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PRESS/TPRB/323 
11 November 2009 
 
(09-5614) 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW: NIGER AND SENEGAL 
Further structural reforms would help to improve economic 
performance 
Since the previous joint review of their trade po licies in 2003, the economic performance of Niger 
and Senegal has been similar, with an annual average rate of growth of 5,1% for Senegal and 5.0% for Niger over the period, according to a WTO Secretariat report on the trade policies and 
practices of Niger and Senegal. 
 Senegal’s economic growth has been mainly attributable to the expansion in telecommunications 
and transport services together with construction, b oosted by the relatively large flow of public and 
private investment. Niger’s economic performance is still determined by the outcome of its harvests, much of its economic activities being agricultural, including livestock breeding. 
 
The report notes the efforts undertaken by both countries for economic integration in the frames of WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union) and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West 
African States). Nonetheless, considerable structural problems, including supply-side constraints 
and limited diversification, still impede the economic development of Niger and Senegal.  
The report also underlines the importance of external aid and technical assistance to enable the 
two countries to strengthen their WTO commitments , take greater advantage of their participation 
in the multilateral trading system and support th eir strategy aimed at achieving the Millennium 
Development Goals in particular the reduction of poverty. 
 The report, along with policy statements by the Governments of Niger and Senegal, will be the 
basis for the second Trade Policy Review (TPR) of Niger and the third of Senegal by the Trade 
Policy Review Body of the WTO on 11 and 13 November 2009. 
 
The following documents are available in MS Wo rd format on the WTO web-site. They can be 
downloaded at http://www.wto.org/english/ tratop_e/tpr_e/tp323_e.htm  
 
• Secretariat reports 
> Contents and summary observations  > Economic environment  
> Trade and investment regimes  PRESS/TPRB/323 
Page 2 of 2 
 
 
 > Trade policies and practices by measure  
> Trade policies by sector  
> Appendix tables  
• Report by the Governments of the Niger and Senegal 
• Chairperson’s concluding remarks  
• Minutes of the meeting (available appr oximately six weeks after the meeting). 
Note 
Trade Policy Reviews are an exercise, mandated in the WTO Agreement, in which member 
countries’ trade and related policies are examined and evaluated at regular intervals. Significant 
developments that may have an impact on the global trading system are also monitored. For each 
review, two documents are prepared: a policy stat ement by the government of the member under 
review, and a detailed report written independently by the WTO Secretariat. These two documents are then discussed by the WTO’s full membership in  the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB). These 
documents and the proceedings of the TPRB’s meetings are published shortly afterwards.  
 Print copies of the TPR publications are available for sale from the WTO Secretariat, Centre William 
Rappard, 154 rue de Lausanne, 1211 Genève 21 and through the on-line bookshop at 
http://onlinebookshop.wto.org/shop/articles.asp?Id_Rayon=38
 
or follow this path :  
www.wto.org >resources > publications > trade policy reviews  
 The TPR publications are also available from our co-publisher Bernan  
Press, 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706-4346, United  
States. Please call 1-800-865-3457 or e-mail: customercare@bernan.com.” 
Next reviews: 
Georgia: 8 and 10 December 2009 
 For a full list of previous trade policy reviews and the full programme of future reviews go to 
http://www.wto.org/english/trat op_e/tpr_e/tpr_ e.htm#reviews 
or follow this path : www.wto.org > trade topics > trade policy reviews  
 
 
END