to the availability of financial 
resources, which rely on voluntary contributions.  It is recalled that, in order to ensure a smooth 
implementation of the TA Plan from the beginning of the year, timely and adequate levels of funding 
are required.  Most activities to  be financed under the DDAGTF, a nd more specifically 'big item' 
programmes, e.g. regional seminars undertaken by the WTO or in partnership with other 
organizations and RTPCs, require advance planning of at least 3 months, if not more.  Under the 
financial rules, activities can onl y be committed to, if the financing is received in the bank.  
81. The period benchmarks rega rding the funding of the DDAGTF, as established by the 
Members, were as follows: (i) by 31 December of  the year preceding the fund's revolving annual 
target period, contributions amounting to 25 per cent  of the total estimated costs of the TA Plan 
should be in the bank, (ii) by 31 March, another 50  per cent for an overall 75 per cent of the total, and 
(ii) by 30 June, 100 per cent of the funds needed.   Unfortunately, the benc hmarks were missed, (cf 
Table 4) and the implementation of some activities under the DDAGTF had to be put on hold pending 
the receipt of contributions.  This recurring issue was raised with Members during meetings and informal consultations with a view to finding a long- term solution.  Also, the Director-General drew 
the attention of Members to this situation at the le vel of the General Council in May 2007.  Even if on 
paper, as presented in the table below, the availabl e funds were relatively close to the target amounts, 
the target was systematically mi ssed, and undermined the planning, bearing in mind that activities 
would normally not happen earlier than three months  after the moneys have come in.  Hence, the 
uncertainty in the timing of when the funds will be received almost automatically implies a back 
loading of the activities themselves. WT/COMTD/W/165 
Page 16  
 
  TABLE  I  -  TRTA BY REGION IN 2007 
 
TRTA BY REGION National TA Regional / 
Global TA Other 
(Conferences, etc.) Total 
Africa 102 48% 39 26% 25 27% 166 37%
Arab and Middle 
East 13 6% 7 5% 4 4% 24 5%
Asia and the Pacific 36 17% 28 18% 13 14% 77 17%
Caribbean 12 6% 7 5% 0 0% 19 4%
Central and Eastern 
Europe and Central 
Asia 16 7% 7 5% 5 5% 28 6%
Global 0 0% 50 33% 38 42% 88 19%
Latin America 35 16% 14 9% 6 7% 55 12%
Total 214 100% 152 100% 91 100% 457 100%
 
  
 
12%
37%
5%17%6%
4%19%Africa 
Arab and Middle East 
Asia and the Pacific 
Caribbean
Central and Eastern
Europe and Central Asia 
Global
Latin America WT/COMTD/W/165 
 Page 17 
 
 
   
TABLE  II  -  OVERVIEW OF TRTA PROVIDED IN 2007 
 
  Total 
A  General WTO-related Technical Assistance and Training 50 10.9%
A 1.  Trade Policy Courses 14 3.1%
A 1. (i) Geneva-based Trade Policy Courses (TPCs) 4 0.9%
A 1. (ii) Regional Trade Policy Courses (RTPCs) 10 2.2%
A 2.  Geneva-based Introduction Courses 2 0.4%
A 3.  Geneva-based Thematic courses 4 0.9%
A 4.  WTO Introduction Days 3 0.7%
A 5.  Geneva Week 2 0.4%
A 6.  Geneva-based Topic-specific Symposia 7 1.5%
A 7.  Advisory Role on Legal Issues (Art. 27.2 of DSU)  
A 8.  Regional and Sub-regional Capacity- building programmes( Short 
Trade Policy Courses) 18 3.9%
B  Specialised & Advanced Training & Technical Assistance 233 50.8%
B 1.  Geneva-based Specialised Courses 2 0.4%
B 2.  National Technical Assistance Activities 165 35.9%
B 2. (i) Topic-based activities 124 27%
B 2. (ii) Technical Assistance within the TPRM Framework 31 6.8%
B 2. (iii) Assisting beneficiaries in conducting Needs Assessment 1  - -
B 2. (iv) Reference Centres 10 2.2%
B 3.  Regional Seminars 54 11.8%
B 3. (i) Agriculture 3 0.7%
B 3. (ii) Dispute Settlement 4 0.9%
B 3. (iii) Government Procurement (Plurilateral Agreement on) 3 0.7%
B 3. (iv) Non-Agriculture Market Access (NAMA) 8 1.7%
B 3. (ix) TBT 3 0.7%
B 3. (v) Regional Trade Agreements 3 0.7%
B 3. (vi) Rules 5 1.1%
B 3. (vii) SPS 5 1.1%
B 3. (viii) Services 5 1.1%
B 3. (x) T & Development 4 0.9%
B 3. (xi) T & Environment 1 0.2%
B 3. (xii) Trade Facilitation  7 1.5%
B 3. (xiii) TRIPs 3 0.7%WT/COMTD/W/165 
Page 18  
 
  B 4.  Advanced Training Programme for senior government officials 4 0.9%
B 5.  Intensive Course on Trade Negotiations Skills 5 1.1%
B 6.  Outreach Activities for Parliamentarians and Civil Society 3 0.7%
C  Academic Support for Training and Capacity-building: an 
integrated approach 20 4.4%
C 1.  Regional trade Policy Courses  
C 2.  University programme 20 4.4%
C 2. (i) Follow-up to RTPCs (Phase II) 1 0.2%
C 2. (ii '07) Regional workshops 4 0.9%
C 2. (ii) Workshops for University Professors  
C 2. (iii) National workshops 15 3.3%
C 2. (iv) Document Dissemination Programme for Universities  
E  E-learning programme 24 5.2%
E 1.  eTraining: online courses (inc l. enhancement and misc.) 18 3.9%
E 2.  Self-training modules: computer-based training modules 5 1.1%
E 3.  State of Play briefing 1 0.2%
F  Other Programmes and Support Activities 61 13.7%
F 2.  Programme activities 63 13.7%
F 2. (i) Joint Integrated Technica l Assistance Programme (JITAP) 12 2.6%
F 2. (ii) Integrated Framework/Enhanced IF 25 5.9%
F 2. (iii) Standards and Trade D evelopment Facility (STDF) 23 5%
F 2. (vii) WTO Documentation (support to national TA) 1 0.2%
G  Participation in conferences 69 15%
 Total 457 100%
   
1 Assisting beneficiaries in conducting Needs Asse ssment does not require missions per se, and is 
mostly taken care of through the Netherlands Trai nee Programme, the TA missions within the Trade 
Policy Review Mechanism Framework,  and other national activities.   WT/COMTD/W/165 
 Page 19 
 
 
   
 TABLE  III  -  NATIONAL TECHNI CAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN 2007 
Topic-based activities, Technical A ssistance within the TPRM Framework, Assisting beneficiaries in 
conducting Need Assessment and Reference Centres3. 
Topics Activities Percent % 
Accession 3 1.8 
Agriculture 7 4.2 
Competition Policy 2 1.2 
Customs Valuation 1 0.6 
Development Issues 6 3.6 
Dispute Settlement 5 3.0 
Environment 1 0.6 
General Capacity-building 18 10.3 
Government Procurement 3 1.8 
IT / WTO Reference Centre 10 6.1 
Non-Agriculture Market Access 17 10.3 
Notifications 1 0.6 
Outreach 6 3.6 
Rules 5 3.0 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 5 3.0 
Services 15 9.1 
Technical Barriers to Trade 5 3.0 
Trade Facilitation 12 7.3 
Trade Negotiation Techniques 1 0.6 
Trade Policies Review Mechanism 31 18.8 
Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights 11 6.7 
Total  165  
 
                                                      
3 This table does not account for activities undertake n under various programmes (i.e. IF, JITAP, STDF 
etc.). WT/COMTD/W/165 
Page 20  
 
   
TABLE   IV  -  EXTRA- BUDGETARY CONTRIBUTIONS 2007 
 
  
 31 March 2007 30 June 2007 30 Se ptember 2007 31 December 2007
Brought forward from 
2006 7,266,604 7,266,604 7,266,604 7,266,604Transfers from other funds 224,768 249,278 272,991 281,162
Interest earned    212,821
Contributions received 3,156,401
13,096,804  15,004,943  18,701,871
Total funds 10,647,773 20,612,686 22,544,538 26,462,458
   
__________