. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/BFA/W/163 
20 November 2007 
 
 (07-5082) 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration  
  
 
DOHA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA GLOBAL TRUST FUND 
 
Technical Assistance and Training Plan 2008 – 2009
 
  
1. According to the General Council's decision on the Operation of the Doha Development 
Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF), the CTD an d CBFA shall jointly supervise the Fund and be 
responsible for a process whereby (i) the CTD shoul d consider and endorse the Plan;  (ii) the CTD 
and CBFA jointly cost the Plan and recommend an annual target level for the DDAGTF to the 
General Council;  and the CTD and CBFA jointly keep the execution of the Plan under periodic 
review.   
2. In its meeting on 14 November 2007, the CTD examined and endorsed the WTO Technical 
Assistance and Training Plan for the bie nnium 2008–2009 prepared by the Secretariat 
(WT/COMTD/W/160).  
3. The financial implications of the tec hnical cooperation activities under the 2008-2009 
Technical Assistance and Training Plan financed  through the DDAGTF are presented in the attached 
table (CRP(07)12/Rev.1
*, which follows the structure of the Pr oducts Matrix (Annex I) contained in 
document (WT/COMTD/W/160).  The planned volume a nd scope of technical assistance in the next 
biennium is approximately the same as in 2007.  For each year of the biennium, implementing the 
Plan would require resources in the Doha Deve lopment Agenda Global Trust Fund amounting to 
CHF 24 million, as in the previous years. 
4. The Secretariat has applied the standard cost methodology for calculating the costs of the 
regional, national and Geneva-based activities includ ed in Chapters A, B and C requiring financing 
from the DDAGTF.  This methodology uses the sta ndard daily costs for these activities that are 
updated annually based on the actual costs incurred in  the preceding 12 months.  The daily standard 
cost of one day of activity per person is then multip lied by the number of persons and by the number 
of days in order to arrive at the total cost of that event.  A no-show 25 per cent discount has been 
applied to these cost estimates, as the average rate  of participation is never 100 per cent.  The 
estimated costs of the three-month Regional Trad e Policy Courses have been based on actual costs 
incurred in the previous year, as the cost structure of these courses are different than the other regional 
activities.  Finally, the cost sharing arrangements with some of our partners have been factored in and  
the 13 per cent overhead charge has been added to a rrive at the total projected cost of the Plan. 
5. The terms of reference of the DDAGTF approve d by the General Council on 19-20 December 
2001, require that 25 per cent of the annual target amount be in the bank by December 31st, to allow 
the Secretariat to start implementing the Plan without delay.  In the last two years, you will recall that 
the DDAGTF had funds exceeding the 25 per cent of the target to start the following year.  
(CHF 7.6 million and CHF 7.3 million in 2006 a nd 2007 respectively).  However, the 31 March 
deadlines in 2006 and 2007 for another 50 per cent to be in the bank were missed and the Secretariat 
had run into cash crunches in the early months of th ese years.  At the moment, we anticipate that the 
                                                      
* In English only. WT/BFA/W/163 
Page 2  
 
  DDAGTF will show a balance of approximately CH F 5 million at the end of 2007.  As regional 
activities have to planned and related commitments be  entered at least two months in advance, unless 
additional contributions are ple dged and paid in accordance with the terms of reference of the 
DDAGTF, the funds available on 1 January 2008 will barely cover the first quarter of activity. 
6. The following recommendation is proposed to the CBFA's approval: 
 Pursuant to paragraph 40
1 of the Ministerial Declaration adopted at the Fourth Session 
of the WTO Ministerial Conference, the Committee recommends to the General Council 
that:  
a) the target level of resources in the Doha  Development Agenda Global Trust Fund 
(DDAGTF) be set at CHF 24 million for each year of the biennium 2008 - 2009 ; 
 
b) the purpose of the DDAGTF be in 2008 and 2009 to finance the implementation of 
the WTO Technical Assistance and Training Plan, as authorised by the CTD ; 
 c) Members be reminded that, on 19- 20 December 2001, the General Council 
approved the following periodic benchm arks for contribution receipts: (i) by 
December of the year preceding the funds' revolving annual target period, 25 per 
cent of the annual total should be in the bank;  (ii) by 31 March, another 50 per 
cent for an overall 75 per cent of the total;  (iii)  by 30 June, 100 per cent of the 
funds;  
 
d) in this context, Members be informed th at the projected year-end balance of the 
Fund is likely to be insufficient to cover the 25 per cent of the target amount;  and  
 
e) Governments be urged to make financia l contributions in a manner which would 
preserve the global nature of the programme and facilitate the management and 
reporting with a view to greater tr ansparency (i.e. making un-earmarked 
contributions) and pledge multi-year cont ributions to create more predictability in 
terms of financing.  
 
 
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1 "40. We agree that there is a need for technical  assistance to benefit from secure and predictable 
funding.  We therefore instruct the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration to develop a plan for 
adoption by the General Council in December 2001 that will ensure long-term fund ing for WTO technical 
assistance at an overall level no lower than that of the current year and commensurate with the activities 
outlined above."