WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/COMTD/W/186 
25 June 2012 
 (12-3355) 
  
  
ANNUAL REPORT ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING 
(1 JANUARY TO 31 DECEMBER 2011) 
 
Table of Contents 
  
I.  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 3  
II.  BROAD OVERVIEW OF THE AC TIVITIES UNDERTAKEN ......................................... 4  
III. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRESSIVE LEARNING 
STRATEGY (PLS):  E-LEARNING, GLOBAL AND THEMATIC TRAINING COURSES, REGIONAL TRADE POLICY COURSES, GENEVA-BASED 
TRAINING ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................ 8  
A.  I
MPLEMENTATION OF THE PLS ................................................................................................... 8  
B.  E-L EARNING :  PLS  LEVELS 1 AND 2 ........................................................................................... 8  
1.  Overview ...................................................................................................................... .............. 8  
2.  Delivery ...................................................................................................................... ................ 8  
3.  Self-Training Courses ......................................................................................................... .... 12 
C.  REGIONAL TRADE POLICY COURSES :  PLS  LEVEL 2 ................................................................ 12  
D.  GENEVA -BASED TRAINING ACTIVITIES :  FOCUS ON PLS  LEVEL 3 .......................................... 14  
1.  Overview ...................................................................................................................... ............ 14  
2.  Advanced (PLS Level 3) Training Activities ........................................................................ 15  
3.  Basic (PLS Level 1) Training Activities ................................................................................ 18  
IV.  OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, ACADEMIC COOPERATION AND INTENSIVE 
COURSES ON TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SKILLS .......................................................... 18  
A.  OUTREACH ACTIVITIES FOR PARLIAMENTARIANS , PRIVATE SECTOR , MEDIA AND 
CIVIL SOCIETY  .......................................................................................................................... 18  
B.  ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING  .............................................. 19  
C.  ADVANCED TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SIMULATION SKILLS COURSE  .......................................... 19  
D.  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED UNDER ART. 27.2 ............................................................ 20  
V.  REGIONAL APPROACHES TO TRADE-RELATED TECHNICAL 
ASSISTANCE AND PARTNERSHIPS ................................................................................ 21  
A.  AFRICA  .............................................................................................................................. ........ 21 
B.  ASIA-PACIFIC  ............................................................................................................................ 2 3 
C.  ARAB COUNTRIES AND THE MIDDLE EAST ............................................................................... 24  
D.  CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA AND CAUCASUS (CEECA)  
COUNTRIES  .............................................................................................................................. .. 25 
E. L ATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN  ..................................................................................... 26 
VI.  REFERENCE CENTRES ...................................................................................................... 28  
VII. TRAINEE PROGRAMMES AND INTERNSHIPS ............................................................ 32  WT/COMTD/W/186 
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  A.  N
ETHERLANDS TRAINEE PROGRAMME  ..................................................................................... 33  
B.  THE MISSION INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME  .................................................................................. 36  
C.  THE WTO  REGIONAL COORDINATOR INTERNSHIP  ................................................................... 38  
VIII. THE GLOBAL TRADE-RELATED TECHNIC AL ASSISTANCE DATABASE ........... 40  
IX.  FINANCIAL SITUATION .................................................................................................... 41  
ANNEX 1:  Overview of TRTA provided fr om 01/01/2011 to 31/12/2011………………………...44 
ANNEX 2:  Participation to the Netherlands Tr aining Programme from  2005 to 2011...…….....47 
ANNEX 3:  Participation to the Mission Int ernship Programme from  2003 to 2011.………........48 
ANNEX 4:  Reference Centres Programme:  Annual Statistics for 2011………….…………..….49 
ANNEX 5:  DDAGTF Contributions and Pledges………………………..…………….…………..51 
 
  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 3 
 
 
  I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
1. It is recalled that the main purpose of the Secr etariat's trade capacity-building programmes is 
to provide direct support to beneficiaries to enha nce their human and institutional capacities to deal 
with the challenges emerging from the multilateral trading system (MTS).  All the products and 
TRTA activities have been geared towards achieving th at objective and are regularly reviewed in light 
of that objective.  The Secretariat's TRTA efforts are part of the broader Aid for Trade initiative and 
can be seen as the Secretariat's contribution to the implementation of Aid for Trade.  At the 3rd Global 
Aid for Trade Review held in the summer of 2011,  the ITTC submitted a case story, which highlights 
some outputs and outcomes resulting from the WTO's trade capacity-building programmes. 
2. Overall, the year 2011 was one of challenges, particularly as it was the first year where the 
incoming funds were insufficient to cover all e xpenses related to the full implementation of the 
TA Plan.  As a result, the overall implementation rate decreased by a quarter as a large number of activities had to be cancelled or postponed.  This ha rd reality also had direct implications for the 
design and preparation of the new Biennial TA Pl an 2012-2013, which saw a reduction of levels of 
ambition by a quarter.  It was also a year during which the Progressive Learning Strategy (PLS) was 
developed further, with some new features bei ng introduced and a revisiting of the key products, 
which provide the basis for the progressivity.  Another challenge was the gradual introduction of Results Based Management (RBM) in the design and implementation of the TA activities, which 
progressed.  Training sessions were organized for st aff and monitoring and evaluation tools developed 
with a view to applying RBM.  The concept of RBM will gradually be incorporated in the management and delivery of WTO's trade CB progr ammes, thus streamlining activities and permitting 
a more systematic evaluation of the impact of these activities. 
3. In order to fully implement the PLS, effort s were pursued and progress was made in the 
rethinking of the training events, with particul ar emphasis being put on gradual and progressive 
learning.  A clear differentiation was made betw een the products, each being geared to attaining 
agreed objectives.  This has wider implications fo r the organization of events, the selection process of 
participants and the reporting.  Efforts were gear ed towards sensitizing beneficiaries of these changes 
and explaining its rationale. 
4. The Secretariat continued to take a lead role in  coordinating trade capacity-building efforts in 
close consultation and interaction with beneficiarie s and regional partner ins titutions in all regions.  
The internal (WTO) coordination of trade-related technical assistance (TRTA) programmes at all levels within the Secretariat continued to be  assured through the Te chnical Assistance (TA) 
Coordination Task Force, which meets on a monthly basis.  The consultation process with the other 
agencies was strengthened through the Global Trade Related Technical Assistance Database (GTAD).  The GTAD Steering Committee gives strategic directi on, reviews its functioning, and determines the 
way forward, including possible enhancements to better reach the GTAD's target audience. 
5. In line with the priorities established in th e 2010-2011 Biennial Technical Assistance and 
Training Plan (WT/COMTD/W/170/Rev.1) (TA Plan), specific attention was given to three broad 
areas, including accessions, notification and scheduling.  In practice this has translated into special 
support in these fields, either in the form of nati onal and regional seminars or dedicated workshops. 
6. Considerable efforts were pursued to repositi on and revamp E-Learning within the means of 
delivery of TRTA, which permeates all other products.  Any participant accepted, once duly 
registered on the E-Learning course, can start it at any time during the year.  Through E-Learning the 
Secretariat has been able to incorporate the concep t of progressive learning ensuring that participation 
in advanced WTO courses is premised on a full u nderstanding of basic WTO concepts and principles. WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 4  
 
  7. The regional dimension of TRTA was again stressed, by working systematically with the 
regional secretariats and partnering with field based agencies.  Over half of all activities are conducted 
with partner agencies.  This cooperation is bei ng undertaken through a number of activities including 
the Regional Trade Policy Courses (RTPCs) that are organized and conducted w ith the participation 
of regional and national academic institutions and experts.  The RTPCs specifically bring out the 
regional dimension to trade policy formulation.   The role of regional economic communities, 
economic commissions and other relevant regional in stitutions in the delivery of TRTA will remain a 
central element of the WTO TRTA programme.  This regional approach to addressing capacity 
constraints is consistent with the overa ll approach on aid for trade strategies. 
8. The Secretariat continued to deliver on its outreach programmes, including its work with 
parliamentarians, private sector, media, civil society, academics and universities, following the 
launching of the WTO Chairs' Programme (WCP) by the Director-General in Spring 2010. 
9. The Regional Desks in the ITTC continued their cl ose interaction with the beneficiaries in all 
the regions and with the regional partners to di scuss the national and regional TRTA requirements, 
based on their needs assessments. 
10. The year 2011 saw a further consolidation a nd strengthening of the intern programmes, 
including the Netherlands Trainee Programme (N TP) and the Mission Intern Programme (MIP), 
which make a valuable contribution to the trade CB programmes.  The NTP was renewed for another 
three years. 
II. BROAD OVERVIEW OF THE ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN 
11. This Report provides a brief qualitative and qua ntitative overview of the TA and training 
activities undertaken in the year 2011, as contained in the biennial TA Plan 2010-2011 
(WT/COMTD/W/170/Rev.1).  The Report will cove r E-Learning, global training courses (RTPCs, 
TPCs, academic programmes), followed by a disc ussion of the regional activities (seminars, 
workshops), trainee programmes and internships, Refe rence Centres (RCs) and the financial situation. 
12. It should be recalled that the main objective pursu ed in the TA Plan is to build long-lasting 
human and institutional capacity and to enhance ow nership.  Implementati on of programmes in 2011 
followed on the track of 2010, and the ITTC regional desks continued, through direct contacts with national representations in Geneva, to fine-tune the id entification of priority areas for the countries, so 
as to match a timely delivery with well- targeted and tailored TA activities. 
13. Efforts undertaken by the Secretariat sin ce 2009 to implement the Institute's PLS were 
reinforced in 2011.  Advanced Trade Policy Cour ses replaced the historical Geneva-based Regular 
Trade Policy Courses, the last of which had been impl emented in the first part of the previous year.  
Two three-month residential activities, Leve l 3 in the PLS, were organized in 2011. 
14. Other residential programmes, such as th e Mission Interns Programme (MIP) and the 
Netherlands Training Programme (NTP), were con tinued in 2011, although both involved a reduced 
number of participants in 2011, with ten interns each.  In line with this trend, the delivery of national 
activities experienced a 25 per cent decrease, and regi onal events were reduced by 21 per cent.  The 
late disbursement of extra-budgetary contributions in  the Global Trust Fund last year made it difficult 
for the Secretariat to commit in advance.  Th e planning and rescheduling exercise led to the 
postponement of some regional workshops which th en coincided with the preparations for the 
Ministerial Conference, and were thus cancelled. 
15. At the regional and global levels, taking into  account the need to ensure coherence and 
complementarity in delivering activities, the S ecretariat continued to promote partnership  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 5 
 
 
  arrangements with other institutions.  More than ha lf of all such events were conducted in close 
cooperation with another agency.  To reinfor ce coordination, coherence and efficiency in 
TRTA delivery, following on from the official launch of the Global Trade-related Technical 
Assistance Database (GTAD) in November 2010, the first meeting of the Steering Committee was organized in May 2011.  All contributing agencies par ticipated in this forum, in which it was agreed 
that each institution would, at its own level, communicate on the GTAD to  increase visibility and 
promote its use. 
16. The activities contained in this Report were of significantly different durations and the 
number of participants varied from one activity to  another.  Most of them were organized in 
partnership with other internationa l organizations or regional secretar iats or financial institutions.  
Statistics show the emphasis on providing assistan ce to Africa and more specifically to least 
developed countries (LDCs), whose integration into  the MTS remained a priority for the WTO in 
2011.  For the first time, E-Learning online courses were offered in an all year round delivery mode, 
to allow participants to have more flexibility and increase the number of eligible candidates for 
Level 2 or Level 3 activities, for which a successful participation in an E-Learning was a prerequisite 
(in line with the PLS). 
17. To achieve the goal of sustainable capacity buildin g and in line with expectations, a total of 
213 field-based events (142 nationa l and 71 regional activities) we re implemented over the period 
under review.  In addition, 53 so-called global events , which cannot be allocated to a specific region, 
included Geneva-based training activities as well as t opic-specific workshops and E-Learning courses.  
Thus, 266 trade-related technical activities were implemented in 2011.  WTO officials provided their 
inputs and expertise in an additional 74 conferences and meetings to which the Secretariat was invited 
to participate.  The significant decrease in the im plementation of activities, compared to the year 2010 
(a little over 21 per cent), is due to the smaller num ber of regional and global events undertaken last 
year (-21 per cent), as well as the decrease in the implementation of national activities (-25 per cent), while a more modest decrease (-8.5per cent) could be observed in the delivery of global events over 
the same period.  The unpredictable financial situ ation, of which the limited resources available 
within the Secretariat to provide technical assistance and training in the regions were the direct consequence, as well as the absorption capacity of th e beneficiary countries in a Ministerial calendar, 
have contributed to this result. 
18. Despite the reduction in delivery, a similar dist ribution of the TA activities was maintained in 
2011 (cf. Table 1 and Graph 1).  The majority of  activities were held in Africa (90), representing 
26.5 per cent of WTO's TRTA, followed by the Asia  and Pacific region (60), representing 17.6 per 
cent of activities.  A total of 52 events were orga nized for Latin America (15.3 per cent), 30 for the 
Central and Eastern Europe Central Asia and the Caucasus (CEECAC) (8.8 per cent), 21 for the Arab 
and Middle-East countries (6.2 per cent), and 13 for the Caribbean (3.8 per cent). 
19. It can be observed that a total of 142 activities were held at the national level and 124 were 
regional and global events.  WTO experts participat ed in 74 activities organized by other agencies, 
including trade-related conferences, symposia and high-level meetings (a decrease by 24 per cent 
compared to the previous year). 
20. In line with the Doha Declaration, TA delivery continued to focus on LDCs to facilitate their 
full integration into the MTS.  This approach is  not only corroborated by the frequency with which 
LDCs were associated with TRTA, but mainly thro ugh several products that are specifically and/or 
largely geared towards LDCs.  LDCs were associ ated with 47 per cent of all activities, including 
national activities held in LDCs (30, or 21 per cent)  as well as regional semina rs and workshops (56, 
or 79 per cent), and global training activities (46, or 86 per cent) attended by LDCs.  LDCs were 
given priority in WTO internship programmes, i.e.  the NTP and the MIP.  Last year, out of the 
ten participants selected for each of the NTP and MIP,  80 per cent originated from LDCs.  By making WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 6  
 
  available interns to assist their countries, some of  which may be coordinating a regional grouping, the 
Secretariat hopes to help alleviate the capacity constr aints of LDCs.  Also, with the introduction of the 
PLS, and to ensure that LDCs have the same exposure to it as other developing countries, the 
Secretariat organized its 19
th Introduction Course for LDCs, in French, in 2011.  The activity, which 
was considered as "Level 1" in the WTO's PLS, br ought together 24 selected participants representing 
15 WTO Members and three acceding countries.  All the participants (11 men and 13 women) were 
capital-based government officials nominated by their governments. 
21. LDCs were also given priority in the first WTO Symposium for Reference Centre 
Coordinators organized at the WTO in April 2011.  This symposium, in which managers from LDCs 
participated, aimed at providing them with the knowledge and tools to run a Reference Centre.  
Training included sessions in managing, searching and using WTO informa tion resources, including 
publications, official documents, databases and dist ance learning programmes.  The WTO took this 
opportunity to make presentations on the GTAD, which features prominently in the programme of field-based activities relating to the WTO Reference Centres. 
22. To make activities more relevant for LDCs, th e ITTC has been workin g with them to assess 
their TRTA needs, and it was against that b ackground that priority was given to accessions, 
notifications, and scheduling in the TA Plan.  LDCs will continue to be the primary beneficiaries of 
the WTO's TRTA programme, not least through thei r entitlement to three national activities under the 
new Biennial TA Plan 2012-2013. 
Table 1:  Trade-Related Technical Assistance by Region in 2011 
(1 January to 31 December) 
 
TRTA BY REGION National TA Regional Global(1) Other 
(Conferences, 
etc.) Total 
Africa 48 34% 23 32% 19 26% 90 26%
Arab and Middle East countries 9 6% 9 13% 3 4% 21 6%
Asia and Pacific economies 30 21% 15 21% 15 20% 60 18%
Central and Eastern Europe, 
Central Asia and the Caucasus 18 13% 8 11% 4 5% 30 9%
Caribbean countries 5 4% 6 8% 2 3% 13 4%
Latin America 32 23% 10 14% 10 14% 52 15%
Subtotal 142 100% 71 100% 53 72% 266 78%
Global  53 100% 21 28% 74 22%
Total 142 100% 71 100% 53 100% 74 100% 340 100%
(1) Activities under the TRTA Global region  include those that are not targeted  at a specific region, such as the 
Geneva-based courses and topic-specific workshops and symposia, distance learning, internship programmes 
and the advisory role on legal issues - Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) - Article 27.2.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 7 
 
 
   
Graph 1:  TRTA by Region in 2011 
 
 
 
 
Graph 2:  TRTA by Region in 2009, 2010 and 2011 
 
 
 WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 8  
 
  III. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRESSIVE LEARNING STRATEGY (PLS):  
E-LEARNING, GLOBAL AND THEMATIC TRAINING COURSES, REGIONAL TRADE POLICY COURSES, GENEVA-BASED TRAINING ACTIVITIES 
A. 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLS 
23. In 2011, the ITTC continued to consolidat e the implementation of the PLS, exploiting 
synergies among training products and programmes.  The progressive learning approach involves the 
sequencing of products in order to improve the delivery of trade-related technical assistance and 
capacity building, with a view to gradually and prog ressively moving to higher levels of learning.  
The primary aim of the PLS is to promote higher leve ls of learning and to encourage the development 
of participants' autonomy, with a view to bu ilding and sustaining the long-lasting human and 
institutional capacity of beneficiary countries to pa rticipate most effectively in the rules-based 
multilateral trading system.  Along with the realig nment and improvement in the design and content 
of face-to-face training activities, online E-Learning, as both a training and a selection tool, functioned as a key element in the PLS. 
B. E-L
EARNING :  PLS  LEVELS 1 AND 2 
1. Overview 
24. WTO E-Learning aims at providing online traini ng on matters related to international trade 
and WTO Agreements to government officials from TA recipient governments.  In particular, the 
E-Learning programme aims to give participan ts a homogeneous and stre ngthened understanding of 
the multilateral trading system;  e nhanced knowledge of the basic principles of the WTO and the main 
disciplines contained in the WTO Agreements;  a nd improved capability to use the WTO legal texts 
and to find relevant information and documents on WTO-related issues. 
25. Progressive learning is an important elemen t in the E-Learning Programme, with online 
courses, introduction courses and courses on specific tr ade-related topics, being a prerequisite for 
participation in more advanced online and face-to-face  technical assistance activities.  The objective is 
to ensure that participation in courses with hi gher levels of learning is premised on a full 
understanding of basic WTO concepts and principl es as well as of the main provisions of the 
Agreements. 
26. In 2011, candidates were required to successfu lly complete an online Introduction Course on 
the WTO on the basic principles of the MTS and th e main disciplines of WTO Agreements before 
they could be selected to participate in highe r levels of learning.  Online PLS Levels 1 and 
2 E-Learning courses were used, as appropriate, as a prerequisite for participation in RTPCs, in 
Geneva-based advanced generalist and thematic  courses and in a number of regional seminars. 
2. Delivery 
27. From 2005 to 2010, courses were organized by session at specific dates during the year.  
In 2011, a major overhaul was undertaken in th e delivery mode to offer online courses in the 
three languages, on a 7/7 day and 24/24 hour basi s.  The new approach generated substantial 
productivity gains on the WTO side while enabling fu rther availability of E-Learning and a significant 
increase in the number of participants in the courses. 
28. Making WTO E-Learning available all year round not only significantly increased the 
availability of the online courses in general, but al so largely opened up the possibility to attend 
courses in French and Spanish.  Until 2010, courses in French and Spanish were available during  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 9 
 
 
  one session of the year.  Since January 2011, TA recipients have full access to WTO E-Learning in 
the three languages. 
29. In 2011, two new courses on Non-Agricultural Market Access and Trade and Environment 
were finalized and included in the online course pr ogramme.  In addition, substantive progress in the 
development of a new course on Trade and Developmen t was made in 2011, with a view to finalizing 
the modules and making them available in the first part of 2012. 
30. The first level of the PLS - the Introduction Course - was comprehensively overhauled to 
match the objectives and benchmarks set for level 1 of the PLS.  The course on Trade in Services was 
updated and a new module dedicated to  Statistics and Data on Trade in Services was developed.  Both 
the revised Introduction Course and the updated cour se on Trade in Services were introduced at the 
beginning of 2012.  The course on Trade Remedies w as also reviewed and updated;  it too will be 
made available in early 2012. 
31. The use of multimedia files was significantly bo osted over the year to keep up with current 
distance-learning standards.  A range of new short vide os were also shot to enrich the course material, 
provide special focus on specific trade-relate d issues, and enhance knowledge transfer. 
32. WTO E-Learning is offering a course entitled "Introduction to the WTO" at PLS Level 1, 
one more advanced generalist course at Level 2,  as well as eight specialized courses on specific 
WTO issues or Agreements.  The 2011 online c ourse programme therefore included the following 
courses available all year round: 
Level 1 
 
 Introduction to the WTO 
 
Level 2 
 
Generalist Path 
 
 The Multilateral Trade Agreements and the WTO 
 
Specialist Path 
 
 Agriculture in the WTO 
 Non-agricultural Market Access in the WTO 
 Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures 
 Technical Barriers to Trade in the WTO 
 Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights 
 Trade Remedies and the WTO 
 Trade and Environment 
 Trade and Services in the WTO 
33. Following website disruptions e xperienced in 2009, the number of selected online participants 
was monitored in 2010 to ensure that the number of simultaneous website users registered in a course 
session did not go beyond the distance-learning platform  capacities and therefore provide participants 
in online courses held in parallel with adequate we bsite performance.  In 2011, the decision was made 
to open up the courses all year round and spread pa rticipation over the entire year.  In addition, a WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 10  
 
  comprehensive revision of the website (code and d esign) was undertaken to boost performance.  This 
strategy proved successful and allowed the number of online participants to rise again in 2011. 
34. 4,508 government officials were selected to participate in the online courses in 2011 
compared to 3,599 in 2010.  This increase of 909 participants represents a rise of 20 per cent in 
comparison with 2010. 
35. Of the 4,508 participants, 48 per cent were in  the generalist path and 52 per cent in the 
specialist path of the PLS;  36 per cent enrolled in the Level 1 course while 64 per cent participated in 
intermediate (Level 2) courses. 
36. Participants benefited from di fferent interactive tools organized by the E-Learning team 
throughout the year, including chat sessions on specific subject matters with WTO experts and 
discussion forums, where they had the opportunity to exchange views and comments with other 
participants on topics of interests for them and th eir governments.  In addition, they benefited from 
the assistance of a tutor who replied to questions on WTO-related matters.  The ra te of participation in 
interactive activities was high.  To match the demand, the number of activities organized was 
increased in the second half of the year. 
Graph 3:  Number of Participants in Online Courses, 2007-2011 
 
 
 
37. The participation of LDCs accounted for more than 26 per cent of the total number of 
participants in 2011, representing an increase of 7 per cent as compared to the average number of 
LDC participants from 2004 to 2010.  The partic ipants from observer governments accounted for 
11 per cent in 2011.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 11 
 
 
  Graph 4:  Number of Participants from LDCs, 2007-2011 
 
 
 
38. The regional distribution of participants taki ng the courses has been comprehensive in 2011, 
covering all regions, with the highest rates of participation in Africa (36 per cent), 
Latin America (27 per cent) and Asia and Pacific (19 per cent). 
Graph 5:  Participants by Region, 2011 
 
 
 
 
39. Compared to 2010, participation from Africa, As ia Pacific, the Caribbean and Latin America 
slightly decreased in favour of the Middle East a nd the CEECAC regions, whose share of participants 
was approximately doubled in 2011.  This trend will contribute to strengthening efficiency of the PLS 
in the years to come by enlarging the pool of su ccessful online participants, eligible for more 
advanced courses, in regions that had hist orically been less involved in E-Learning. 
 WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 12  
 
  Graph 6:  Number of E-Learning Participan ts by Region in 2010-2011, in Per Cent 
 
 
3. Self-training courses 
40. In 2011, a number of self-training modules c overing a wide range of WTO topics (overview 
of the WTO, legal and economic underpinnings, di spute settlement, SPS measures, trade in services, 
accessions, trade facilitation, trade and finance, etc. ) were available online through the WTO webpage 
on distance learning, the E-Learning website and on CD-ROM or DVD.  The course on Trade and Finance was updated and new video material was shot. 
41. The modules were accessible fr ee of charge and open to all website users.  Each module 
included theory and exercises through multiple choice questions with an automatic correction 
mechanism. 
C. R
EGIONAL TRADE POLICY COURSES :  PLS  LEVEL 2 
42. Regional Trade Policy Courses (RTPC) are classified as a PLS Level 2 training activity on the 
"generalist" training path.  They provide a compre hensive and multidisciplinary coverage of the WTO 
and its Agreements;  their primary objective is to  strengthen the trade-rela ted human and institutional 
capacity of beneficiary countries with a view to fac ilitate their effective and sustained participation in 
the rules-based Multilateral Trading System (MTS).  The Course aims at deepening participants' 
understanding of the functioning of the WTO, its rules and procedures and enhancing their 
understanding of regional economic pe rspectives in trade policy and development.  In order to provide 
the regional context, academics and trade expe rts from the region co-deliver each RTPC. 
43. Four RTPCs were delivered in 2011 covering the following regions:  (1) English-speaking 
Africa, which was delivered for the third year in partnership with the University of Swaziland;  
(2) French-speaking Africa, which was delivered for the fourth, and final, year in partnership with 
l'Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Benin;  (3) Asia-P acific, which was delivered for the first time in 
partnership with the Centre for WTO Studies, Indi an Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi, and 
(4) Latin America, which was delivered for the third year in partnership with the Universidad Sergio 
Arboleda, Colombia.  A total of 100 officials were trained, and 80 regional r esource persons took part 
in the delivery of the training.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 13 
 
 
  44. The RTPCs continue to be delivered in accordance with the PLS, and in 2011 this was 
reflected through a revised programme which ali gned the content and delivery methodology of the 
RTPCs with the generalist path Leve l 3 Advanced Trade Policy Course.  This alignment was to ensure 
coherence and progressivity in the design and impl ementation of the two products.  As a Level 2 
activity, RTPCs focus on providing a substan tial and comprehensive coverage of the 
WTO agreements, as well as an introduction to the DDA negotiations, while emphasizing regional 
and development challenges.  As a result of the rea lignment carried out in 2011 there should be a clear 
progression between the content and delivery met hodology of the RTPCs and the ATPCs ensuring 
that beneficiaries build cumulatively on the knowledge  and skills of each progressive level.  In 2011, 
RTPC coordinators remarked on the increased hom ogeneity among the particip ants, which is believed 
to be linked to the completion of a Level 1 training activity by all RTPC participants.  It could also 
point to governments identifying appropriate official s for the Level 2 activities while having an option 
of sending their more experienced officials to Leve l 3 activities, thanks to the implementation of PLS 
by the WTO. 
45. In 2011, the RTPCs continued to maximize the benefits of a "virtual classroom", or electronic 
resource-sharing platform, for the delivery of training .  From an efficiency perspective, the virtual 
classroom greatly reduced the use of paper which r esulted in savings in the cost of the courses in 
2011.  Individual notebook computers were provided to  all participants, for the African RTPCs by the 
WTO, and in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, by th e partner universities.  Participants and trainers 
benefitted from having access to the entire library of RTPC training materials at any given time.  The 
participants have more autonomy over their learning as they are able to better manage the material, 
and the trainers to refine and nua nce their own material, as required, to increase its coherence with the 
overall course (even simply by reducing repetition a nd reinforcing linkages to other modules).  It 
should be noted that none of th e advances made in the virtual classroom would have been possible 
without the support of the University Sergio Arboled a, which first introduced the virtual classroom to 
the RTPCs in 2009, and subsequently hosted and s upported the platforms for the African RTPCs.  In 
2011, the Centre for WTO Studies developed its own virtual classroom which introduced a number of 
new features and improved a number of the existing features. 
46. The four RTPCs were run successfully in 2011, thanks to the support of the four partner 
universities and the government authorities.  Among the highlights of the year, the 2011 RTPC marked the end of a fruitful partnership with l'Univ ersité d'Abomey-Calavi, Benin.  Over the past 
four years, the RTPCs in Benin provided training to over 100 government officials, and, in the 
process, enhanced the capacity of the University with  regard to trade-related issues.  The support of 
the University and the Government of Benin were in strumental in the success of this partnership.  
In 2011, the University launched the Haute Ecole Régionale de Commerce International (HERCI) and 
WTO experts attending the RTPC were also invite d to teach at the HERCI.  It is hoped that 
l'Université d'Abomey-Calavi will be in a position to  consolidate the expertise it has built up over the 
four years and that the WTO will continue to wo rk with the university on post-RTPC activities.  
2011 was also the first year to partner with th e Centre for WTO Studies, IIFT, New Delhi for the 
Asia-Pacific RTPC.  The WTO Director-General, Mr Pascal Lamy officiated at the opening of this 
course, together with Mr Anand Sharma, Commerce, Industry and Textiles Minister of India.  This 
RTPC was very successful and benefited from innovations, such as the virtual classroom, introduced by the partner.  The University of Swaziland and the Universidad Sergio Arboleda, Colombia, 
continued to consolidate their expertise in deliv ering the RTPC.  One innovation added to the RTPC 
in Colombia, was the introduction of four cas e studies which had been commissioned from the 
regional experts specifically for use in the 2011 RTPC. 
47. The ITTC continued its practice of appointin g an official Patron/Patroness for each RTPC, 
who through her/his own experience and expertise pr ovided inspiration, guidance and leadership to 
the participants in these Courses.  The Colombian RTPC valued the patronage of Sr. Javier Díaz 
Molina, Vice-President of the National Associati on of Foreign Trade (ANALDEX).  The RTPC in WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 14  
 
  Swaziland had the privilege of the Patronage of Ms Sibongile G. Mdluli, Deputy Governor of the 
Central Bank of Swaziland for the third year, while Mme Véronique Akankossi, epouse Deguenon, 
Law teacher, Notary and former Vice-Presid ent of the Autonomous National Electoral 
Commission (CENA) honoured the participants of the RTPC in Benin with her patronage.  The RTPC 
in India was privileged to have as its Patron Mr S.  N. Menon, former Commerce Secretary of India. 
48. In association with each RTPC, four Preparator y Workshops were organized in Geneva in 
2011 to assist the regional and WTO resource persons prepare their delivery of the RTPCs.  Because 
the RTPC takes place in Colombia early in the y ear, the Preparatory Workshop for the 2011 RTPC 
took place in 2010.  In total, 76 regional resource pe ople attended the workshops, the majority of them 
being established members of the RTPC regional netw ork.  Their familiarity and experience with the 
RTPCs enhanced the success of th e Preparatory Workshops.  The Workshop covered a number of 
issues directly related to the RTPC:  evaluation of  the previous RTPC;  preparation and coordination 
of the RTPC programme;  and bilateral meetings  between WTO and regional resource persons to 
prepare their joint sessions.  These discussions were complemented by relevant briefings on the DDA 
as well as specific topics of interest to the academics. 
D. GENEVA -BASED TRAINING ACTIVITIES :  FOCUS ON PLS  LEVEL 3 
1. Overview 
49. Geneva-based training activities draw upon a rich  tradition with a steady record of success 
spanning over 50 years.  In 2011, the WTO Secretariat delivered a series of training activities as part 
of its Geneva-based training programme.  These courses were conducted under the responsibility of 
the Geneva-Based Courses Unit (GBCU) of the ITTC, in collaboration with officials from other 
Secretariat divisions. 
50. During this year, the Geneva-based course curricu lum continued its re-orientation in line with 
the PLS to focus on the design and delivery of adva nced (PLS Level 3) training activities in both the 
"generalist" and "specialist" PLS paths.  Ra nging in length from one week to three months1, these 
Geneva-based training activities included two ATPC s (one in English and one in Spanish) and 
advanced thematic courses on specific WTO topics (i .e. dispute settlement, SPS, TBT and TRIPS).  In 
order to ensure the effectiveness of the PLS, pr erequisites (in the form of E-Learning, other 
face-to-face training activities and/or commensurat e knowledge or experience) were imposed in 
respect of more advanced activities.  In parallel with this advanced emphasis, attention to the 
particular needs and interests of LDCs continued in Geneva:  an Introduction Course to the WTO for 
LDCs (in French), PLS Level 1 took place at the WTO headquarters in Geneva in 2011.  
One Introduction Day rounded out the Geneva-based curriculum. 
51. Geneva-based training courses provide an opportuni ty for participants to have first-hand 
exposure to, and on-site experience of, the functi oning of the WTO.  These activities derive full 
benefit from numerous attributes inherent and unique to the Geneva location at the heart of the WTO 
and its Secretariat.  This offers an authoritativ e and comprehensive platform for the delivery of 
training and includes certain distinctive featur es such as attending meetings of WTO bodies 
(e.g. General Council, CTD, the Trade Policy Revi ew Body (TPRB), the Dispute Settlement Body 
(DSB), accession Working Parties, etc.), updat es on DDA negotiating issues and "Round Table"-type 
discussions (featuring, for example, Geneva-based Co mmittee chairpersons, delegates, and Secretariat 
staff dealing with a particular trade or negotia ting topic), multidisciplinary training (by involving 
WTO experts from various technical divisions) a nd exposure to other Geneva-based international 
institutions active in trade-related matters.  Contact s with officials in the WTO Secretariat and other 
                                                      
1 A total of 186 government officials participated  in 2011 Geneva-based one-week to three-month 
training activities.   WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 15 
 
 
  international organizations as we ll as delegates from Geneva Missions and from capitals, and speakers 
from NGOs and think tanks have been a dynamic a nd rewarding feature.  An additional and unique 
feature of Geneva-based courses is their global re ach, by bringing together participants from all 
regions of the world which encourages the shari ng of best practices beyond the regional contexts. 
52. In order to maximize the effectiveness of its  face-to-face training activities, the pedagogical 
approach followed in Geneva-based training activ ities continues to evolve toward resolutely 
interactive and participatory training.  Moreove r, these training activities constitute synergistic 
laboratories for the development and continuous updating and adaptation of training materials and 
modules.  The material generated is then made  widely available in order to support other 
WTO training and capacity-building activities. 
2. Advanced (PLS Level 3) training activities 
(a) Generalist Path:  the Advanced Trade Policy Course 
53. In terms of the PLS "generalist" path, in the year 2011 two ATPCs were held, one in English 
and one in Spanish.  Being a Le vel 3 training activity, completion of  a Level 2 "generalist" training 
(i.e. RTPC, TPC, online E-Learning course on the Mu ltilateral Trade Agreements) was a prerequisite 
for selection to the ATPC.  A total of 45 par ticipants were selected out of approximately 
200 applications received. 
54. The ATPC aims to promote a higher level of learning and to encourage the development of 
participants' autonomy to conduct WTO-related work .  The ATPC culminates in the completion and 
presentation of an individual project by the participants on a trade -related topic of their choice.  In 
addition to completing the project, the participants are exposed to the different areas of WTO work 
through the consideration, not only of the legal asp ects of the WTO Agreements and use of certain 
trade policy instruments, but also the economic im plications of implementing the Agreements and 
making use of these instruments.  This is largely achieved by encouraging 'learning by doing' through 
shifting the focus from lecture-based teaching to interactive teaching methods including case studies 
and exercises.  In line with the Director-General 's initiative towards a 'paperless' Secretariat, each 
participant was provided with a laptop for use ove r the three-month period to enable access to a 
'virtual classroom' containing all course-related documentation as well as to facilitate completion of 
the individual projects. 
55. The ITTC continued to appoint an official Patron for each ATPC, to provide inspiration, 
guidance and leadership to the participants.  The Patron for the ATPC in English was 
Ms Hilda Al-Hinai, Deputy Permanent Representative,  Permanent Mission of the Sultanate of Oman, 
while the Patron of the Spanish ATPC was H.E. Ambassador Fernando de Mateo y Venturini of 
Mexico.  Both Patrons met with the participants on several occasions, allowing them to benefit from 
their perspectives, drawn from their extensive experi ences working in an international environment.  
Both praised the ATPC participants for th eir hard work and commitment during their 
three-month stay in Geneva. 
(b) Specialist Path:  Advanced Thematic Courses 
56. In terms of the PLS "specialist" path, the year  2011 also saw the delivery of five advanced 
thematic activities, ranging from one to three weeks in duration, addressing:  TBT, Dispute Settlement, SPS and its follow-up course, and TRIPS (the latter conducted jointly with 
WIPO).  Hallmarks of these activities include:  a rigorous selection process, screening candidates on 
the basis of successful completion of online or face-to-face training activities and/or demonstrably 
commensurate knowledge or professional experience;  active involvement of the international trade 
community in Geneva;  and an emphasis on more interactive sessions, comprising exercises, case WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 16  
 
  studies and simulations.   Such interactive pedagogical tools ai m to consolidate the knowledge already 
transferred in earlier training steps, and to enc ourage participants to de velop their conceptual 
understanding of the topic and their autonomy to analyse and critically assess  issues through active 
application of their knowledge. 
(i) Advanced Technical Barriers to Trade Course 
57. The Trade and Environment Division (TED ) and the ITTC-GBCU organized jointly a 
two-week Advanced Course on the TBT Agreemen t which took place at WTO headquarters, in 
Geneva, from 6-17 June 2011.  The 25 selected pa rticipants already possessed a sound knowledge of 
the TBT Agreement and the WTO system in genera l;  most of them had completed the relevant 
E-Learning modules.  The Course sought to exploit the unique advantages of Geneva-based thematic 
courses by providing training and capacity building in one single product.  In this respect the course 
aimed to consolidate participants' knowledge and understanding of the TBT Agreement and to 
facilitate the implementation of the Agreement.  It  also addressed negotiations, dispute settlement and 
transparency issues in the area of TBT.  As indicated  in the original letter of invitation, participation 
in this advanced course was subject to the completion of a pre-course questionnaire.
2 
58. During the two weeks, participants debated va rious aspects of the TBT Agreement, including 
issues being discussed under the Non-Tariff Barriers NAMA negotiations.  In addition, the course 
consisted of interactive sessions and provided par ticipants with a unique opportunity to discuss and 
hear others' experiences in the field of standards and regulation, and to make contacts with a wide range of experts and officials.  The course included a highly appreciated "hands-on" notification exercise focusing upon strategies as to how to react  to, and derive maximum benefit from, another 
Member's WTO TBT notification.  Another key advantage of the Course was the opportunity to 
attend the regular meeting of the TBT Committee.  Participants benefited from the involvement of 
WTO Secretariat staff from the Council and TNC, Ma rket Access, Agriculture , Trade Policies Review 
and Legal Affairs Divisions;  expert  speakers and delegates from the European Union, India, Mexico, 
Uganda and the United States;  and Geneva-b ased organizations such as the International 
Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Intern ational Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the 
ACWL. 
(ii) Advanced Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights Course 
59. The two-week Advanced Course on Intellectual Property organized jointly by WIPO and the 
WTO Secretariat's Intellectual Property Division and ITTC took place from 16 to 27 May 2011.  
Participants were expected to have complete d the WTO online TRIPS E-Learning module or the 
WIPO Distance Learning Course as well as to possess commensurate knowledge or professional 
experience in the area of intellectual property.  The first part of the course took place at the WTO headquarters, and finished at the WIPO hea dquarters, both in Geneva.  The Course focused on 
specific IP themes including among others, copyri ght, trademarks, industrial designs and public 
health.  These themes were considered in terms of  the evolving international landscape as well as in 
terms of policy making and develo pment.  Participants were also updated on the activities and 
instruments of WIPO and WTO providing for an ex change of information and ideas between them 
and the two Secretariats.  The involvement of Geneva-based TRIPS delegates as well as 
representatives from other organizations such as UNEP and UNCTAD provided for varying perspectives and helped enrich the discussions. 
                                                      
2 The aim of the questionnaire was to  encourage participants to gather  as much information as possible 
on issues related to the implementation of the TBT Agreement in their economies, including mechanisms and 
resources (human, financial, etc.) supporting its implementation.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 17 
 
 
  (iii) Advanced Dispute Settlement Course 
60. A one-week thematic course on dispute settlement  took place at WTO headquarters in Geneva 
in 2011, organized jointly by the Legal Affairs Di vision (LAD) and the ITTC.  This Advanced dispute 
settlement course, held in English, from 5 to 9 D ecember, consisted of interactive presentations, lunch 
conferences, round tables and group discussions given by both in-house experts from the WTO 
Secretariat, as well as highly reputed experienced  lawyers and academics in the dispute settlement 
field from other international organizations (such as the ACWL) and private law firms.  Participants 
also benefited from attending the Swearing in Cerem ony for the new Appellate Body Members.  To 
be eligible for this advanced course, candidates we re expected to have already completed a thematic 
dispute settlement course or equivalent.  In  addition commensurate knowledge or professional 
experience in the area of dispute settlement was required. 
(iv) Advanced Sanitary and Phytosanitary Course 
61. The 2011 Advanced Course on the WTO Agreement on the Application of SPS Measures, 
jointly organized by the Agriculture and Commoditi es Division and the ITTC, was held in English, 
from 10 to 28 October 2011, at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.  Twenty-four government officials 
participated in the course, which has been run for seven consecutive years.  All participants had to 
undertake two prerequisites prior to their fi nal selection:  (i) successfully complete the 
SPS E-Learning course;  and (ii) respond to a ques tionnaire on the level of implementation of the 
SPS Agreement in their countries.  The completion of the SPS E-Learning course prior to the Course 
ensured that all the participants had learned the basic principles and provisions of the SPS Agreement, 
and allowed for in-depth lectures and discussions .  The Course focused on transmitting knowledge 
and awareness about the SPS Agreement and the work of the SPS Committee at an  advanced level, as 
well as skills to enable participants to address sp ecific implementation challenges and opportunities at 
the national level.  A team of WTO staff and exte rnal experts coached the participants during the 
course.  In addition, representatives of the three inte rnational standard-setting bodies referred to in the 
SPS Agreement were invited for specific sessions. 
62. The first and third weeks of the cour se included sessions on how to increase the 
understanding of the Agreement at both the national a nd regional levels;  to create a national agenda 
in order to establish priorities and ensure follow-up, including different national stakeholders;  to learn 
more effective ways to promote national and regi onal coordination;  and to establish sustainable 
SPS leadership.  In addition, each participant was called on to share his/her knowledge and experience 
on the implementation of certain aspects of the SPS Ag reement in specific sessions of the course.  In 
the second week, participants attended the SPS Committee meetings, as well as a workshop on 
SPS Coordination at National and Re gional Levels.  They also a ttended briefing sessions organized 
for them in the margins of the Committee meeti ngs.  "Graduates" of former advanced SPS courses, 
who were attending the SPS Committee on behalf of their countries, were invited to share their 
experience with the participants. 
63. Each participant elaborated an action plan to address at least one or two challenges/difficulties 
encountered in their countries.  They are expected to implement this action plan upon return to their 
countries.  The implementation stage will be assi sted and monitored through periodic progress reports 
and a follow-up activity in July 2012.3 
                                                      
3 An SPS follow-up session was organized for the pa rticipants of the Specialized Course on the 
SPS Agreement held in 2010 to repo rt on the implementation of the Acti on Plans they developed during the 
course.  The follow-up session was organized from 22 J une - 1 July 2011 just prior to the SPS Committee 
meeting week, so the participants could also participate in the Committee meetings. WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 18  
 
  3. Basic (PLS Level 1) training activities 
(a) Introduction course for least developed countries 
64. Attention to the needs and interests of LDCs continued in 2011 with the Introduction Course 
for LDCs in French which took place at the WTO h eadquarters in Geneva from 11 to 29 July 2011.  
This training activity, which is addressed to gove rnment officials from LDC Member and Observer 
countries, introduces participants to the WTO b asic rules and disciplines and its functions.  
Participants are briefed on the overall work of th e WTO with a particular focus on the development 
dimension of the multilateral trading system and LD Cs' negotiating priorities and needs.  The course 
also benefits from the involvement of other orga nizations such as the ITC, UNCTAD, the World Bank 
and the ACWL.  Completion of the Introduction Cour se provides an opportunity for participants to 
proceed to more advanced training activities. 
(b) Introduction days 
65. The Geneva-based course training programme was rounded out by one one-day 
Introduction Day held on 7 April 2011.  Intend ed for newly arrived delegates in Geneva, 
non-governmental organizations, new WTO staff memb ers, interns working in the Secretariat and 
interested officials from other international organi zations, the general Introduction Days allow for the 
dissemination of information about the WTO, its basi c principles, its functioning and current issues, 
as well as about ways to access WTO-related inform ation through the WTO Library and Internet. 
IV. OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, ACADEMIC COOPERATION AND INTENSIVE 
COURSES ON TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SKILLS 
A. O
UTREACH ACTIVITIES FOR PARLIAMENTARIANS , PRIVATE SECTOR , MEDIA AND CIVIL 
SOCIETY  
66. Outreach activities for Parliament arians, civil society and media are part of an overall 
WTO strategy to help these stakeholders better understand and engage in informed debate on the 
provisions of WTO Agreements, the Doha Ministerial Declaration and the DDA negotiations.  In 2011, Outreach activities aimed towards building di alogue and capacity within WTO TRTA's overall 
aim of sustainable capacity building.  Three Regional activities were carried out, targeting 
Parliamentarians and media.  The Regional initiativ es complemented or were backed up by national 
outreach workshops, which are carried out as part of the WTO's regular technical assistance work.  In 
2011, several efforts were made to engage with na tional media, civil society including the private 
sector and all carried out back-to-back with other WTO TA activities.  Therefore, the cost of engaging 
these stakeholders was marginal, while reaching out  to a wider, non-Geneva based constituency. 
67. All of the three Outreach activities implemente d in 2011, involved partne rships with regional 
Parliamentary, civil society organizations or fou ndations.  These partnerships have become regular 
and involve long-lasting relationshi ps with Parliamentary associati ons of the Commonwealth and the 
Francophonie, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the Temasek Foundation in Singapore and the Foro Inter-Parlementario de las Americas.  The partnership normally includes joint funding 
arrangements and help in the l ogistics involved in organizing the events.  The joint funding has 
increased the possibilities offered by the TRTA Budget. 
68. Regional outreach is aimed at complementi ng some of the WTO's Geneva-based outreach 
activities such as the Public Forum and Open Day.  Th e Public Forum is consolidating its status as a 
prominent fixture on the international calendar and bri ngs together government officials, civil society, 
academics, parliamentarians, media and the gene ral public to debate multilateral trade issues.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 19 
 
 
  69. WTO involvement with the Parliamentary Conference on WTO is strengthened as the WTO 
was the host for the 2011 session of this Annual Conference in March 2011.  WTO coordinated 
efforts with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament to ensure a smooth 
running of this Conference.  The 2012 session of this Conference will again be organized at the WTO premises. 
B. A
CADEMIC SUPPORT FOR TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING  
70. During 2011, the WTO Secretariat took part in 43 activities related to supporting the 
development of capacities on trade policy matters in  academic institutions in developing and least 
developed countries in the areas of teaching and curriculum development, research and outreach.  
This number does not take into account other events  and meetings with universities and groups of 
students which have taken place in the context of missions by WTO staff for other official training 
programmes or inter-institutional collaboration on jo int research.  These activities were delivered in 
the context of the WTO Chairs Programme (WCP ) and the Academic Support Programme (ASP), and 
in partnerships with academic institutions and regional secretariats.  Most activities related to 
lecturing arrangements in academic courses at associ ated universities, and taking part and delivering 
presentations in academic events and seminars. 
71. The level of activities during 2011 implied the full utilization of resources allocated to 
academic collaboration at the nationa l and regional levels.  In terms of languages, nine activities were 
conducted in French (22 per cent);  24 in English (54 per cent), and ten in Spanish (24 per cent).  
Eleven of these activities were related to the WC P, including its Annual Conference and special 
activities organized by the Chairs.  Furthermore, the ASP allowed for the partial funding of five 
academic subregional projects, seeking to secure and/or further streamline academic collaboration 
into sustainable projects, as well as participation of WTO experts in activities of national and regional 
scope, such as support to university competitions on WTO Law, Master and Diploma programmes 
and the launching of the 2011 World Trade Report at  conferences.  Following established guidelines, 
some activities were organized jointly with re gional secretariats, such as UNESCAP, and the Agence 
universitaire pour la francophonie  (AUF). 
72. The WTO Chairs Programme progressed through its second year of operations during 2011.  
Two new Master Degree programmes were introduced  by universities hosting a WTO Chair, while 
several others were updated through new courses a nd two more are expected to be launched in 
2012-2013.  Five new short courses were also intr oduced and many seminars, conferences and other 
academic events were organized by the WTO Chai rs, enhancing their partnerships and networking 
links with other institutions as well as outreach to do mestic and external partners.  Numerous research 
papers were produced and published by the Chairs , while several others are in progress and are 
expected to be completed during 2012. 
C. ADVANCED TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SIMULATION SKILLS COURSE  
73. During the course of 2011, close to 330 Govern ment officials benefited from the advanced 
Trade Negotiations Simulation Skills Course held for the various regions, in seven regional and 
three national TA activities.  Among the beneficiari es, 55.4 per cent were men and 44.6 per cent were 
women. 
74. The trade negotiations simulation skills course is  designed to provide participants with skills 
and knowledge concerning appropriate strategies and tactics for the conduct of trade negotiations, as 
well as techniques of systematic decision analys is for monitoring and managing the negotiating 
process.  Participants applied eclectic modalities in Agriculture, NAMA and Trade in Services to 
bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations.  Th e course contributed directly to objectives of 
international trade negotiations by improving, deep ening and enhancing par ticipants' understanding.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 20  
 
  The core of the course encompasses all stages in trade negotiations - from the consultation stage to 
actual negotiations, involving real give-and-take.  The use of eclectic modalities for the simulation 
exercise makes this training program particularly  relevant since participants can apply their 
strengthened skills immediately to real world negotiations. 
75. The course has been found to be extremely va luable, bringing participants into real 
negotiation mode.  Feedback from participants has been very positive and reassuring.  A computed 
average score for 2011 shows that 97 per cent of participants found the TA activity professionally 
useful or relevant and 95 per cent had excellent/ver y good opinion about the TA activity.  Prior to the 
TA activity, an average of 58 per cent of particip ants had limited knowledge of the subject matter 
whereas after the TA activity an average of 90 per cent of participants had substantial knowledge of 
the subject matter.  Virtually all participants indicat ed in the evaluation forms that they had benefited 
from the course and expanded their knowledge of bilateral and mu ltilateral trade negotiations.  A 
number of participants indicated that they would use the knowledge and skills acquired in their daily 
work, bilateral and international trade negotiations , free-trade agreements and at the policy-making 
support level. 
76. The training material has evolved over the year s on the basis of feedback from participants 
and colleagues.  Regional-targeting of the work ing documents has produced the most interesting 
results e.g. as in Thailand, China, India, Do minican Republic, Namibia and Swaziland where the 
participants inter alia gave a score of 100 per cent for the high quality of the training materials.  A 
selection process has been introduced to improve the quality of the results.  Selected participants are 
those who have good knowledge of the WTO Ag reements, have attended a WTO workshop or 
seminar on any topic before, or have followed the WTO E-Learning.  The results of the trade 
negotiations course are of immediate application.  Consequently, soon after such training has taken 
place, the participants either become incorporated into their country's nego tiating team or are posted 
to their country's diplomatic representations abroad, especially to the WTO. 
77. Over the years, the WTO has built partnerships  with the APEC-Economic Integration project, 
Thailand Institute for Trade and Development (IT D), Diplomatic Academy and Consular of the 
Dominican Republic, Canadian International Deve lopment Agency and the Conference Board of 
Canada, and in running courses on trade negotiations sk ills in Asia and Central America.  In Africa, 
partnerships have been built with the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, University of 
Pretoria, University of the Western Cape (Sout h Africa), University of Dar es Salaam and the 
University of Nairobi.  The Islamic Development Ba nk has been involved in partnership arrangements 
in the Middle East.  Our partners contributed in terms of both facilitators and financial resources. 
D. T
ECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED UNDER ART. 27.2 
78. The provision of TA to developing countries, pursuant to Article 27.2 of the Dispute 
Settlement Understanding (DSU) is as an integr al part of the WTO's overall TA programme.  
DSU 27.2 requires the "technical cooperation services" of the WTO to make available, upon request, 
qualified persons to assist developing countries with respect to a dispute. 
79. The provision of TA under DSU 27.2 is provided under the following guiding principles: 
(i) The Secretariat shall endeavour, as far as possible, to accommodate all requests for 
assistance made under this provision.  However, there could be exceptional circumstances where this may not be possible due to, for example, unforeseen high demand which may exceed limited human resources available to discharge this 
function, or conflict of interest as a result of  an adversarial party to the dispute having 
already been given this assistance by the Secretariat; 
  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 21 
 
 
  (ii) in light of the need for "impartiality" of the Secretariat in discharging the functions 
under DSU 27.2, this assistance is provided ex clusively by "independent" consultants 
paid out of the WTO's TA budget.  Secretariat staff are, therefore, not permitted to discharge this function; 
 
(iii) there is no expectation that the consultants are to provide services similar to 
full-fledged legal counsel in a case.  The consultants provide more of an advisory 
service, usually at the beginning of the dispute, essentially to make a proper assessment of facts and explore legal avenues possible, and in some cases extending to subsequent checking of documents to be  submitted, but largely prepared by the 
country itself, although with necessary guidance from the consultants; 
 
(iv) the consultants engaged under DSU 27.2 do not appear in any Panel or 
Appellate Body hearing on behalf of a party;  and, 
 
(v) the service can only be provided to one party to a dispute, although it may be 
provided to multiple parties on the same side of a dispute.  Consequently, in the event of two developing countries being parties ag ainst each other, the assistance can only 
be provided to the country which seeks the assistance first. 
 80. For 2011, a total of eight requests for assistan ce were received, seven relating to actual or 
potential disputes, all of which were accommodated by the Secretariat.  The requests were both as 
initiator of a dispute and as defendant.  Four of these requests were from Central and Eastern European countries, two from Latin Americ an countries, and one from Asia.  In addition, 
there was one request which related to the DS U reform negotiations, which was exceptionally 
accommodated on the basis that it derived from a group of countries a significant number of which are 
LDCs.  The average time spent on each case is approximately three months, since the consultants are 
engaged on the basis of only one day per week.  Wo rk on some of these requests has spilled over into 
2012. 
V. REGIONAL APPROACHES TO TRADE-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
AND PARTNERSHIPS 
A. A
FRICA  
81. Forty-two of Africa's 54 countries are WTO Members and seven are in the process of 
acceding to the WTO making Africa one of the regions with a high representation of WTO membership.  However, Africa's challenge of integration into the MTS remains one of its major 
obstacles to development.  In this regard, Africa remains a major priority area for the TA programme 
of the WTO, and this is reflected in the high prop ortion of overall TA activities devoted to Africa.  In 
2011, approximately 34 per cent of all WTO national TA activities were delivered in Africa, as were 
32 per cent of all regional activities.  In addition, pa rticipants from Africa were also admitted to most 
of the Geneva-based global TA activities.  The pr iority given to African countries demonstrates 
WTO's commitment to strengthening the human and institutional capacity of African countries to better implement the WTO Agreements, and hence f acilitate their full integration into the MTS.  
Priority is also given to LDCs under the WTO's TRTA  programme.  In view of the fact that Africa has 
the vast majority of LDCs (33 of the 49 LDCs), WTO's prioritization of both Africa and LDCs is 
mutually reinforcing. 
82. In 2011, a number of national activities and internship programmes, as well as regional 
seminars and workshops, were organized for African  countries.  National activities are considered the 
primary means by which specific needs of c ountries are met based on carefully drawn needs WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 22  
 
  assessments.  Thus, national activ ities address specific capacity constraints of countries and create 
institutional capacity in the right areas. 
83. The subjects covered in the national activities in  2011 were varied, and included agriculture, 
trade facilitation, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), Regional Trade 
Agreements (RTAs), TRIPS, NAMA, TBT, SPS, cu stoms valuation, trade remedies, government 
procurement and trade negotiation skills.  These activities reflected growing demand for subjects 
connected with the ongoing DDA negotiations, as well as other issues relevant to Africa's integration 
into the MTS.  Consistent with the acknowledgeme nt that delivery of TA is only effective if it 
addresses clearly identified needs, most of the subj ects covered at national seminars were identified 
by beneficiaries on the basis of a clearly ascertained need. 
84. The priorities of countries are usually reflected in the context of a trade facilitation needs 
assessment report or within the fra mework of the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF).  
Needs assessment has also been greatly enhanced by the Trade Policy Review (TPR) exercises.  
TPRs, which are carried out periodically for each WTO Member, have emerged as one of the most important sources for identifying the TA needs of a country.  In recent years, every TPR of a 
developing country or LDC Member (which covers all African count ries) includes a specific chapter 
on Aid for Trade/TRTA which, inter alia , contains a detailed analysis of a country's TRTA needs, as 
well as other challenges to its inte gration into the MTS, including its  supply-side constraints.  The 
interplay of TRTA needs assessments and TPRs h as necessitated a collaborative relationship between 
the Trade Policies Review Division (TPRD) and the ITTC. 
85. The EIF (through the Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies - DTIS) is the main source of 
needs identification for LDCs (of which African c ountries constitute the vast majority), and also 
provides the platform by which TA delivery under va rious configurations can be delivered.  In view 
of the fact that the EIF is a multi-agency progra mme, it seeks to identify all forms of TRTA needs, 
and not only those needs than can  be delivered by the WTO. 
86. Although national activities remain the primary means of addressing TA needs, there are 
situations where the TRTA needs of many A frican countries converge around a core number of 
subjects.  In this regard, regional activities are used  to meet the collective n eeds of many countries for 
a particular WTO subject of interest and are, therefore, an important component of WTO's TA programme.  In addition, human and financial r esource constraints make regional activities a very 
good alternative to delivery of TA at the national level.  In the planning and delivery of regional 
activities, ITTC has in recent years taken advant age of its collaboration with regional partners 
involved with human and institutional capacity building in Africa.  These include the UN Economic 
Commission for Africa (ECA), with whom  the WTO has concluded a Memorandum of 
Understanding;  the African Devel opment Bank (AfDB);  as well as s ubregional institutions, such as, 
the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and 
Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Comm unity (EAC), the Economic Community of West 
African States (ECOWAS), the West African Ec onomic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), and the 
Central African Economic and M onetary Cooperation (CEMAC). 
87. Activities held jointly with regional cooperati ng partners allow for complementarity between 
experts in specific trade issues fro m the Secretariats of the relevant cooperating partner, as well as 
from the respective national government departments represented at these activities.  Such synergies 
ultimately create a pool of potential trainers within  each subregion, who could gradually reduce the 
burden on the Secretariat and, in light of ever incr easing demands, allow it to divert resources to other 
areas. 
88. The PLS is being implemented by the WTO in all regions, as well as in the Geneva-based 
programmes.  This will gradually ensure that par ticipants attending activities are more homogenous in  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 23 
 
 
  their level of WTO knowledge, making training progra mmes much more effective.  The starting point 
for most WTO training is now E-Learning.  However, given the challenges facing a number of African countries including limited internet connectiv ity, which is essential for E-Learning, efforts 
have been made to ensure that they can still fully benefit from the PLS.  In this context, participation 
in the three-week Introduction Courses for LDCs is  considered equivalent to completion of the 
E-Learning module on "Introduction to the WTO."  Greater use of CD-ROMs is also being promoted 
so as to overcome interconnectivity problems. 
89. The WTO continued its collaboration with various  academic institutions in the development 
of curricula on international trade, which is expected  to generate many benefits, including the training 
of trainers.  The main programme in this area is  the RTPC which is held with a selected academic 
partner.  In 2011, the RTPC for French-speaking African countries was held in Cotonou, Benin, while 
the RTPC for English-speaking African countries w as held in Manzini, Swaziland.  Five African 
universities, selected earlier under the WCP - Chei kh Anta Diop University, the University of 
Namibia, the University of Nairobi, th e University of Mauritius and Mohammed V 
University-Souissi, continued their collaboration with the WTO.  In addition, the WTO worked with a 
number of African universities through establishing Refe rence Centres, participating in symposia and 
conferences, and providing resource persons for specific modules. 
90. The priority given to Africa extends to all ot her WTO TA initiatives.  For example, under the 
NTP, a programme designed to bring officials to th e WTO for a ten-month period, the majority of the 
selected participants are from LDCs and African countries.  In 2011, seven out of the ten candidates 
admitted to the NTP were officials from African c ountries.  The same applies to the MIP, which 
allows young officials to be attached to their country's Geneva missions, whereby eight out of the 
ten candidates admitted were from Africa.  Both pr ogrammes allow African officials to broaden their 
exposure to the day-to-day work of the WTO in all the relevant areas. 
91. The RC programme continues to be a major sour ce of assistance to African countries for the 
transfer of trade-related information from Geneva to the capitals.  The strategy behind the RCs is to 
utilize them as "one-stop" information centres on all MTS-related issues, and to be a valuable tool for 
the private sector in search of new market opportun ities.  In 2010, seven African countries benefited 
from an upgrade of their RCs enabling them to keep abreast of developments in the Doha negotiations 
and in the MTS generally.  It is widely acknowledge d that properly functioning RCs could also be an 
effective medium for the WTO's E-Learning activities. 
B. A
SIA-PACIFIC  
92. The main objective of the Asia and Pacific Desk is to tailor technical assistance to the specific 
needs of the TA beneficiaries through various product s offered in the TA Plan, given the diversity of 
the region, in terms of both the leve ls of economic developm ents and their participation in the work of 
the WTO.  In addition to the RTPC held in partne rship with the Centre for WTO Studies at the Indian 
Institute for Foreign Trade (CWS/IIFT), the WT O organized 12 regional workshops and training 
courses for the region in 2011.  These activities c overed a wide range of WTO-related issues, 
including NAMA, GATS and the Services negotia tions, TRIPS, RTAs, Doha Issues and the 
Contemporary Trade Agenda and Trade Negotia tions Skills, as well as those targeting 
parliamentarians, business, civil society, media and researchers. 
93. A key feature of the regional workshops has been  the involvement of partner institutions and 
governments, including the United Nations Eco nomic and Social Commission for Asia and 
Pacific (UNESCAP), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) , the Temasek Foundation Centre 
for Trade Negotiations (TFCTN), the International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD), as well 
as the government of Singapore.  Their involvement has enriched these activities by providing substantive inputs and regional perspectives on differe nt WTO issues, in addition to the financial and WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 24  
 
  logistical support.  An additional feature in 2011 was the involvement of the WTO Chairs as host of 
some of the workshops, namely, the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) of Indonesia for the joint 
WTO/UNESCAP workshop for junior researchers on research tools and the National University of 
Singapore for the Policy Dialogue on Doha Issues and Contemporary Trade Agenda.  In 2011, the WTO organized three joint activities with UNESC AP, including on RTAs and GPA, as well as on 
research tools for junior researchers in partnership with UGM.  In the Pacific region, the PIFS was a 
partner for an outreach workshop for parliamentar ians and business.  An outreach activity for the 
parliamentarians from Asian economies was held in partnership with TFCTN, while a workshop for 
ASEAN Civil Society and Media was held with th e involvement of ITD.  The Government of 
Singapore contributed both substantively and financia lly to two advanced level workshops on TRIPS.  
Moreover, invitations to WTO activities were regularly extended to other regional institutions, such as 
the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the ADB Institute, as well as the Secretariats of the 
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEA N), the Asia Pacific Ec onomic Cooperation (APEC) 
and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). 
94. In 2011, 23 national workshops were held in the Asia and Pacific region.  Subjects covered 
included:  accessions, agriculture, customs valua tion, dispute settlement, fisheries subsidies, 
Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), NAMA, RTAs, SPS, TBT, trade in services, TPR, trade remedies, trade statistics and tariff databases.  Three Reference Centres were also established. 
95. Like in other regions, the needs assessments have  been conducted in the context of TPRs.  In 
2011, the Secretariat Report for the first TPR of Cambodia contained a section on Aid for Trade in which its trade-related technical assist ance and AFT needs were identified. 
C. A
RAB COUNTRIES AND THE MIDDLE EAST 
96. The objectives of the desk covering the Arab a nd Middle East countries (AMEC) are to put in 
place clear and coherent WTO training paths based on a progressive, multi-modular approach.  In 2011, at the regional level, Arab countries ha ve significantly benefited from WTO's TA and 
capacity-building activities.  A large number of government officials participated in seven 
WTO regional seminars and training events, coveri ng a wide range of WTO-related areas including 
Agriculture, NAMA, TBT, SPS, and RTAs.  An add itional regional seminar on Rules was cancelled 
due to financial constraints.  Furthermore, dedicated progra mmes on the DDA for advanced senior 
government officials and on negotia ting skills were also organized. 
97. These interactive regional workshops tend to focu s on various aspects of the topic concerned 
ranging from the rights and obligations of Members;  negotiating issues;  transparency commitments;  
and, offering a diversity of perspectives.  By way of example, the WTO Regional Workshop on TBT 
for Arab Countries brought together approximate ly 35 participants from six Members and seven 
observers.  Drawing from their expertise and TB T-related work experience, including in trade 
branches, national standardizing bodies and WTO a ffairs bodies, participants engaged well in the 
workshop through discussions, exercises, debates an d experience sharing.  Two TBT experts, from 
India, and from the European Union, contributed strongly to the workshop.  They shared national 
experiences on standardization and transparency pr ocedures, and provided insight into aspects of the 
ongoing NAMA negotiations relevant to TBT.  Particip ants engaged in spirited discussions of current 
issues relevant to the implementation of the TBT Agreement and TBT elements of the NAMA negotiations, including a lively debate on the question of naming intern ational standardizing 
bodies for the purposes of the TBT Agreement.  Observe rs, in particular from Sudan, were interested 
in questions surrounding the accessions process.  In addition, there was interest in the technical 
assistance and special and differential treatment pr ovisions of the TBT Agreement.  The workshop 
included presentations from WTO officials on "Princip les of the TBT Agreement", the "EC-Sardines 
Case", "Standards", the "TBT Committee", and "Transpa rency".  In addition, two exercises were held  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 25 
 
 
  during the workshop, on the question of naming in ternational standards, and on specific trade 
concerns and TBT notifications related to tobacco measures. 
98. Nine national activities were organized in AM EC in 2011.  Subjects covered included recent 
developments of the DDA, notifications, accessions;  services and the GATS, TPR and trade remedies.  The low figure is mainly attributed to th e Arab Spring and the fact that some needs were 
being addressed at the regional level or by other partner institutions. 
99. Due to human and financial resource constrai nts, the Secretariat was not in a position to 
organize a full-fledged three-month RTPC for the Arab Countries as was the case for other regions.  In the 2012/2013 TA Plan, the duration of RTPCs was condensed to eight weeks for all regions, without compromising the quality and coherence of  the programme (increased use of E-Learning 
modules for part or the entirety of some sessions etc.).   Until this objective is achieved, the Secretariat 
is working closely with academics from the region with  a view to co-deliverin g some joint activities.  
A five-week Short Regional Trade Policy Course (SRTPC) was organized with the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) for the Arab countries in 2011.  Th e course was well received and achieved its set 
objectives.  It also qualifies those participants w ho successfully completed it to be eligible for the 
ATPC and other Level 3 courses.  Partnership arrangements with the main regional economic 
organizations such as the United Nati ons Economic and Social Commission for 
Western Asia (UNESCWA), the AMF, IsDB and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), continued to 
play a significant role in achieving the desire d common objectives of empowering and enhancing the 
participation of the Arab countries in the MTS.   Several regional events were organized in 
collaboration with partner institutions  during 2011.  The Secretariat has been working with its partners 
in the various regions to go beyond the traditional TRTA activities it provides to government officials, 
and has worked directly with other stakeholders , such as private sector representatives, academia, 
journalists, and civil society. 
100. Several Arab countries, such as Yemen, have also benefited from other TA programmes such 
as the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) and th e Standard Trade Development Facility (STDF).  
Finally, AMEC (Members and Ob servers) were continually invite d to all Geneva-based activities 
planned in 2011, such as the specialized cour ses and the ATPCs, as well as E-Learning modules. 
D. C
ENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA AND CAUCASUS (CEECA)  COUNTRIES  
101. The CEECAC economies have benefited we ll from the WTO's TA and capacity-building 
activities in 2011.  Officials from CEECAC economi es have participated in eight WTO regional 
seminars and training events, covering:  disput e settlement, NAMA, TBT, GATS, TRIPS, accessions, 
and trade negotiations skills.  Two additional re gional activities were envisaged on RTAs and a DDA 
advanced programme for senior officials.  The RTA event was cancelled due to an insufficient 
number of nominations received by the Secretariat from invited countries, while the DDA advanced programme was not initiated namely due to the financial situation of the DDAGTF.  Moreover, 
18 national seminars were requested and or ganized in various CEECAC countries. 
102. As was the case for 2010, efforts by the Secretar iat continued in 2011 to focus on assisting the 
CEECAC countries to identify their TA needs.  Fo r Members, this was carried out, to the extent 
possible, in collaboration with the TPRD through the trade policy review mechanism.  For Observers, 
the ITTC has been working closely with accedi ng countries as well as with the Accessions Division 
with a view to identifying the specific TA needs of each individual Observer.  A specific regional 
seminar on Accessions was organized for th e first time for all 11 acceding governments
4 from the 
CEECAC region.  Furthermore, one representative from Croatia - the Article XII Member - attended 
                                                      
4 Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, 
Montenegro, Russian Federation, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 26  
 
  the seminar to share experiences and provide examples from its own accessions process and a 
ten-year-long WTO membership.  Geneva-based delega tes were also invited to participate in the 
seminar.  Although only three dele gates attended, their presence proved beneficial as the discussions 
were enriched by their observations and experi ence in accessions negotiations and Working Party 
meetings.  The participants and th e speakers provided a favourable assessment of the seminar.  They 
commended the content of the programme (in terms of its professional usefulness and relevance) as 
well as the overall quality and delivery of the seminar. 
103. Due to human and financial resource constrai nts, the Secretariat was not in a position to 
organize a RTPC for the CEECAC countries.  Until this  objective is achieved, th e Secretariat has been 
working closely with academics from the region with a view to co-delivering some joint activities.  A 
Short Regional Trade Policy Course (SRTPC) fo r Central Eastern Europe, Central Asia and 
Caucasus (CEECAC) countries was held in collaborati on with Istanbul Bilgi University (Faculty of 
Law) and the Ministry of Economy, in Istanbul, Tu rkey from 12 September to 14 October 2011.  This 
was the second occasion to benefit from the partners hip that had successfully delivered a similar 
course also held in Istanbul in 2010.  Once again, this partnership was fruitful and the partners proved 
to be of great value and benefit.  This course co rresponded to a Level 2 cour se on the generalist path 
in the WTO's Progressive Learning Strategy (PLS).  Participants and WTO trainers believe that the 
objectives set for this course were achieved in an efficient manner and that the participants were 
empowered with WTO-related knowledge  and skills, and increased their networks of useful contacts 
among themselves as well as with regional and WTO speakers.  A new element, introduced for the 
first time on a pilot basis in this SRTPC, was a fi nal written exam to assess the overall performance of 
the participants.  The exam's forty multiple-choice qu estions were inspired by those used in the PLS 
Level 2 E-Learning courses.  In order to prepare th e participants, they were informed from the outset 
that there would be an exam during the activity's fina l week.  They were also informed that the exam 
is in line with the RBM approach and would serve a dual purpose:  to qualify for consideration those 
who successfully answered 60 per cent of the ques tions correctly for the Geneva-based ATPC and 
other PLS Level 3 courses;  and to provide a substan tive review and recap of the entire course.  The 
experience turned out to be very positive.  The par ticipants engaged seriously in the exercise.  Due to 
the success of this course, it was decided to review some of the other WTO technical assistance programmes. 
104. During 2011, the contribution of regional institutio ns was crucial to the efficient delivery of 
WTO TRTA.  For the CEECAC region, the Joint Vienna  Institute (JVI) is an important partner.  A 
large number of the regional activities (seven) we re organized jointly with the JVI at their 
headquarters in Vienna, Austria.  This successf ul collaboration continued to be practical and 
beneficial for the WTO in 2010.  Partnership a rrangements ensure high quality interaction in the 
preparation and implementation of joint techni cal cooperation and capacity-building activities. 
105. Countries from the region also benefited from ot her TA-related programmes, such as the EIF, 
the STDF, a large number of Geneva based activ ities and the internships programmes, as well as 
E-Learning. 
E. L
ATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN  
106. Notwithstanding the financial constraints of  2011 due to the implementation of fiscal 
consolidation policies by a number of donor countri es, the ITTC has managed to preserve its efforts 
and commitment to deliver TRTA to the region.  As in previous years, the ITTC has consulted with 
delegations and capitals to better ta ilor workshops and seminars to act ual national and regional needs.  
The importance of incorporating a regional dimensi on to our activities is highlighted by the strong 
cooperation with a number of partner organizati ons which contribute to the various stages of 
TRTA delivery, from planning to logistical  support, from sponsorship to speakers.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 27 
 
 
  107. The pursuit of regional partnerships with La tin American and Caribbean institutions and 
organizations yields multiple benefits, as they allow the sharing of costs as well as of expertise and technical knowledge necessary to organize activities.  This cooperation allows the WTO to:  (i) reduce 
the financial burden on the budget;  (ii)  tailor its TA to the actual regiona l challenges;  and (iii) benefit 
from a multiplier effect on efforts to promote multila teralism and policy coherence.  Additionally, the 
effort to conduct activities "back-to-back" and via videoconference when ever possible best 
exemplifies the LAC Desk's attempt to achieve gr eater cost-effectiveness while successfully meeting 
the demand for high quality courses th e ITTC is expected to deliver. 
108. As in the past, of the many partnerships for the organization of TRTA activities, the 
cooperation with the Institute for the Integrati on of Latin America and the Caribbean of the 
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB/INTAL) is certainly worth highlighting.  IDB/INTAL 
contributes to all the stages of TRTA delivery, w ith staff regularly attending workshops and seminars 
as speakers.  In 2011, eight regional activities were jointly organised with IDB/INTAL, an increase 
from 2010 which shows the strengthening of ties with  a key partner, effectively adding knowledge 
and expertise from the region to our TRTA. 
109. Partnerships with the follow ing organizations also contributed to greater outreach and 
effectiveness of our TRTA activities:  the Ca ribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM), the 
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agricu lture (IICA), the Latin American Integration 
Association (ALADI), the Organization of American  States (OAS), and the Instituto Tecnológico 
Autónomo de México (ITAM, one of the selected WTO Chairs).  All of our partners have been a guarantee of high-quality Technical Assistance as we ll as excellent complements to the WTO's on-site 
operations.  Finally, it is worth noting that a num ber of regional activities would have not been 
possible without the generous contribution of the Kingdom of Spain to the Doha Development 
Agenda Global Trust Fund. 
110. Consistent with the Secretariat's commitment to implement the Results-Based 
Management (RBM) in 2012, during 2011 we star ted gathering quantifiable information on TRTA 
performance.  This data, coupled with beneficiarie s' needs assessments and in formation from previous 
reports (including lessons learnt), should help us to create baselines to be tter understand and measure 
the achievement of outputs and outcomes of TRTA  and capacity-building activities in the region.  
This monitoring and evaluation approach has already yielded some comforting results.  To provide an 
example, a pilot exercise conducted during the S hort Trade Policy Course for ALADI members in 
Montevideo is worth highlighting.  Test results su bmitted by participants before and after the module 
on WTO Dispute Settlement delivered by ITTC sta ff showed a substantial positive impact of the 
activity, with average scor es almost tripled.  Moreover, the test  scores before the module allow for a 
more practical understanding of participant profiles.   Finally, RBM imposed the need to conduct a 
well-defined participant selection pr ocess, consistent with the WTO' s Progressive Learning Strategy.  
Regional and national activities have been linked to learning levels (intermediate and advanced) and 
require specific prerequisites for admission.  More specifically, successful completion of relevant 
WTO E-Learning courses has become a necessar y achievement, unless commensurate professional 
experience and expertise can be demonstrated.  This  latter alternative has been maintained following 
consultations with delegations, who have praised such flexible approach in the selection of 
participants. 
111. In 2011, a total of 37 national and 23 regional ac tivities were carried out in Latin American 
and Caribbean countries combined, including some  activities that were pending from 2010 and 
subsequently carried over.  Also, three countri es of the region, Jamaica, Paraguay and Ecuador, 
conducted their Trade Policy Review.  These sessi ons provided the opportunity to assess the progress 
and policy plans of each of these Members in areas of  specific interest to other Members or where the 
Secretariat's report highlighted the need for reform .  Moreover, reviewed beneficiaries also had the 
opportunity to inform the Membership and the Secr etariat of their economic performance in terms of WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 28  
 
  growth and poverty reduction, especially in light  of the ongoing crisis which has affected global 
demand, threatening among others the less diversified economies. 
112. Latin America benefited from  national activities which were requested on topics including 
agriculture, dispute settlement, NAMA, services, SPS, subsidies, TBT, trade negotiation skills, trade 
and environment, TRIPS and the importance ach ieving greater coherence in global economic 
policy-making.  During 2011, 32 national and 16 re gional activities have been carried out in 
Latin America. 
113. As for the Caribbean, requests for national activiti es have been related to Reference Centres, 
Rules, and TRIPS.  Regional activities have fo cused on Agriculture, Mark et Access, NAMA, SPS, 
Trade and Development, and Aid for Trade.  A tota l of five national and seven regional activities were 
carried out in the Caribbean countries. 
114. In line with ITTC, the LAC Desk is committe d to transparency and direct communication 
with partner agencies, governments and officials.   With this aim in mind, a Facebook page was 
launched in June, receiving positive feedback from members of delegations and strengthening ties 
with international organizations.  Moreover, s uggestions on how to increase communication outreach 
are currently under review (e.g. use of professional soci al networks).  The benefits of this additional 
means of communication are:  (i) a more dir ect channel to reach individual government 
representatives;  and (ii) increased transparency and accountability, given the public nature of the 
platform used. 
115. Last but not least, in the current crisis context it is important to highlight the negative 
spillover effects of policy choices based on the immediate and most apparent "interests" of local 
constituencies.  Governments in Latin America an d the Caribbean are under pressure to take trade 
restrictive measures.  The LAC D esk has used each and every opport unity to raise awareness on the 
need to preserve an open and rules-based trading system. 
VI. REFERENCE CENTRES 
116. In 2011, the Reference Centre (RC) progr amme activities were implemented in close 
partnership with the ITTC Regional Desks, and a llowed for ten updated or newly created RCs for the 
year.  In line with the RC strategy, and to respond more adequately to speci fic needs, the programme 
continues to focus more specifically on the countri es that are most in need (LDCs, Sub-Saharan 
Africa, non-residents).  This helps to narrow th e geographical distance between capitals and the 
WTO Secretariat, thereby easing lines of communication and thus participation in WTO discussions and decision-making.  The RCs play an indispen sable role in achieving the desired objectives of 
empowering and enhancing the particip ation of LDCs in the MTS, especially within the context of the 
new Progressive Learning strategy (PLS). 
117. E-Learning activities are being promoted through the RCs, in keeping with the Secretariat's 
strategy to put in place clear and coherent WT O training paths based on a progressive, multi-modular 
approach.  The RCs therefore act as a catalyst for assisting government officials in becoming involved 
in their own training paths through the courses offe red on the Internet and through CD-ROMs.  In 
addition, the material that is posted on the WTO E-Learning website is now freely accessible. 
118. The ownership of the RCs has been enhanced at  the national level through the appointment of 
a RC manager who receives training on the access and use of relevant information resources and is 
responsible for its daily operation, including dissemin ation of information.  A guide was developed on 
the use and functioning of WTO Reference Centres.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 29 
 
 
  119. In order to meet the RBM requirements, a log frame with quantitative and qualitative 
indicators, as well as clear outputs to be achieved, was developed in 2011 to monitor and review the 
impact of the Programme.  The output of an activity  on RC should be to equip the participants with 
the tools to access relevant information on the WTO and the MTS, including the tariff profiles and the services commitments of Members, as well as to provide them with training on information 
management techniques. 
120. The RC Unit has monitored the implementation of the Programme in line with the logical 
framework.  Detailed statistics and means of verifying the data have been available for two years.  With the implementation of the logical framework and the output matrix, a comprehensive database 
was established with statistics to measure the performance and impact of the programme.  The 
benchmark used is related to the statistics obtaine d during the 2010 review.  Since 2010, the RC Unit 
has organized an annual global review to exam ine the needs and the follow-up required for the 
RC programme to have a clearer understanding of the state of these Centres throughout the world.  
This exercise has allowed the Unit to identify the fully operational RCs as well as those which require 
more attention, both in terms of equipment and trai ning.  Following the annual review (see statistics in 
Annex 4), it was determined that 102 RCs in 86 countr ies are operational.  In 95 per cent of the cases, 
the IT equipment was working well.  Of the 86 countries which hosted a RC, 35 RCs (40 per cent) are in Africa, 30 (34 per cent) in Asia and Pacific, 14 (16 per cent) in LAC and nine (ten per cent) in 
CEECAC and AMEC.  The 2011 survey has shown that 40 per cent of the RCs have developed 
working relationships with regional or ganizations, particularly in Africa. 
121. There are several factors that can affect the functioning of RCs.  First, due to the pace of 
technological development, the equipment needs to be  frequently maintained.  Furthermore, a lack of 
available staff possessing adequate training could make  RCs less functional.  Information flows from 
the WTO Secretariat are also very important to the functioning of the RCs.  Some problems have been 
encountered by RCs with respect to receiving tim ely, up-to-date information from WTO.  The 2011 
survey indicated that nearly 50 per cent of RCs, especially those based in LDCs, encountered some 
difficulties related to Internet connectivity.  Thus , improving internet connectivity appears to be a 
fundamental issue, especially  within the PLS framework. 
122. The 2011 review also demonstrated that the doc umentation available to the RCs is deemed 
sufficient most of the time.  Approximately two thirds of the respondents (62 per cent) found that the documentation was "always" or "often" sufficient.  However, the remaining respondents indicated that 
the documentation only was sufficient either "sometimes"  (28 per cent) or even "never" (10 per cent).  
About two thirds (69 per cent) of the RCs make their computers available for WTO e-Training 
purposes or training sessions which is incremental in the new PLS. 
123. In 2011, and as a follow-up of 2010 activities, sp ecific training events were developed for the 
interns of the NTP and MIP.  This programme, wh ich included theoretical training sessions, practical 
workshops and discussion meetings, was developed in  close collaboration with the Statistics Section 
of the Economic Research and Statistics Division (ERSD), the Library and Information Management 
Service of the Languages Documentation and Info rmation Management Division (LDIMD), and the 
Information, Media and External Relations Divisi on (IMRD).  The tools necessary for the efficient 
running of a RC were presented and discussed at th ese events.  This activity was established with a 
view to creating synergies between the RC progr amme, NTP and MIP and thus reinforcing their 
collective impact, leaving participants in a better position to relay this knowledge once back in the 
capital.  Other specific objectives were geared towa rds disseminating WTO trade-related information, 
thus contributing to building the necessary in-c ountry skills and capacitie s to advance national 
interests. 
124. Emphasis has been placed on training which h as enhanced the effectiveness of the learning 
function of the RCs, with a view to disseminati ng the knowledge and information received at the WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 30  
 
  national level.  Other training events have been or ganized at the request of the RC managers, both in 
Geneva and in the field during national missions.  Emphasis is put on providing dedicated training on 
specific topics related to the DDA negotiations and the implementation of the Uruguay Round agreements.  In 2011, 51 per cent of the managers indicated that they had benefited from specific 
training.  This trend has improved compared to the previous two years (40 per cent in 2010). 
125. Throughout 2011, the Reference Centre Unit work ed closely with the Library and Documents 
Online sections to ensure that a strong informati on management component was represented in the 
RC programme.  Information management skills, including organizing and ensuring ready access to 
relevant information resources and online search ing skills, are essential for managers who are 
responsible for disseminating information on the WT O in member countries.  Members of the Library 
and Documents Online teams have developed and delivered training and presentations aimed at 
RC managers on the functional aspects of running their centres.  They accompanied ITTC staff on 
several technical assistance missions to provide hands-on training to those responsible for the centres.  These trainings focused on three main areas:  (1) lo cating trade-related information in WTO resources 
(website, Documents Online and Library services);  (2 ) organizing information, including cataloguing 
and indexing;  and, (3) search skills and techniques.   Additionally, the training emphasized reference 
and outreach services aimed at government officials, the private sector and local students, who would 
rely on WTO-specific information for their activities.   Outreach services ar e essential for marketing 
the Reference Centres to the local co mmunity to ensure they are used effectively by the intended user 
groups.  As an outcome, the management of documenta tion in the centres has been improved.  Indeed, 
whereas in 2010, 61 per cent of RC managers we re archiving documents manually, this figure 
decreased to 38 per cent by 2011. 
126. The WTO organized a Symposium for RC managers in April 2011.  This was the 
first symposium of its type organized by the Secret ariat, and aimed to provide RC managers with the 
knowledge and tools necessary to run a RC, including skills in providing information management services and accessing relevant WTO information res ources.  The Symposium was delivered through 
a combination of presentations and hands-on exercises.   As a response to the lack of interaction 
among RC managers, the Symposium was intended to st rengthen the network of RC managers so that 
they could benefit from the experience and knowledge of their colleagues working in trade ministries 
in other Member States.  Emphasis was placed on de veloping the RC network at the national level, 
such that all local stakeholders could benefit fro m the advantages provided by the programme.  As an 
outcome, inter-RC communication has been greatly improved, moving from 22 per cent in 2010 to 
38 per cent in 2011.  The symposium was instrument al in achieving this objective as it was a unique 
opportunity to create a conducive atmosphere an d develop interactions  among RC managers, 
especially within the LDCs.  Since the Sympos ium, a worldwide network of WTO RCs, with a 
communication and discussion platform between RC Ma nagers, was successfully established.  All 
RC managers who attended the Symposium remain in contact and are sharing good practices through 
a mailing list and website which were developed to, allow the managers to communicate and 
exchange ideas. 
127. During the year under review, the Secretariat continuously updated the RC contacts list, 
which will help to better identify how to improve  the network of RC coor dinators and develop a 
coherent systemic approach on the nature of documen tation to be sent to the centres.  The RC website 
was also revamped and regu lar items news was posted. 
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/train_e/ref_centres_e.htm . 
128. A communication and visibility tool was re inforced during 2011 and new products and 
posters were developed, i.e. a wall plate (one  for each RC), a brochure and posters.  They are 
distributed during the installation missions, open-door events or any other pertinent forum.  Separately, a mailing list was created for regular  dissemination of WTO-related information.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 31 
 
 
  129. In 2011, numerous requests were received by the Secretariat, which demonstrates the interest 
of the Members for this Progr amme, especially LDCs, acceding countries and countries without 
missions in Geneva.  From the quantitative survey r ealized, most of the individuals who use the RCs 
are students, government officials, researchers and business people.  Academics especially have 
increased their visits to the RC, which is in lin e with the ITTC's strategy of streamlining and 
improving the internal coherence of its technical assistance and training activities.  A number of 
benefits have been derived from hosting a WTO RC at universities as it has increased access for the student population to direct sources of WTO and tr ade policy-related information.  It has also 
facilitated the organization of pub lic events involving the academic, public and private sectors, and 
reaching a broader audience.  Academia now represent 41 per cent of all users. 
Graph 7:  Relative Share of Reference Centres per Region in 2011  
 
 
Table 2:  Reference Centres Summary in 2011 
 
RCs host countries 86 
LDCs 35 
WTO Members 72 
WTO Observers 12 
Not Mbrs neither Obs 2 
RCs no perm. Mission in Gva 14 
WTO Mbrs no perm. missions in Gva 7 
WTO Obs no perm. missions in Gva 7 
LDCs no perm. Mission in Gva 7 
RC Africa Desk 33 
RC Arab & Middle East Countries 5 
RC Asian & Pacific 23 
RC CEECAC 6 
RC LA & Caribbean 16 
RC (no desk):  Kiribati, Romania, Switzerland 3 
English-speaking countries 54 
French-speaking countries 25 
Spanish-speaking countries 9 
RC LDC English-speaking countries 19 
RC LDC French-speaking countries 18 
RC LDC Spanish-speaking countries 0 
Total number of Re ference Centres 102* 
* There are more reference centres than host countries as some countries could host more than one 
reference centre. WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 32  
 
  VII. TRAINEE PROGRAMMES AND INTERNSHIPS 
130. The WTO Secretariat operates three main train ee programmes and internships, as contained in 
the TA Plan.  The programmes are all geared towa rds trade capacity building in beneficiaries and 
include: 
 - The Netherlands Trainee Programme; 
 - the Mission Internship Programme;  and 
 - the WTO Regional Coordinator Internship (RCI). 
 131. According to the terms of reference of the internship programmes, the interns under the 
NTP work in the Secretariat to pe rform specific tasks that were agreed prior to their arrival and 
following discussions with each of them upon their arrival.  The interns under the MIP provide direct 
support to essentially small Geneva-based missions and the regional coordinator interns provide direct 
support to the regional coordinators.  The NTP and MIP programmes last for ten months, the RCI for 
six months, as this function normally rotates. 
132. These programmes are implemented in close cooperation between ITTC and the Human 
Resources Division (HRD), which provides the administrative support.  ITTC is responsible for the 
overall supervision of the programmes and associates  the line divisions with it as much as possible 
and allocates interns, following consultation, to ot her divisions.  This allows the participants to 
broaden their horizons. 
133. In 2011, 110 applications were received with 22 participants retained, including ten interns 
under the NTP and 12 under the MIP.  Separately, seven officials were recruited under the RCI.  
These recruitments were made possible thanks  to the generous contributions of the 
Netherlands (NTP), France, Denmark and Ireland (MIP).  The RCI is financed from the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF). 
134. Since the launching of the intern programmes, a to tal of 207 interns have been recruited, with 
83 trainees under the NTP, 79 interns under the MIP, and 45 officials under the RCI programme.   
After completion of their internship, most of them  return to their capital and often assume high-level 
positions in their national administrations.  Increasing ly, former interns return to Geneva as delegates 
or sometimes as their country's representatives. 
135. Various initiatives launched in 2010 were im plemented in 2011 in order to give the 
programmes a dynamic impulse and provide the partic ipants with additional tools to deepen their 
expertise have been consolidated.  While most  of the interns have been working with the 
ITTC Regional Desks and have had specific assignme nts, many have also been working on a variety 
of topics with other divisions, including on accessions, on the STDF, on the EIF, on trade facilitation, on services, on NAMA and on the TPR.  They have all followed the DDA negotiations, attended the 
General Council and committee meetings, as well as interacted with their regional groups and 
provided support in terms of briefs and analysis.  Many of them have prepared briefing (country) 
notes for the Director-General. 
136. In order to ensure the participation of th e interns at the Ministerial Conference in 
December 2011, their stay was extended by several days.  This was highly appreciated both by the interns as well as the capitals, as all benefited from the interns support during the proceedings. 
137. The interns have had specific training on a vari ety of issues, including on the operation of the 
RCs, on the IDB, i.e. tariffs and schedules and have  worked on their countries' TRTA notifications 
and needs assessment, among other issues, etc.  They have also had a day of training at ITC and 
attended UNCTAD meetings.  Severa l have interacted with ACWL and got advice from them.  Most  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 33 
 
 
  of them have closely interacted with their missions , prepared reports on meetings and interacted with 
Secretariat staff on specific issues.  They have b een associated with the Ge neva Weeks, Introduction 
Days and sometimes been able to take part in specialized workshops, e.g. the Advanced Course on 
SPS, or in other Geneva-based courses.  The Secret ariat has always followed a pragmatic approach 
and tried to accommodate interns as much as possible.  A concluding session was organized with the 
Director-General and Senior Management, at which interns were provided with certificates. 
138. The monthly meetings with interns introduced  in 2010 permitted discussions ongoing issues, 
and also required them to make presentations on WT O Agreements, on a topic of their choice in the 
presence of the expert from the relevant WTO Division.   The idea was to give them a chance to test 
their ideas informally, to allow them to develop their presentation skills and to get feedback and 
possible follow-up from the line divisions.  The quality of the (PowerPoint) presentations was of very 
high standing and this exercise was particularly appreciated.  Donors have occasionally attended the 
meetings and interacted with the participants.  Sepa rate meetings were held at the permanent missions 
of the donors, both to welcome the interns and to discuss policy issues and approaches with them. 
139.  All interns are part of an alumni network that has been establishe d and receives updates and 
information from the Secretariat.  They will also be able to exchange experiences through the 
network.  It is hoped that contact continues between themselves and with the Secretariat. 
140. The interns are considered in many ways as WT O's 'ambassadors' in the field and it is hoped 
that they will disseminate the information they have gathered in Geneva.  Also, it is good to note that 
quite a few of them re-appear in Geneva in various capacities, e.g. as a delegate in the mission.  They 
have had first-hand exposure to  what happens in the kitchen of the WTO which is a unique 
opportunity, particularly for countries without a local antenna, i.e. permanent mission.  They have got 
a better understanding of the sensitivities in the nego tiations, specifically the DDA.  The programmes 
allow them to actively take part in the Geneva  process and to acquire the tools to accomplish the 
complex WTO-related tasks at home. 
A. NETHERLANDS TRAINEE PROGRAMME  
141. The main objective of the NTP is to generate  tangible and measurable results which leave a 
lasting trace, including through: 
- Building sustainable capacity in beneficiary countries, by providing officials with an 
opportunity to directly participate in WTO's work in Geneva; 
 - providing exposure to ongoing activities in the Secretariat, which will assist officials 
in enhancing their understanding of the func tioning of the WTO and the MTS, and in 
providing relevant policy advice to the governments; 
 - facilitating the implementation of Member's commitments in the WTO;  and,  
- contributing to the achievement of the goals  of the DDA, and more specifically, those 
set out in the Decision of the General Council in August 2004 (the "July Package"). 
 142. The NTP is designed in a manner to build in-country capacity in the most effective ways, to 
assist in the economic and social development of LDCs, low income countries and comparable poor, 
small and vulnerable economies in areas related to trade policy.  It thus provides officials with a direct 
opportunity to learn about matters dealt with w ithin the WTO, under the direction of WTO staff 
members of the WTO.  According to the terms of re ference of the intern programmes, as reflected in 
the TA Plan, particular attention is given to African countries. WT/COMTD/W/186 
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  143. During its lifespan, a total of 83 candidates were retained from 55 different countries 
(cf. Table 3).  In terms of regional distribution of participants under the NTP, as can be seen from 
Graphs 9 and 10, most trainees came from Africa (53 or 64 per cent), followed by Asia (16 or 19 per cent), CEECAC and AMEC (9 or 11 per cent) and LA C (5 or 6 per cent).  Particular attention was 
given to LDCs who had the largest number of trainees (59 or 71 per cent).  Most trainees stayed for 
ten months. 
Graph 8 
 
0246810121416
Year 2005 Year  2006 Year  2007 Year  2008 Year  2009 Year  2010 Year  2011NetherlandsTraining  Programme
Number of participants  per year
 
 
Table 3:  Netherlands Training Programme - Beneficiary Countries 
 
 Country  Country 
1 Afghanistan 28 Lebanon 
2 Angola 29 Lesotho 
3 Armenia 30 Liberia 
4 Azerbaijan 31 Madagascar 
5 Bangladesh 32 Malawi 
6 Benin 33 Mali 
7 Bhutan 34 Mauritania 
8 Botswana 35 Mongolia 
9 Burkina Faso 36 Myanmar 
10 Burundi 37 Namibia 
11 Cambodia 38 Niger 
12 Cameroun 39 Nigeria 
13 Central African Republic 40 Pakistan 
14 Chad 41 Paraguay 
15 Comoros 42 Rwanda 
16 Côte d'Ivoire 43 Saint Kitts and Nevis 
17 Democratic Republic of the Congo 44 Saint Lucia 
18 Djibouti 45 Senegal 
19 Nepal 46 Sierra Leone  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 35 
 
 
   Country  Country 
20 Gambia 47 Sudan 
21 Ghana 48 Swaziland 
22 Guinea 49 Tonga 
23 Guinea-Bissau 50 Uganda 
24 Haiti 51 Vanuatu 
25 Kenya 52 Viet Nam 
26 Kyrgyz Republic 53 Yemen 
27 Lao People's Democratic Republic 54 Zambia 
  55 Zimbabwe 
 
Graph 9 
 
 
 
 
Graph 10 
 
 
 WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 36  
 
  B. T
HE MISSION INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME  
144. The MIP was developed in early 2001;  the main objectives are similar to those of the NTP, 
but the programme is geared towards providing su pport to Geneva-based missions.  The candidates 
work in their own country Mission in Geneva, not in the WTO Secretariat, and can represent their 
country in the various bodies within the WTO.  This  Programme is available primarily to missions of 
LDCs and small and vulnera ble economies.  Preference is given to countries with the least number of 
staff in Geneva. 
145. The MIP interns benefit from th e same training as that of the NTP and attend the monthly 
internship programmes meetings. 
146. In 2011, 12 candidates were selected.  Since the creation of this programme, a total of 
79 officials have been recruited from 38 different countries (cf. Table 4).  In line with the main 
objective of the programme, LDCs benefited mostly from the programmes (cf. Graph 12), with a total 
of 47 interns or 60 per cent.  The regional repartiti on shows that 58 per cent of the participants are 
from Africa, 20 per cent from Asia and the Pacifi c, 19 per cent from LAC and 3 per cent from 
CEECAC and AMEC (cf. graph 13). 
Graph 11:  Mission Internship Programme - Number of Participants per Year 
 
 
  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 37 
 
 
  Graph 12 
 
60%40%WTO Mission Internship  Programme
Relative share of LDCs participants
LDCs
Others
 
 
Graph 13 
 
 
 
58%
20%19%3%
Africa
Asia & Pacific
LA & Caribbeans
CEECAC & AMECMission Internship  Programme  ‐Relative share per region
 
 
Table 4:  WTO Mission Internship Programme - Beneficiary Countries 
 
1 Bangladesh 20 Mauritius 
2 Barbados 21 Mongolia 
3 Benin 22 Mozambique 
4 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 23 Namibia 
5 Burkina Faso 24 Nepal 
6 Burundi 25 Nicaragua 
7 Cambodia 26 Nigeria 
8 Congo RC 27 Rwanda WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 38  
 
  9 Côte d'Ivoire 28 Sri Lanka 
10 Cuba 29 Sudan 
11 Djibouti 30 Tajikistan 
12 Dominican Republic 31 Tanzania 
13 El Salvador 32 Togo 
14 Guinea 33 Uganda 
15 Kenya 34 Uruguay 
16 Laos 35 Viet Nam 
17 Lesotho 36 Yemen 
18 Mali 37 Zambia 
19 Mauritania 38 Zimbabwe 
 
C. THE WTO  REGIONAL COORDINATOR INTERNSHIP  
147. In this Programme, the mission of a rotating group coordinator is eligible to have an intern, 
paid by the WTO, for a period of six months.  At the end of six months, the system rotates to the next 
designated group coordinator.  The interns under the RCI provide direct support to the regional 
coordinators.  They are invited to attend the monthly internship programmes meetings. 
148. A total of 45 officials have been funded under this programme (cf. Table 5), providing 
support to 24 missions. 
Table 5:  Regional Coordinator Internship - List of Coordinators 
 
Country Interns Country Interns 
ACP Mission 11 Mauritius 2 
Bangladesh 2 Morocco 1 
Barbados 2 Pacific Islands Forum 1 
Belize 1 Rwanda 2 
Benin 2 Sri Lanka 1 
Côte d'Ivoire 1 St. Kitts and Nevis 1 
Egypt 3 Tanzania 1 
Gabon 1 Trinidad and Tobago 2 
India  1 Uganda 1 
Jamaica 1 Viet Nam 1 
Kenya 1 Zambia 1 
Lesotho 2   
Malawi 2 Total  45 
 
  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 39 
 
 
  Graph 14 
 
 
 
Graph 15 
 
 
 WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 40  
 
  Graph 16 
 
21.52222.523
LDC Others2223Regional Coordinators  Internship  Programme
Numberof  participants  from LDCs
 
 
 
Graph 17 
 
LDC
49%
Others
51%Regional Coordinator  Internship  Programme
Relative share of LDCs
 
 
 
VIII.  THE GLOBAL TRADE-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DATABASE 
149. It is recalled that the Global Trade-Related Technical Assistance Database (GTAD) is the 
portal for exchanging and sharing information on th e future execution of TRTA and capacity-building 
activities and is mainly forward looking;  it was launched officially by the Director-General in November 2010.  Data uploads to the GTAD are d one twice a month and the database now holds 
some 1,300 records. 
150. Recognizing the value added of the GTAD to promote a better coherence in the design and 
implementation of TRTA programm es with partner agencies and beneficiaries alike, a dozen  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 41 
 
 
  institutions originally expressed in terest in the project.  The number of contributing partners has 
increased in 2011 and the GTAD now contains data from the WTO, EIF, STDF, ITC, the UNCTAD, UNIDO, WIPO and UNECE.  Other partner agencies that  had expressed interest in uploading projects 
included the World Bank, OIF, FAO, and UNECA.  The Secretariat continued to closely interact with 
them to sort out any issues that may st and in the way of their participation. 
151. The Inter-Agency Steering Committee that was se t up in November 2010 at its first meeting 
in May 2011.  Most discussions were devoted to the issue of marketing and communication to all stakeholders and the public at large.  Agency representatives suggested that  heads of institutions 
should refer to the GTAD in their inter-agency meeti ngs and have hand-outs at their disposal, reach 
out to both beneficiaries and donors, include logos  of contributing agencies and make use of social 
networks, as well as the website, for disseminating information on GTAD.  It is believed that by 
increasing its visibility, by reaching out to all st akeholders, through their permanent missions and 
during technical assistance and training events, a nd by inviting them to share their comments, the 
GTAD can be further enhanced to r espond to the existing challenges. 
152. The WTO Secretariat has continued to make presentations on the GTAD on the margins of 
official WTO meetings, so as to reach out to Members.  The GTAD was thus advertised at the 
Global Aid for Trade review in July, where brochur es and hand-outs were made available.  With a 
view to promoting this tool at the regional leve l and reaching out to stakeholders in the field, 
brochures on the GTAD continue to be distributed.  In addition, to follow up on the information that is provided to RC managers on a regular basis, presenta tions were made, in English and in French, to 
participants in the Symposium for RC managers in Geneva in April 2011. 
153. At the end of the year, the Secretariat wo rked on identifying the existing needs for new 
developments in the GTAD, to allow for the uploa ding of background documentation, links to other 
agencies specific project pages, with the objectives of  enhancing its outreach and visibility.  These are 
currently being tested and will shortly be made available to partner agencies. 
IX. FINANCIAL SITUATION 
154. Globally, the total cost of the activities included in  the TA Plan for each year of the biennium 
2010-2011 had been estimated at CHF 30.9 million to be financed from the DDAGTF, regular budget, 
and other trust funds as follows: 
Table 6:  Estimate Total Cost of Activities in 2010-2011 
 
 CHF million 
Regular budget 5.7 
DDAGTF 24.0 
Other Trust Funds 1.2 
TOTAL 30.9 
 
155. Actual expenditures in 2011 amounted to CHF 3.5 million from the regular budget, 
CHF 13.7 million from the DDAGTF and CHF 1.3 million from other trust funds.  One can see the evolution in DDAGTF contribut ions and expenditures represen ted in the charts below. WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 42  
 
  Graph 18 
 
 
 
156. Implementation of the activities under the DDAGTF (and other trust funds) is subject to the 
availability of financial resources, which rely on vol untary contributions.  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 unde r the DDAGTF, and more specifically larger scale 
programmes, e.g. regional seminars undertaken by the WTO or in partnership with other 
organizations, and RTPCs, require a dvance planning of at least three months, if not more.  Under the 
financial rules, activities can onl y be committed to if the necessary financing is in the bank. 
157. Incoming funds in 2011 slightly exceeded the e xpenditures during the year.  This represents a 
more sustainable equilibrium than in 2010 where expenditures significantly exceeded contributions.  
However, the timing of those contributions made  it difficult to plan and implement technical 
assistance activities efficiently.  Nearly 30 per cent of the contributions arrived only in the 
fourth quarter of 2011 and nearly half of the fu nd received in the fourth quarter only arrived in 
December;  too late to effectively implement certain activities anticipated in the TA Plan. 
158. The funding benchmarks for the DDAGTF, as est ablished by the Members, are 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 cen t of the total, and (ii) by 30 June, 100 per cent 
of the funds needed.  Unfortunately , the benchmarks were missed in 2010, thus resulting in deferral or 
cancellation of some planned activities. 
159. Table 8 and Annex 4 present furt her details regarding the voluntar y contributions received for 
the DDAGTF in the last four years from WTO Members. 
160. The DDAGTF was established in December 2001, pursuant to the commitment contained in 
paragraph 40 of the Doha Declaration, to finance TA programmes and training activities for 
developing countries and LDCs as well as economies 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 
provide a solid and stable financial basis for the delivery of a global programme.  Following the 
finalization of the TA Plan in autumn 2009, th e General Council approved the recommended target 
amount of CHF 24 million for the planned volume of  TA to be financed from the DDAGTF in 2010, 
thus maintaining the cost of the TA Plan at the same level since 2003.  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 43 
 
 
  Table 7:  DDAGTF Situation 
 
 DDAGTF - CHF 
2008 2009 2010 2011 
Brought forward from previous year 7,778,416 9,541,433 10,868,997 8,879,564 
Contributions received 18,575,868  19,676,896 16,108,998 15,075,383 
Transfers from Spain TTFNA 0 0  24,978 
Interest earned 221,935 46,180 28,124 21,843 
Total funds 26,576,219 29, 264,509 27,006,120 24,001,767 
Total expenditures 17,034,786 18,395,512 18,126,556 13,748,966 
Balance to be carried forward 9,541,433 10,868,997 8,879,564 10,252,801 
 WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 44  
 
  ANNEX 1 
 
Overview of TRTA Provided from 01/01/2011 to 31/12/2011 
 
TA Plan chapters National 
activities Regional
activities Global
events Other 
(Conferences, 
etc.) Total 
A  General WTO-related Technical 
Assistance and Training 18  21  5  44 13%
A 1.  Trade Policy Courses 9  2  2  13 4%
A 1. (i) Geneva-based Trade Policy 
Courses (TPCs) 2   2 1%
A 1. (ii) Regional Trade Policy Courses 
(RTPCs) 7  1  8 2%
A 1. (iii) Short Regional Trade Policy 
Courses and follow-up 
(SRTPCs) 2  1  3 1%
A 2.  Geneva-based Introduction Courses 1   1 0%
A 3.  Geneva-based Thematic courses 5   5 1%
A 4.  WTO Introduction Days 1   1 0%
A 5.  Geneva Week 2  2 1%
A 6.  Geneva-based Topic-specific 
Symposia 12  1  13 4%
A 7.  Advisory Role on Legal Issues 
(Art. 27.2 of DSU)   
A 8.  Regional and Subregional 
Capacity-building 
programmes(Short Trade Policy 
Courses) 9   9 3%
B  Specialized & Advanced Training & 
Technical Assistance 121  46  1  168 49%
B 2.  National Technical Assistance 
Activities 118   118 35%
B 2. (i) National topic-sp ecific ac tivities 90   90 26%
B 2. (ii) Technical Assistance within the 
TPRM Framework 19   19 6%
B 2. (iii) Assisting beneficiaries in 
conducting Needs Assessment 1    
B 2. (iv) Reference Centres 9   9 3%
B 3.  Regional Seminars 35   35 10%
B 3. (i) Agriculture 3   3 1%
B 3. (ii) Dispute Settlement 2   2 1% WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 45 
 
 
  TA Plan chapters National 
activities Regional
activities Global
events Other 
(Conferences, 
etc.) Total 
B 3. (iii) Government Procurement 
(Plurilateral Agreement on) 1   1 0%
B 3. (iv) Non-Agriculture Market Access 
(NAMA) 9   9 3%
B 3. (ix) TBT 2   2 1%
B 3. (v) Regional Trade Agreements 3   3 1%
B 3. (vi) Rules   
B 3. (vii) SPS 4   4 1%
B 3. 
(viii) Services 3   3 1%
B 3. (x) T & Development 3   3 1%
B 3. (xi) T & Environment 1   1 0%
B 3. (xii) Trade Facilitation  0   0 0%
B 3. 
(xiii) TRIPS 4   4 1%
B 4.  Advanced Training Programme for 
senior government officials 3   3 1%
B 5.  Intensive Course on Trade 
Negotiations Skills 3  4   7 2%
B 6.  Outreach Activities for 
Parliamentarians and Civil Society 3  1  4 1%
B 7.  Accessions 1   1 0%
C  Academic Support for Training and 
Capacity building:  an integrated 
approach 21  3  2  17  43 13%
C 1.  WTO Chairs programme 4  7  11 3%
C 2.  University programme 17  3  10  30 9%
C 2. (ii) Workshops for University 
Professors 3   3 1%
C 2. (iii) National workshops 17   17 5%
C 2. (v) Other academics events 10  10 3%
C 3.  Doctoral Studies 1   1 0%
C 5.  Research Collaboration (ERSD) 1   1 0%
D  Trainee programmes and Internships 3   3 1%
D 1.  Netherlands Trainee Programme 1   1 0%WT/COMTD/W/186 
Page 46  
 
  TA Plan chapters National 
activities Regional
activities Global
events Other 
(Conferences, 
etc.) Total 
D 2.  WTO Regional Coordinator 
internship 1   1 0%
D 3.  WTO Mission internship 1   1 0%
E  E-Learning programme 27   27 8%
E 1.  eTraining:  online courses (incl. 
enhancement and misc.) 26   26 8%
E 2.  Self-training modules:  
computer-based training modules2 1   1 0%
F  Other Programmes and Support 
Activities 1   1 0%
F 2.  Programme activities 1   1 0%
F 2. (iii) Standards and Trade 
Development Facility (STDF) 0  1  0  0  1 0%
G  Participation in conferences 3  51  54 16%
Total 142  71  53  74  340 100%
 
1 Assisting beneficiaries in conducting Needs Assessment does not require missions per se, and is mostly taken 
care of through the Netherlands Trainee Programme, the TA missions within the Trade Policy Review 
Mechanism Framework, and other national activities. 
 
2 Include 16 multilingual self-training c ourses in English, French and Span ish on the following subjects: the 
WTO Coherence Mandate; Trade Finance:  The Grease in the Wheels of Trade;  Update on Trade Finance;  
WTO Trade Facilitation;  Conducting a WTO Trade F acilitation Needs Assessment;  WTO dispute settlement 
system;  Accession to the WTO;  Handbook on Acce ssion to the WTO;  General Agreement on Trade in 
Services (GATS);  Agreement on San itary and Phytosanitary Measures ( SPS);  SPS Handbook:  How to apply 
the transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement;  TBT:  Fifth Special Mee ting on Procedures for Information 
Exchange;  Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures;  Overview of the WTO;  The WTO:  Economic 
Underpinnings;  The WTO:  Legal Underpinnings. 
  WT/COMTD/W/186 
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  ANNEX 2 
 
Participation to the Netherlands Tr aining Programme from 2005 to 2011 
 
Country Status Year No. of 
trainees Region 
Afghanistan LDC 2007 & 2010 2 CEECAC & AMEC 
Angola LDC 2006 1 Africa 
Armenia Low income 2005 1 CEECAC & AMEC 
Azerbaijan Lower Middle income 2011 1 CEECAC & AMEC 
Bangladesh LDC 2006 1 Asia & Pacific 
Benin LDC 2006 & 2010 2 Africa 
Bhutan LDC 2005, 2009, 2011 3 Asia & Pacific 
Botswana Upper Middle income 2009 1 Africa 
Burkina Faso LDC 2007, 2008, 2010 3 Africa 
Burundi LDC 2005 & 2010 2 Africa 
Cambodia LDC 2007 1 Asia & Pacific 
Cameroun Lower Middle Income  2010 1 Africa 
Central African Republic LDC 2006 & 2010 2 Africa 
Chad LDC 2008 & 2010 2 Africa 
Comoros LDC 2009 1 Africa 
Côte d'Ivoire Low income 2008 1 Africa 
Democratic Republic of the Congo LDC 2008 1 Africa 
Djibouti LDC 2006 1 Africa 
Nepal LDC 2006 1 Asia & Pacific 
Gambia LDC 2007 & 2010 2 Africa 
Ghana Low income 2009 1 Africa 
Guinea LDC 2005, 2009, 2011 3 Africa 
Guinea-Bissau LDC 2007 1 Africa 
Haiti LDC 2011 1 LA & Caribbean 
Kenya Low income 2005 1 Africa 
Kyrgyz Republic Low income 2006 & 2008 2 CEECAC & AMEC 
Lao People's Democratic Republic LDC 2005, 2008, 2011 3 Asia & Pacific 
Lebanon High income 2005 1 CEECAC & AMEC 
Lesotho LDC 2005 1 Africa 
Liberia LDC 2009 1 Africa 
Madagascar LDC 2007 1 Africa 
Malawi LDC 2006 & 2011 2 Africa 
Mali LDC 2005 & 2007 2 Africa 
Mauritania LDC 2005 1 Africa 
Mongolia Lower Middle income 2005 1 Asia & Pacific 
Myanmar LDC 2009 1 Asia & Pacific 
Namibia Lower Middle income 2005 1 Africa 
Niger LDC 2008 1 Africa 
Nigeria Low income 2009 1 Africa 
Pakistan Other Low income 2009 1 Asia & Pacific 
Paraguay Low Middle 2006 & 2010 2 LA & Caribbean 
Rwanda LDC 2006 & 2011 2 Africa 
Saint Kitts and Nevis High income 2005 1 LA & Caribbean 
Saint Lucia High income 2006 1 LA & Caribbean 
Senegal LDC 2006 & 2010 2 Africa 
Sierra Leone LDC 2006 & 2011 2 Africa 
Sudan LDC 2006 & 2009 2 Africa 
Swaziland Low Middle 2008 & 2010 2 Africa 
Tonga Low Middle 2006 1 Asia & Pacific 
Uganda LDC 2005, 2008, 2011 3 Africa 
Vanuatu LDC 2006 1 Asia & Pacific 
Viet Nam Other Low income 2009 & 2011 2 Asia & Pacific 
Yemen LDC 2007 & 2010 2 CEECAC & AMEC 
Zambia LDC 2005 & 2010 2 Africa 
Zimbabwe Low income 2005 1 Africa WT/COMTD/W/186 
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ANNEX 3 
 
Participation to the Mission Internship Programme from 2005 to 2011 
 
Country Status Years No. of 
participants Region 
Bangladesh LDC 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 4 Asia & Pacific 
Barbados Upper Middle Income 2009 1 LA & Caribbean 
Benin LDC 2003, 2006, 2011 3 Africa 
Bolivia Lower Middle Income 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 4 LA & Caribbean 
Burkina Faso LDC 2009 1 Africa 
Burundi LDC 2006 1 Africa 
Cambodia LDC 2006, 2011 2 Asia & Pacific 
Congo RC LDC 2010 1 Africa 
Côte d'Ivoire Low Income 2010 1 Africa 
Cuba Upper Middle Income 2010 1 LA & Caribbean 
Djibouti LDC 2009, 2010, 2011 3 Africa 
Dominican Republic Lower Middle Income 2009 1 LA & Caribbean 
El Salvador Lower Middle Income 2003, 2006, 2007 3 LA & Caribbean 
Guinea LDC 2004, 2006 2 Africa 
Kenya Low Income 2003, 2006, 2010 5 Africa 
Laos LDC 2010 1 Asia & Pacific 
Lesotho LDC 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011 4 Africa 
Mali LDC 2006, 2010 2 Africa 
Mauritania LDC 2006 1 Africa 
Mauritius Upper Middle Income 2007, 2009 2 Africa 
Mongolia Lower Middle Income 2007, 2010 2 Asia & Pacific 
Mozambique LDC 2010, 2011 2 Africa 
Namibia Lower Middle Income 2010 1 Africa 
Nepal LDC 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 5 Asia & Pacific 
Nicaragua Lower Middle Income 2003, 2005, 2006, 2011 4 LA & Caribbean 
Nigeria Low Income 2006, 2011 2 Africa 
Rwanda LDC 2004, 2007, 2009 3 Africa 
Sri Lanka Lower Middle Income 2009 1 Asia & Pacific 
Sudan LDC 2010, 2011 2 Africa 
Tajikistan Low Income 2010 1 CEECAC & AMEC 
Tanzania LDC 2004, 2005, 2011 3 Africa 
Togo LDC 2011 1 Africa 
Uganda LDC 2005, 2006, 2007 3 Africa 
Uruguay Upper Middle Income 2003 1 LA & Caribbean 
Viet Nam Low Income 2003 1 Asia & Pacific 
Yemen LDC 2006 1 CEECAC & AMEC 
Zambia LDC 2003, 2008 2 Africa 
Zimbabwe Other Low Income 2011 1 Africa 
  WT/COMTD/W/186 
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  ANNEX 4 
 
Reference Centres Programme:  Annual statistics for 2011 
 
WT/COMTD/W/186 
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  WT/COMTD/W/186 
 Page 51 
 
 
  ANNEX 5 
 
DDAGTF Contributions and Pledges 
 
DDAGTF        Contributions and pledges 
Donor(CHF) 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total 
Sweden 2,697,280  2,026, 384 2,353,920 2,074,322 9, 151,906 
Australia  986,050 1,525,650 1,952,400 1,803,600 6,267,700 
Norway 2,005,214  1,710,279   1,784,440  1,593,626  7,093,559  
Netherlands 1,472,990  1,472, 990  1,472,990  1,472,990  5,891,960  
Germany 1,566,000  1,509,500   1,438,500  1,237,500  5,751,500  
Finland 1,347,225  1,534,000   1,364,000  1,228,000  5,473,225  
European Union 1,513,520  1, 518,550  1,574,550  1,187,500  5,794,120  
Canada 404,621  456,121   944,276  1,805,018  
United States   943,941    1,026,109    1,002,654    940,580    3,913,284  
France    2,250,500    655,500    611,000    3,517,000  
Spain   571,550    533,750    467,950    400,050    1,973,300  
Japan   489,316    474,637    395,604    395,604    1,755,161  
Denmark   205,779    616,746    180,019    331,230    1,333,774  
Korea   359,800    357,000    344,400    322,350    1,383,550  
Austria   322,320    302,480    285,640    258,600    1,169,040  
Chinese Taipei      184,200    184,200  
Liechtenstein   40,000    40,000    40,000    40,000    160,000  
Estonia   32,038    49,425    28,932    26,209    136,604  
Czech Republic   87,288        23,746    111,034  
Ireland   1,547,000    1,357,200    409,200     3,313,400  
China   205,600    211,000    200,300      616,900  
New Zealand     158,000     158,000  
Luxembourg   771,500    754,000        1,525,500  
Switzerland   800,000       800,000  
Romania   79,450          79,450  
Slovak Republic   60,000       60,000  
Turkey   50,000          50,000  
Total contributions including pledges 18,558,482    19 ,726,321    16,108,999    15,075,383   69,469,185  
Total number of donors   24    20    19    19    27  
*Pledges are indicated in italics and lighter font. 
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