WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/COMTD/55 
30 November 2005 
 (05-5685) 
  
  
 
REPORT (2005) OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT,  
COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT IN DEDICATED SESSION 
AND THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
1 
 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. This report covers the activities of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) in 
Regular and Dedicated Session and the activiti es of the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed 
Countries since its last report issued in 2004.2  
II. WORK OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT IN REGULAR 
SESSION 
2. The CTD held four formal sessions on 22 February, 11 May, 5 October and 
28 November 2005.  The minutes of these meetings are contained in documents WT/COMTD/M/52 through WT/COMTD/M/55
3 respectively.  At the 52nd Session held on 22 February 2005, the 
Chairmanship was handed over from Ambassador C. Trevor Clarke (Barbados) to Ambassador 
Gomi Tharaka Senadhira (Sri Lanka). 
3. The CTD continues to have outstanding requests for observer status from the League of Arab 
States, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC), the "Organisation inte rnationale de la francophonie" and the Common 
Fund for Commodities (CFC).  At the 53
rd Session, the Chairman informed the Committee that the 
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) di d not wish to have its request for observership 
addressed at the present time, and that it would info rm the CTD when it would like to have the matter 
discussed again.  At the 55th Session, the representative of Antigua and Barbuda made a brief 
intervention urging Members to resolve the OE CS' request.  The Committee agreed at its 55th Session 
that new requests for observer status from the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and the Groupe de la Banque Africaine de Développement would be examined in the future 
along with other outstanding requests.  
4. Members agreed to continue to invite a num ber of intergovernmental organizations on an 
ad hoc meeting-by-meeting basis.  These include  the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), the Common 
Fund for Commodities (CFC)
4, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the 
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Inte r-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation, the 
                                                      
1 The Special Session of the Committee on Trade and De velopment, dealing with  the issue of special 
and differential treatment, has its own reporting requirements. 
2 The 2004 annual report of the Committee is contained in document WT/COMTD/50 of 
13 December 2004. 
3 WT/COMTD/M/54 and WT/COMTD/M/55 to be issued. 
4 At the 49th Session, the CFC was granted ad hoc observer status to follow, on a meeting-by-meeting 
basis, the item relating to the declining terms of trade for primary commodities, and its implication to trade and 
development of primary commodity exporting countries. WT/COMTD/55 
Page 2  
 
 Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the African Union (AU), the Organization of the Islamic 
Conference (OIC), the South Centre, the Pacific Islands Forum, the United Nations Environment 
Programme (UNEP), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), and the World 
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  A full  list of intergovernmental organizations with 
observer status in the Committee is cont ained in document WT/COMTD/W/22/Rev.6. 
5. The principal themes addressed by the CTD in  Regular Session during the period covered in 
this report included: 
A. Technical cooperation and training; 
B. Notifications regarding market access for developing and least-developed countries; 
C. Report of the Joint Advisory Group on the International Trade Centre 
UNCTAD/WTO; 
D. Declining terms of trade for primary comm odities, and its implication to trade and 
development of primary commodity exporting countries; 
E. Paragraph 51 of the Doha Declaration on identifying and debati ng developmental and 
environmental aspects of the negotiations, in  order to help achieve the objective of 
having sustainable development appropriately reflected; 
F. Development dimension of electronic commerce; 
G. Graduation of the Maldives from least-developed country status;  and 
H. Participation of developing countri es in the multilateral trading system. 
 6. The Committee at its 53
rd Session also listened to a presentation by a representative of the 
New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEP AD), and adopted its Work Programme for 2005 
(WT/COMTD/53).   
A. T ECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING  
7. At its 53rd Session, the Committee took note of the Annual Report on Training and Technical 
Cooperation, 1 January to 31 December 2004 (W T/COMTD/W/139 and Corr.1) and the Technical 
Cooperation Audit Report for 2004 (WT/COMTD/W/138) .  The Committee also adopted the Terms 
of Reference for the Strategic Review of WT O-provided Trade-Related Technical Assistance 
Activities (WT/COMTD/W/140).  Members took note at the 54th Session of the Semi-Annual Review 
of the Implementation of Activities, 1 January to 30 June 2005 (WT/COMT D/W/141 and Corr.1), and 
adopted the Technical Assistance and Training Plan 2006 (WT/COMTD/W/142 and Corr.1). 
8. At the 55th Session, the Committee took note of the establishment of and work performed by 
the Steering Committee of the Strategic Review  of WTO-provided Trade-Related Technical 
Assistance Activities, which resulted in the selection of  a group of institutions that will carry out the 
Strategic Review as scheduled. 
B. NOTIFICATIONS REGARDING MARKET ACCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND LEAST -DEVELOPED 
COUNTRIES  
9. At the 52nd, 53rd and 54th Sessions, the CTD considered and took note of a notification under 
the Enabling Clause concerning the Framew ork Agreement on Comprehensive Economic 
Cooperation Between the Association of South East Asian Nations and the People's Republic of China 
(WT/COMTD/N/20 and WT/COMTD/51).  At the 53rd Session, Norway notified the Committee that, 
as a result of changes to its GSP scheme, a number of  specified goods were to be imported with zero 
tariffs from developing countries (WT/COMTD/N/6/Add.3).  At its 54th and 55th Sessions, the 
Committee considered and took note of a notificati on concerning the Agreement on Trade in Goods of 
the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Econom ic Cooperation between the Association of 
South East Asian Nations and the People's Re public of China (WT/COMTD/N/20/Add.1 and  WT/COMTD/55 
 Page 3 
 
 
 WT/COMTD/51/Add.1).  The Committee also took note at its 54th Session of a notification 
concerning the Revised Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (WT/COMTD/N/21 and WT/COMTD/54).  
C. R
EPORT OF THE JOINT ADVISORY GROUP ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE 
UNCTAD/WTO 
10. The Joint Advisory Group on the Internationa l Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO (JAG) held its 
38th session from 18 to 22 April 2005.  The report on that meeting is contained in document 
ITC/AG/(XXXVIII)/204 of 22 April.  The Vice-Ch airman of the JAG, Mr. Georg Jürgens, 
Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Germany, presented the report at the 53rd Session of the Committee.  
He said that the Group during its deliberations had called upon the ITC to help LDCs to build capacity 
to supply international markets and reverse a trend of marginalization.  Many representatives at the 
meeting spoke of the difficulty in adjusting to th e "erosion of preferences" and the move towards 
liberalization without having competitive export st ructures in place for goods and services.  ITC's 
work in poverty reduction, services exporting, nati onal export strategy development, public-private 
partnerships, textiles and clothing, market anal ysis, South-South trade, electronic-trade and 
sensitization on WTO issues were among the trade development areas of interest most frequently 
singled out by representatives at the meeting.  Th e Committee took note of the report and forwarded it 
to the General Council for adoption. 
D. DECLINING TERMS OF TRADE FOR PRIMARY COMMODITIES , AND ITS IMPLICATION TO TRADE 
AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRIMARY COMMODITY EXPORTING COUNTRIES  
11. At the 52nd Session, the Committee listened to and discussed a presentation by Malaysia on 
that country's experiences with commod ities.  The CTD deliberated at its 52nd and 53rd Sessions on 
how it would like to move forward with this agenda item.  The desirability of further presentations by 
Members or relevant institutions was recognized.  It was noted at the 54th Session that Kenya was 
willing to make a presentation on its experiences with  commodities at the first meeting of the CTD in 
2006. The United States proposed at the 55th Session that the International Tropical Timber 
Organization and the International Coffee Organiza tion could in the future be invited to make 
presentations in the CTD. 
E. PARAGRAPH 51 OF THE DOHA DECLARATION ON IDENTIFYING AND DEBATING 
DEVELOPMENTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS , IN ORDER TO 
HELP ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE OF HAVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATELY 
REFLECTED  
12. The item relating to paragraph 51 of the Doha  Ministerial Declaration is a standing item on 
the agenda of the Committee.  Under this item,  Members identify and de bate the developmental 
aspects of the various negotiations in order to help achieve the objective of having sustainable 
development appropriately reflect ed.  Continuing with past pr esentations on the developmental 
aspects of the negotiations in various areas, the Secretariat made a presentation at the 52nd Session on 
the developmental aspects of the negotiations  on Regional Trade Agreements.  At the 53rd Session, the 
Chairman sought the input of the Membership on how the Committee should move forward with this 
agenda item.  As agreed at the 53rd Session, the CTD at its 54th Session undertook a review of  the 
developmental aspects of the negotiations, for wh ich a background paper was prepared by the 
Secretariat (WT/COMTD/W/143).  While the Secret ariat was commended by Members for the paper, 
a number of suggestions were made for revisions.   The Director-General participated at the 
55th Session in the continued discussion of the deve lopmental aspects of the negotiations based on a 
revised version of the paper (WT/COMTD/W/143/Rev.1).  The usefulness of periodic updates to the paper was recognized, and it was agreed that a revised  version would be prepared for discussion at the 
56
th Session.  A paper titled "Reclaiming Developm ent in the WTO Doha Development Round" was WT/COMTD/55 
Page 4  
 
 submitted for discussion at the 55
th Session by a group of developing countries (Argentina, Brazil, 
India, Indonesia, Namibia, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa and Venezuela).5 
F. DEVELOPMENT DIMENSION OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  
13. The CTD is one of four subsidiary bodies to  the General Council mandated to work on the 
issue of electronic commerce, which is a standing it em on its agenda.  It had been agreed at the 
50th Session of the Committee in September 2004 that a representative of the International 
Telecommunications Union (ITU) would be invited to make a presentation to the CTD.  Accordingly, 
Mr. Alexander Ntoko, Chief of the E-Strategies Un it in the Telecommunications Development Bureau 
of the ITU, made a presentation at the 53rd Session on the role of information and communications 
technologies (ICTs) in development.  The Committee took note of the presentation.  It was agreed to 
revert to this agenda item in the future only if requested to do so by Members. 
G. GRADUATION OF THE MALDIVES FROM LDC  STATUS  
14. At the 53rd Session, the representative of Maldives recalled to the Committee that his 
delegation had in 2004 put to the Committee the i ssue of the graduation of Maldives from LDC status.  
In particular, his delegation had highlighted in document WT/COMTD/W/128 the benefits of 
preferential treatment that Maldives enjoyed as an LDC and the consequences of graduation, 
particularly with regard to the loss of these preferen ces.  On that basis, his delegation's submission to 
the WTO called for the establishment of a transiti on mechanism through which trade preferences that 
had been granted to Maldives as an LDC could remain  in place for some time.  In his delegation's 
recent submission (WT/COMTD/52), however, the diffic ulties faced by Maldives  as a consequence of 
the December 2004 tsunami had been highlighted.  In light of the effects of the tsunami, Maldives was 
of the view that it was not appropriate for it to be  graduated from LDC status at the present time.  The 
Chairman summed up the ensuing discussion by re marking that there was much understanding and 
sympathy in the WTO regarding the recent difficulti es.  There was, however, also a recognition that 
the WTO was not the forum to discuss graduation from LDC status and that this was an issue 
addressed by the United Nations.  Nonetheless, he noted  that certain initiatives on the trade side could 
be considered in the WTO.  The Committee took  note of the statement by Maldives and of all 
interventions. 
H. PARTICIPATION OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM  
15. In order to assist the Committee with its requi rement to keep under continuous review the 
participation of developing country Members in the multilateral trading system, the Secretariat 
prepared a report (WT/COMTD/W/136/Rev.1) highl ighting salient features of developing economy 
trade, with particular focus on the period 2000-2003.  The findings of the report  were presented to the 
Committee at its 53rd Session.  The Committee took note of the report.   
III. WORK OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT IN DEDICATED 
SESSION ON SMALL ECONOMIES 
16. Pursuant to paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration6, the General Council, at its 
meeting on 1 March 2002, took note of the framework  and procedures for the conduct of the Work 
Programme on Small Economies.7  Paragraph 2(d) of that documen t states that "The General Council 
shall instruct the CTD to have a programme of work on small economies which will be conducted in 
dedicated sessions of the CTD". 
                                                      
5 The paper will be issued as document WT/COMTD/W/145. 
6 WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1 
7 WT/L/447  WT/COMTD/55 
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 17. The Dedicated Session held five formal mee tings during the year 2005 on the Work 
Programme on Small Economies.  Meetings were  held on 21 February 2005, 6 April 2005, 
25 May 2005, 17 October 2005 and 16 November 2005 under the Chairmanship of Ambassador C. Trevor Clarke (Barbados) a nd Ambassador Gomi Tharaka Senadhira (Sri Lanka ).  
These meetings have, to the extent possible, been scheduled to coincide with the holding of "Geneva 
Weeks" for non-resident Members and Observers to  ensure the participation of Members without 
missions in Geneva.  The minutes of these  meetings are contained in documents 
WT/COMTD/SE/M/9-13.
8 
18. Seven new submissions on issues relating to the trade of small economies and possible 
approaches to framing responses were received in the period under review.  One new submission, 
which provided an indicative list of specific characteristics and problems faced by small economies, 
was introduced at the Tenth Dedicated Session held in  April 2005.  This paper was presented by the 
delegations of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Boliv ia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Fiji, 
Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mauritius, Mongolia , Nicaragua, Paraguay, Sr i Lanka, and Trinidad 
and Tobago and is contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/W/12. 
19. Another submission contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/W/13/Rev.1 was made for the 
Eleventh Dedicated Session which was held in May.   This submission by the delegations of Antigua 
and Barbuda, Barbados, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Do minican Republic, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, 
Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica,  Mauritius, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, 
Solomon Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Gren adines and Trinidad and 
Tobago is entitled "An Approach to Framing Resp onses to the Trade-Related Problems of Small 
Economies".  
20. For the Twelfth Dedicated Session, held in Oct ober, the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda, 
Barbados, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Repub lic, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, 
Honduras, Jamaica, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Solomon Islands, 
St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Gren adines and Trinidad and Tobago presented another 
submission contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/ W/14.  This new submission is entitled "Small 
Economies' Report to the Committee on Trade and De velopment in Dedicated Session" and contained 
two annexes which proponents had submitted to th e negotiating groups on agriculture and NAMA.  
Members also heard brief introductory presentations  on four new proposals submitted by Antigua and 
Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Jamaica, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Solomon 
Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in documents 
WT/COMTD/SE/W/15-18.  Three of these proposals concerned the creation of regional bodies which 
small economies could use to report and notify obligations under the Agreement on Technical 
Barriers to Trade, the Agreement on Sanitary an d Phytosanitary Measures and the Agreement on 
TRIPS.  A fourth proposal in document WT/COM TD/SE/W/17 concerned agreeing to new rules for 
accession procedures.  Members heard from the Chairm an about the Dedicated Session's report to the 
General Council and discussed a possible draft text for inclusion in the Declaration for the Sixth 
Ministerial Conference. 
21. The Thirteenth Dedicated Session was held on 16 November and Members adopted the 
Dedicated Session's report to the General Council in document WT/COMTD/SE/4.  
IV. WORK OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
22. During the period under review, the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries held four 
formal meetings on 19-20 January, 8 March, 8 July and 29 September 2005.  The Minutes of these 
                                                      
8 WT/COMTD/SE/M/12 and WT/COMTD/SE/M/13 to be issued. WT/COMTD/55 
Page 6  
 
 meetings are contained in documents WT/C OMTD/LDC/M/39 through WT/COMTD/LDC/M/42
9 
respectively.  All these meetings were chai red by Ambassador Ian de Jong (Netherlands).10 
23. The work of the Sub-Committee has mainly focused on the implementation of the WTO 
Work Programme for Least-Developed Coun tries (LDCs) adopted by Members on 
12 February 2002.11  The subjects considered during the reporting period were:  (i) market access for 
LDCs;  (ii) trade-related technical assistance  and capacity-building initiatives for LDCs;  and 
(iii) accession of LDCs.  
(i) Market Access for LDCs 
24. The item on market access for LDCs was c onsidered at all the meetings of the 
Sub-Committee.  At the 39th Session, Members mandated the Secretariat to prepare a paper that would 
look into options for improving LDCs' competitiveness in the textiles and clothing business in light of 
the termination of the Agreement on Textiles and Cl othing (ATC).  Accordingly, the Secretariat 
prepared a note entitled "Options for Least-Develope d Countries to Improve their Competitiveness in 
the Textiles and Clothing Business" which is cont ained in document WT/COMTD/LDC/W/37.  At the 
41st and 42nd Sessions, the Sub-Committee had detailed discussions on this note, which was prepared 
to be in conformity with the terms of reference agreed at the 39th Session.  The note contains reviews 
of programmes of the IMF and the World Bank in the textiles and clothing sector, trade-related 
technical assistance and capacity-building progra mmes, analysis of non-reciprocal preference 
schemes extended to LDCs, and other means to tackle  constraints affecting LDC exports.  The note 
also lists options for LDCs to improve their competitiveness in each of  these areas.  At the 
42nd Session, the IMF, the ITC and the World Bank made presentations on their respective activities 
targeted to improve LDCs' competitiveness in the tex tiles and clothing business.  In view of requests 
from Members, the Sub-Committee agreed to revert to the note at its next meeting.  
25. At its 40th Session, the Sub-Committee considered the Secretariat's note on the annual review 
of market access for products origina ting from LDCs contained in document 
WT/COMTD/LDC/W/35 also issued as TN/MA/S/12.12  The note, which was presented by the 
Secretariat both at the 39th and 40th Sessions, contains information regarding LDCs' export profiles, 
tariff measures taken in favour of LDCs, initiatives  and improvements made in providing market 
access for LDCs and features preference utili zation as its special topic.  At the 41st Session, the 
Secretariat briefed the Sub-Committee on the preparat ion for the next annual review of market access 
for products originating from LDCs and announced that the special topic for the review would be 
market access conditions in developing country markets for products originating from LDCs.   
(ii) Trade-related Technical Assistance and Capacity-Building Initiatives for LDCs 
26. The item on trade-related technical assist ance and capacity-building initiatives was 
considered at the 40th, 41st and 42nd Sessions of the Sub-Committee.  At the 40th and 41st Sessions, the 
Sub-Committee considered the Secretariat's note on "Assistance to Address Supply-Side Constraints" 
contained in document WT/COMTD/LDC/W/33 and its addendum.  The addendum note, which was 
prepared following the request made by the Sub-Committee at the 38th Session, provides information 
on supply-side related actions undertaken in respon se to the needs identified in the Diagnostic Trade 
Integration Studies (DTISs) and its Action Matrices drawn up under the Integrated Framework (IF).  
                                                      
9 To be issued. 
10 Ambassador Ian de Jong was re-elected as Chai rman by Members at the meeting of the CTD on 
22 February 2005. 
11 WT/COMTD/LDC/11 
12 The previous market access reviews are cont ained in documents WT/COMTD/LDC/W/28 and 
WT/COMTD/LDC/W/31.  WT/COMTD/55 
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 The Sub-Committee noted that the IF was an impo rtant tool to effectively address LDCs' trade 
development needs, including their supply-side limitations. 
27. At the Sub-Committee's 42nd Session, the Chairman of the Integrated Framework Steering 
Committee (IFSC) reported on the status of implementa tion of the IF and also on developments with 
regard to the "Aid for Trade" initiative.  The S ub-Committee joined the Chairman of the IFSC in 
welcoming the endorsement by the Developmen t Committee of the IMF and the World Bank of 
proposals to enhance the IF, including expanding its r esources.  He underscored the desire of LDCs to 
extend the current IF Work Programme beyond its te rmination date of 31 December 2005.  Minutes of 
the meetings of the IFSC held in the period unde r review are contained in documents WT/IFSC/M/11 
through WT/IFSC/M/13.  Since the 42nd Session of the Sub-Committee, the IFSC held its 15th Session 
on 26 October, Minutes of which are contained in document WT/IFSC/M/14.13  At that meeting, the 
IFSC had a discussion on Aid for Trade proposals, in  particular the endorsement on 25 September by 
the Development Committee of the IMF and the Worl d Bank of a proposal to enhance the Integrated 
Framework.  The IFSC, based on recommendations from the Integrated Framework Working Group (IFWG), agreed on three elements which together co mprised an enhanced IF, namely:  (i) increased 
and additional predictable financial resources;  (ii)  strengthened capacities in the IF beneficiaries to 
implement, manage and monitor the IF;  and (iii) im proved IF governance.  The IFSC also agreed to 
extend the IF Work Programme until 31 December 2006.
14  General progress in the IF can be 
reviewed on its website:  www.integratedframework.org. 
28. At its 40th Session, the Sub-Committee was briefed by the Secretariat on trade-related 
technical assistance provided to LDCs, especially in relation to the Doha Work Programme and the 
Decision adopted by the General Council on 1 August 2004.  The Secretariat reported that in 2004, 
the LDCs had been involved in 40 per cent of all TR TA delivered by the Secretariat.  The LDCs were 
encouraged to make requests for tec hnical assistance to the Secretariat. 
29. At its 41st Session, the Secretariat briefed the Sub- Committee on the arrangements to facilitate 
the participation of LDCs at the Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, China.  The 
Secretariat urged Members to contribute to the Trust Fund established to finance travel expenses for 
three participants from each LDC.15 
(iii) Accession of LDCs 
30. The Sub-Committee considered the ite m on Accession of LDCs at its 42nd Session.  The 
Secretariat introduced a note contained in documen t JOB(05)/180, which provides the current state of 
play in the accession working parties of the LDCs.  During the period under review, ten LDCs were at 
various stages of their accession process.  The S ub-Committee called for an accelerated and simplified 
accession process for acceding LDCs based on the guidelines16 adopted in 2002 to facilitate the 
accession of LDCs.   
 
__________ 
 
                                                      
13 To be issued. 
14 WT/IFSC/7 
15 Regular updates on these arrangements are being provided to the LDCs by the WTO Task Force for 
the Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference. 
16 WT/L/508