WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  RESTRICTED 
WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
5 July 2011  
 
(11-3319) 
Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries 
Fifty-Ninth Session  
 
 
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 5 MAY 2011 
 
Chairperson:  Ambassador Steffen Smidt (Denmark) 
  
A. 
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ......................................................................................................... 1  
B.  WTO WORK PROGRAMME FOR THE LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
(WT/COMTD /LDC/11): .................................................................................................................. 1  
-  Accession of Least-Developed Countries:  State of Play (JOB/ACC/21) ................................... 1  
C.  PROPOSAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A WORK PROGRAMME ON POST -ACCESSION 
FOR THE RECENTLY ACCEDED LDCS :  COMMUNICATION FROM THE LDC GROUP 
(WT/COMTD /LDC/W/50) ............................................................................................................... 6  
D.  FOURTH UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON THE LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
(LDC-IV) TO BE HELD FROM 9 TO 13 MAY 2011 ......................................................................... 10  
E.  OTHER BUSINESS  ....................................................................................................................... 14  
 
 1. The Chairman expressed gratitude to Member s for electing him as the Chair of the Sub-
Committee on LDCs.  He thanked Members for the c onfidence that they had placed in him.  He 
expressed appreciation to his predecessor - Ambassador  Feyder (Luxembourg) - for his leadership and 
contribution to the work of the Sub-Committee.  He hoped that Members would give him the same 
support and cooperation that they had extended to Ambassador Feyder.   
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
2. The Sub-Committee adopted the draft age nda contained in document WTO/AIR/3737. 
B. WTO WORK PROGRAMME FOR THE LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (WT/COMTD /LDC/11):   
- Accession of Least-Developed Countries:  State of Play (JOB/ACC/21) 
3. The Chairman said that he would take up the item on accession of LDCs under the WTO 
Work Programme for the LDCs.  He welcomed the fact that the Working Party on the Accession of 
Vanuatu had adopted its accession package.  He c ongratulated the Government of Vanuatu on the 
successful completion of its accession negotiations.  He looked forward to seeing Vanuatu as a full 
Member of the WTO as soon as possible.  He also not ed that Samoa was nearing the completion of its 
accession process.   
4. He invited the Secretariat to introduce the document concerning the state of play of LDC 
accessions (JOB/ACC/21).  In that context, he recalled the LDC accession Guidelines adopted in 
2002, as well as the call for facilitating and accelerating the accession of LDCs to the WTO.  He requested the Secretariat to elaborate as to what  could be done further to accelerate the negotiating 
processes of the LDCs.   WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
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  5. The representative of the Secretariat (Director, Accessions Division) recalled that Members, 
at the Doha Ministerial Conference in 2001, ha d agreed to work to facilitate and accelerate 
negotiations with acceding LDCs.  Thereafter, th e LDC accession Guidelines were adopted in 2002 
with a view to accelerating the negotiations for th e accession of LDCs to the WTO, including through 
simplified and streamlined accession procedures. 
6. He explained that accelerating the process of acce ssion for the LDCs needed concerted efforts 
from all stakeholders.  Accession required technical knowledge, expertise and focused attention of the 
acceding government at all stages of the accession pr ocess.  Sustained commitment and determination 
at a political level was vital to ensure steady pr ogress in the accession process.   He stressed that 
accession represented a partnership between Member s and the acceding government, where the latter 
should remain in the driver's seat.  Any gap in that partnership was likely to affect the smooth 
progress of accessions.  He underlined the importance of undertaking necessary domestic reforms to embrace WTO membership.   
7. He gave an account of the state of play of the accessions of 12 LDCs that were at various 
stages of their accession processes.  Acceding LDCs accounted for 40 per cent of all WTO accessions.  
Thirty Working Parties were in place, although not all of them were proceeding at the same pace.  
Among the 12 acceding LDCs, completing the accessions  of Samoa, Vanuatu and Yemen was a 
priority for 2011.  He said that the reconvened Working Party meeting on the Accession of Vanuatu 
had concluded its work on 2 May 2011 at which Va nuatu's Working Party report had been adopted 
ad referendum.  The report would be formally a pproved by a special meeting of the General Council 
to be convened soon.  He expressed appreciation to the Government of Vanuatu for its hard work as 
well as to Members for their cooperation.  He not ed that the Government of Samoa was actively 
engaged in its accession process and that, together w ith Members, it had been working towards a 2011 
harvest.  The accession of Yemen had also been a pr iority for 2011.  Most of the outstanding issues 
concerning the accession negotiations of Yemen had b een resolved.  However, at present, there were 
other issues that had been holding back the pr ogress of the accession of Yemen.  Members stood 
ready to conclude the accession of Yemen as soon as it re verted to the accession process in its totality.   
8. He went on to say that two acceding LDCs - Bhutan and Lao PDR - were at intermediate 
stages of their accession processes.  In  addition, six LDCs were at th e initial stages of their accession 
processes; of these, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Liberi a had submitted their memoranda of foreign trade 
regimes paving the way for discussions with Memb ers.  The first Working Party meeting of 
Afghanistan had been held in January 2011.  The Working Party meeting of Ethiopia would be held 
on 6 May 2011, for which a high-level delegation ha d already arrived from its capital.  Liberia had 
submitted its foreign trade Memorandum only recen tly; a Working Party meeting was yet to be 
convened.  He noted that Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tomé and Principe and Comoros had not yet 
submitted any memoranda on their foreign trade regi mes.  The accession process of Sudan had been 
inactive for a while, although a renewed vigour among the Sudanese officials had lately been 
witnessed by the Secretariat.   
9. He said that the work on accessions was progr essing on a sound footing, under a reinforced 
Accessions Division in the Secretariat.  The informal group on accessions had been meeting on a 
regular basis, with good attendance.  Accedi ng governments had become more engaged.  The 
Secretariat had started to prepare monthly newsletters on accessions which, inter alia , provided the 
calendar of accession meetings.  He welcomed the fact that Members had been dedicating 
considerable resources to technical assistan ce and outreach, including helping acceding governments 
in the drafting of their legislations.  This prove d useful to the acceding governments in making their 
domestic legislations consistent with WTO rules, as well as preparing themselves to take advantage of 
market access opportunities.  He informed Members that as from th e next Geneva Week events, 
convened by the Secretariat twice a year, a ha lf-day segment on inter-agency coordination on 
accessions would be organized.  This would a llow enhanced collaboration between the WTO  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
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  Secretariat and other agencies providing assistance on accessions and would further facilitate the 
accession of LDCs to the WTO.  In conclusion, he  invited comments and suggestions from Members 
with a view to further improving the work and service provided by the Secretariat to Members, and in particular to the acceding governments.   
10. The representative of Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group, congratulated the Chairman 
on his election.  He thanked the Secretariat for pr eparing a comprehensive report on the state of play 
of the accession processes of the 12 acceding LDCs, as well as for the oral report made in the meeting.  He expressed appreciation to the Chairs  of the LDC Accession Working Parties for their 
sustained efforts to move the LDC accession negotiati ons forward.  He thanked Members for their 
constructive engagement in the LDC accession pro cesses.  He also acknowledged the support being 
received from international organizations, includi ng international financia l institutions, in the 
accession processes of LDCs.   
11. He was encouraged to see that  the General Council was poised to convene a special meeting 
to welcome Vanuatu as the 154
th Member of the WTO.  He noted the progress that had been made in 
Samoa and Yemen, in reaching the final stage of their accession processes.  He hoped that a few other 
LDCs would be in a position to complete their accession processes in the next few years.  He urged all 
Members and other stakeholders to contribute to acce lerating the accession of LDCs to the WTO.  In 
this context, he emphasized the need for continue d and targeted technical assistance for the acceding 
LDCs.  In conclusion, he underscored the importanc e of transparency in the accession negotiations; he 
added that the Sub-Committee had a cruc ial role to play in this regard. 
12. The representative of Vanuatu expressed appreciation for holding the meeting of the 
Sub-Committee during the Geneva Week, which gave th e opportunity for his delegation to participate.  
He appreciated the active role being played by th e Chairman in assisting the accessions of LDCs in 
the WTO.  Vanuatu was close to accession unde r Article XII of the Marrakech Agreement 
establishing the WTO.  However, the road to this acc ession had not been an easy one.  He noted that 
there had been no specific rules governing accession to  the WTO.  That was why small countries like 
Vanuatu were being subjected to undertake major co ncessions.  Vanuatu had taken a pause in 2001 to 
further review the package agreed at that time.  It had been a long process, but his Government had 
been able to reach the final stag e with some determination.  Th e LDC accession Guidelines adopted in 
2002 constituted a positive step forward in the effo rts of Members to help LDCs' accession to the 
WTO.   
13. He went on to say that while his Government  had completed the accession negotiations, it had 
been receiving continuous criticisms from NGOs and the civil society.  Despite these criticisms, his 
Government was steadfast in acceding to the WTO.  Therefore, this hard-fought accession would need 
to be given a real meaning.  He reiterated the commitment of his Prime Minister to take forward 
Vanuatu's accession to its conclusion.  Steps were  being taken to prepare the ground for domestic 
ratification.  His Minister would be back in Geneva  in due time to attend the special meeting of the 
General Council to formally adopt the accession pack age of Vanuatu.  He expressed appreciation to 
the Secretariat, especially the Accessions Division, for its valuable assistance.  In conclusion, he 
thanked Members for their support to Vanuatu's accession.   
14. The representative of Canada congratulated the Chairman on his election.  He also 
congratulated Vanuatu for reaching the final stag e of its accession process.  He appreciated the 
acknowledgement made by the Government of Vanuatu  on the role of technical assistance in its 
accession process.  In this regard, he noted the assistance provided by Australia, the EU, 
New Zealand, and the US, as well as by the WTO Secr etariat.  He underscored the importance of the 
assistance that might be available under the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) to the LDCs in the 
process of accession, in addition to the support of in dividual Members, the WTO Secretariat and other 
agencies. WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
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  15. The representative of India congratulated the Chairman on his election.  He briefed Members 
on a training programme that India had conducted on WTO accessions for officials from LDCs and 
select developing countries, from 28 February to 4 March 2011, at the Centre for WTO Studies in New Delhi.  The programme had been fully funded  by the Government of India in fulfilment of 
India's commitments to the LDCs. 
16. He went on to say that the training programme had brought together 20 officials from the 
target countries.  Upon invitation, resource persons from China, Viet Nam and Nepal, as well as the Accessions Division of the WTO Secretariat, had par ticipated in the programme.  The involvement of 
the resource persons from China (Chair of th e Working Party on the Accession of Lao PDR), 
Viet Nam (recently acceded developing country) a nd Nepal (recently acceded LDC) met one of the 
objectives of the programme - to share accession e xperiences of recently acceded Members with the 
participants.   
17. The training had been intended for officials fro m countries in the process of accession to the 
WTO.  Thirteen countries had been identified at th e time of the conceptualization of the programme, 
which were:  Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Ethi opia, Iraq, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Seychelles, Sudan, 
Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Yemen.  A total of 24 online applications had been received through 
the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (I TEC) programme website.  The final programme 
had been attended by 20 particip ants, representing 11 countries. 
18. The five-day training had comprised classroom sessions focused on accession-related issues, 
with an emphasis on experience sharing.  The i ssues covered included several areas, such as an 
overview of the WTO agreements and their scope, the benefits of WTO accession and membership, 
the evolving rules governing accession and special provisions, the accession process and technical 
assistance for acceding countries, suggestions for developing countries in the process of accession, 
negotiations in the WTO, the experiences of recently acceded Members and WTO-related case studies on issues of interest to developing countries. 
19. He reported that the feedback sought from the participants had been positive.  The 
participants had expressed their appreciation for the useful insights gained during the training 
sessions, in particular the session on experience shar ing provided by the recently acceded Members, 
as well as the case study on TRIPS presented during the programme.  The participants had also 
benefitted from a session where they themselves had shared their accession experience.  He concluded 
by saying that the training programme had achieve d a rating of 4.39 on a 5 point scale, which was 
equivalent to a success rate of 87.78 per cent.  Fo r further information on the training programme, he 
invited Members to take a copy of the report on the programme which was placed at the back of the 
meeting room.   
20. The representative of the European Union congr atulated the Chairman on his election.  He 
expressed appreciation for the report on the state of  play of LDCs' accession, as well as for the oral 
report made by the Secretariat.  He noted that an important number of LDCs were engaged in the 
accession process.  This demonstrated that LDCs appreciated the benefits of integrating into the 
multilateral trading system not only for the fact that the system would open markets for them, but also because the system was based on a solid foundation of  rules.  He noted with satisfaction that the 
LDCs were ready to invest energy in moderniz ing their regulatory and policy frameworks and in 
bringing about the necessary reforms creating the cond itions for prosperous and sustainable growth.   
21. He acknowledged that accession was a demanding and difficult process, but that at the end it 
would lead to a development path.  He reiterate d the EU's continued support for the accession of 
LDCs to the WTO.  He underlined  the importance of fully exploiting the potentials of the LDC 
Accession Guidelines adopted in 2002.  The EU w as prepared to go beyond those Guidelines in 
negotiating bilateral protocols with the LDCs.  He  also underscored the importance of technical  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
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  assistance to the acceding LDCs.  The EU was invol ved in numerous technical-assistance projects to 
support LDCs in preparing their accession to the WTO.   
22. He noted that the accession process of Vanuatu had reached its final stage.  Although the 
process had been long, the engagement of Vanuatu 's authorities could now be harvested with the 
support of Members, and with valuable assistance from the Secretariat.  He believed that the accession 
of Vanuatu would send an important signal to the upcoming LDC-IV Conference; it would also be a 
positive signal as regards the role of the WTO in th e development of LDCs.  He was confident that 
work on a number of LDC accessions was progressi ng well.  In conclusion, he reiterated the 
commitment of the EU to continue to engage actively in the LDC accession processes.  He looked 
forward to advancing LDC accessions, including fina lizing some LDC accessions as soon as possible.   
23. The representative of Nepal said that he att ached great importance to the work of the 
Sub-Committee.  He appreciated the state-of-play no te on accession prepared by the Secretariat, as 
well as the oral presentation made at the meeting.  He said that a greater number of LDC accessions would make the WTO membership more universal and would thereby strengthen the rules-based 
multilateral trading system.  The accession process ha d been particularly long and complex for the 
LDCs.  As a result, since the inception of the WTO in 1995, only three LDCs had been able to accede 
to the WTO.  He congratulated Vanuatu for the pr ogress that it had made in its accession process.  He 
looked forward to welcoming Vanuatu as a full Member .  He was pleased to learn that the General 
Council would soon convene a special meeting to pave the way for the accession of Vanuatu to the 
WTO.  He urged Members, as well as international organizations, to continue  to provide technical 
assistance and capacity building to Vanuatu in thei r post-accession phase.  He believed that the 
completion of Vanuatu's accession would send a str ong signal prior to the LDC-IV Conference and 
would augur well for the WTO.   
24. The representative of Australia congratulated the Chairman on his election.  He found the 
state-of-play note on LDC accessions useful.  He also appreciated the report made by the Secretariat 
which provided an overview of the current status of  LDC accessions.  He welcomed the delegation of 
Vanuatu at the meeting; in particular, the Ambass ador of Vanuatu to Belgium (Ambassador Joy), who 
had travelled from Brussels to attend the meeting.  He had been closely involved with the accession 
processes of Samoa and Vanuatu which had faced some unique challenges in their accession processes, including difficulties that emanated from geographical distance and non-residency in 
Geneva.   
25. He said that it was an honour for him to partic ipate in the reconvened Working Party meeting 
on the Accession of Vanuatu that had taken place earlier in the week.  He was pleased that Vanuatu 
was close to accession at a time when  the international community was about to meet for the LDC-IV 
Conference; the imminent accession of Vanuatu w ould send a positive message to that Conference.  
The benefits of WTO membership were well known to countries.  Accession provided an opportunity 
to countries to beneficially integrate into the mu ltilateral trading system; each accession added to the 
strength of the system.  He looked forward to th e accessions of Lao PDR, Samoa and Yemen in the 
near future.  He underlined the importance of ta rgeted and appropriate technical assistance and 
capacity building to the acceding LDCs.  He tha nked the WTO Secretariat, in particular the 
Accessions Division, for its hard work to assist LDC accessions.   
26. The representative of New Zealand congratul ated the Chairman on his election.  She 
reiterated the support of her delega tion for all accessions, in partic ular, the LDC accessions to the 
WTO.  She thanked the Secretariat for its report on the state of play on LDC accessions.  She noted 
that the accession process was particularly challengi ng for the non-resident LDCs.  She appreciated 
the fact that the Secretariat had been a useful poi nt of contact in facilitating the accession processes of 
those acceding governments which did not ha ve resident missions in Geneva.   WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
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  27. She said that she was encouraged to see tw o of New Zealand's neighbours - Samoa and 
Vanuatu - in the priority list of accessions for 20 11.  Her delegation would continue to extend all 
necessary support and cooperation in support of th ese accessions.  She tha nked these two acceding 
LDCs for their sincere efforts in bringing th eir accession processes towards a conclusion.  The 
finalization of Vanuatu's accession package, ad refe rendum, earlier in the week was timely in light of 
the upcoming LDC-IV Conference.  Good progress made in the accession process of Samoa in the 
past few months was also encouraging.  She l ooked forward to welcoming Samoa and Vanuatu, as 
well as other acceding LDCs, into the WTO as soon as possible. 
28. The representative of Samoa expressed appreciation for the support provided by Members, 
the WTO Secretariat and other international organi zations in her country's accession process.  She 
reiterated the commitment of her Government to  complete the accession pr ocess by the end of 2011. 
29. The representative of the International Trad e Centre reiterated the commitment of his 
organization in supporting the accession of LDCs to  the WTO.  He said that the ITC had been 
implementing a WTO accession programme for the LDCs.  Over the past few months, the ITC had provided support to the Governments of Ethiopia, Lao PDR and Samoa, mainly through training on 
WTO rules and disciplines, as well as through analytical  tools on trade flows.  In this regard, two 
Workshops had been held in Ethiopia and Lao PDR, which had focused on trade in services.  He drew 
the attention of Members to the brochure on trad e capacity for acceding LDCs, copies of which were 
made available at the meeting room.  That brochure would provide an overview of activities 
undertaken by the ITC under its accession programme. 
30. The Chairman thanked Members for their contributions.  He also thanked the Secretariat for 
its report.  He reiterated that accession of LDCs was a priority of the membership.  He wished 
Vanuatu good luck with the final process of its  accession to the WTO.  He proposed that the 
Sub-Committee take note of the document contained in JOB/ACC/21, as well as of the statements 
made.   
31. It was so agreed. 
C. PROPOSAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A WORK PROGRAMME ON POST -ACCESSION FOR THE 
RECENTLY ACCEDED LDCS :  COMMUNICATION FROM THE LDC GROUP (WT/COMTD /LDC/W/50) 
32. The Chairman said that the LDC Group had ma de a submission concerning the establishment 
of a work programme on post-accession for recent ly acceded LDCs, which had been issued as 
document WT/COMTD/LDC/W/50.  He invited the Coordinator of the LDC Group to introduce the proposal. 
33. The representative of Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group, thanked the Secretariat for 
facilitating the submission of the proposal fo r the establishment of a work programme on 
post-accession for the recently acceded LDCs contained in document WT/COMTD/LDC/W/50.  He said that the background and the rationale for the pr oposal had been explained in the document.  He 
recalled the various decisions and initiatives that had been taken with a view to facilitating the 
accession negotiations with acceding LDCs in the WT O.  He acknowledged that those decisions and 
initiatives had benefitted the acceding LDCs in addr essing their challenges and difficulties faced in 
the accession process.  He pointed out that despite  these efforts, the experience of some recently 
acceded LDCs had necessitated the need for furthe r support, especially in consolidating accession to 
the membership.  This was particularly relevant in terms of implementing the commitments that the 
recently acceded LDCs had undertaken as part of their accession negotiations.  Therefore, the LDCs 
felt that a support system should be considered to  assist the recently acceded LDCs, especially in the 
immediate aftermath of their accession, so as to en able them to maximize the benefits of their  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
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  membership.  This support system needed to be calibrated according to the specific needs of the 
recently acceded LDCs.   
34. He went on to say that the work programme pr oposed by the LDCs identified two particular 
pillars of support mechanisms:  (i) technical assistance;  and (ii) a platform for discussions and exchange of views with Members.  Under the t echnical-assistance pillar, the proposal outlined two 
clusters of support.  The first set related to technical assistance and training, focusing on the 
implementation of commitments contained in the protocol of Accession and Working Party Reports.  
These commitments included, inter alia , implementation of Action Plans of TBT, SPS, Customs 
Valuations and TRIPS, and meeting the initial sets of  notification and transparency requirements.  He 
believed that these works could pose daunting cha llenges to any recently acceded LDCs.  The second 
set of assistance needed was to strengthen the capaci ty of recently acceded LDCs to participate in the 
work of the WTO, including by defining their inter ests, strategizing their participation in different 
areas of negotiations, and identifying their specifi c needs for technical assistance in the immediate 
aftermath of accession.  This could also include, among others, outreach to the private sectors and civil society, as well as partnership with the EIF and Aid for Trade.  The second pillar of a support 
mechanism was to provide the acceding LDCs a pl atform for discussion with a view to facilitating 
exchange of views with Members to help identif y possible means of addressing any challenges faced 
by the recently acceded LDCs.  Finally, he prop osed that the Sub-Committee place the work 
programme on post-accession as a standing item on its agenda and that it provide annual reports on 
the implementation of this work programme to the General Council through the Committee on Trade 
and Development (CTD).   
35. The representative of Yemen congratulated the Chairman on his election as the Chair of the 
Sub-Committee, which had been looking at the in terests of the LDCs, including the acceding LDCs.  
He thanked the Secretariat for its report on the stat e of play of LDC accessions.  He underlined the 
importance of technical assistance to the acceding LDCs which was being extended by Members as 
well as numerous international organizations.  He  congratulated Vanuatu for completing its accession 
negotiations, and looked forward to seeing the country as the 154th Member of the WTO as soon as 
possible.   
36. He associated himself with th e statement made by Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group.  
He pointed out that accession, by itself, was not the ultimate end for countries acceding to the WTO.  
The accession process was meant to meaningfully integrate the acced ing LDCs into the multilateral 
trading system.  That was why special support was needed for the LDCs in the immediate aftermath 
of the completion of their accession process.  He acknowledged the assistance provided to the 
acceding countries during their accession process.  He  equally emphasized the need for targeted 
assistance in the post-accession phase.   
37. He recalled that the ideas put forward in the propo sal had been explored for the past one year.  
He noted that three LDCs had acceded to the WT O since its inception, a lthough one of them had 
graduated from LDC status; these LDCs had been e xperiencing difficulties in integrating into the 
WTO.  His country had high expectations from the process of accession.  It was thus important that 
problems and challenges encountered in the post-accession phase be addres sed in an effective manner.  
The proposal made by the LDC Group could assist smooth transition from accession to membership in the WTO.  First, the proposal could assist  the process of implementing the commitments 
undertaken by the acceding LDCs.  Since accession commitments were implemented over a number 
of years following the completion of accession, post-accession support was vital for the recently 
acceded LDCs.  Second, the proposal suggested assistan ce with a view to maximizing the benefits of 
WTO membership.  In conclusion, he said that th e areas of support mentioned in the proposal were 
indicative in nature, and could be given priority  attention by Members.  He urged Members to 
favourably consider the proposal.  His delegation was ready to respond to any queries on the proposal. WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
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  38. The representative of India thanked Bangladesh  for presenting the LDC proposal concerning 
the establishment of a work programme on post-acces sion, which his delegation considered to be 
crucial for the LDCs.  He noted that the recen tly acceded LDCs faced post-accession responsibilities 
and required special assistance.  He recalled the four training programmes conducted by India, which 
had mainly been dedicated to the acceding countries .  He also informed Members that a training 
programme would be organized in August 2011 which would focus on post-accession issues including 
technical assistance and capacity building in the post-accession phase.  That training was expected to 
help acceding countries better comprehend the benefits of WTO accession.   
39. The representative of the United States congratul ated the Chairman on his election.  He 
thanked the Secretariat for its hard work on accessions, as well as for the reports presented on the 
previous agenda item.  He appreciated the propo sal put forward by the LDC Group to draw greater 
attention to the needs and challeng es faced by recently acceded LDCs.   
40. He stressed that the US had been a strong supporter of the LDC accession process, in line 
with the General Council Guidelines established for th e accession of LDCs in 2002.  He believed that 
the adoption of WTO rules through the accessi on process had been a proven framework for 
accomplishing pro-trade domestic reforms, attrac ting foreign investment and facilitating economic 
growth and development.  He agreed with the importance that the proposal placed on sharing experiences among LDCs on implementing WTO rules;  his delegation would encourage such sharing 
as part of Geneva Week.  However, his delegation ha d some questions concerning the proposal.  First, 
he noted that LDC accession was already part of the WTO Work Programme for the LDCs, and thus 
part of the mandate of the Sub-Committee.  Ther e was nothing in the existing mandate that would 
preclude the discussion of any issue related to accessi on which, in the view of his delegation, would 
include any issues concerning post-accession faced by the LDCs.  Thus, it was not clear why a new 
programme would need to be developed.  His de legation would be happy to discuss all LDC accession 
and post-accession issues under the existing manda te and in the Sub-Committee.  He sought 
clarification from the LDC Group as to why a new Work  Programme needed to be established to have 
such a discussion.   
41. He noted that work was ongoing in the CTD to  determine the WTO Secretariat technical 
assistance for the upcoming biennium.  The work un der review contained specific technical assistance 
for LDCs which could cover accession-related tec hnical assistance.  Given these ongoing efforts, and 
the established framework for designated Secretariat technical assistance, his delegation wished to 
ensure that efforts on technical assistance were not  duplicated in the Sub-Committee.  He requested 
that the Secretariat provide an overview of its LDC-specific technical-assistance plans, including LDC 
accession-specific plans, at the next meeting of the Sub-Committee.  He sought more information 
from the LDC Group on how their proposal would tie in  with existing Secretariat technical-assistance 
planning as well as WTO budgeting for technical assistan ce.  That information was important to avoid 
duplication.  He also sought some clarification from the LDC Group as to how long an LDC would 
qualify as a recently acceded LDC.  He wondered whether there would be a time-limited period that 
acceded LDCs would remain under review  or if this would be indefinite. 
42. In conclusion, he said that before agreei ng to a standing agenda item and a new annual 
reporting requirement for the Secretariat, his delegation would appreciate receiving answers to the questions that he had posed during the meeting.  Al so, since his capital had continued to review the 
proposal, additional questions could come up in the future.  He reiterated the support of his 
Government for LDC accessions, and for those LDCs which had recently acceded.  His delegation 
would like to see the successful conclusion of LDC accessions and was ready to discuss any issues or 
concerns related to those accessions under the cu rrent mandate.  He looked forward to further 
discussions on this topic in the Sub-Committee.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
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  43. The representative of Canada noted the proposal by the LDC Group.  He said that the 
elements suggested in paragraph 6 of the proposal  merited further considerations, especially with 
regard to the standing mandate of existing WTO bod ies.  He also wondered as to how demand-driven 
activities could be made standing agenda items as suggested in paragraph 7 of the proposal.  His 
delegation would continue to review the proposal an d looked forward to recei ving the answers to the 
questions posed by his delegation, as well as the queries posed by the US.   
44. The representative of the European Union cong ratulated the Chairman on his election and 
considered the proposal by the LDC Group interesti ng.  He said that the issues raised in the 
proposal - technical assistance and training focusing on implementing the protocol of accession, technical assistance to maximize the benefits of WTO membership and creating a platform for 
discussion on post-accession experiences - were prim a facie of relevance to the work of the 
Sub-Committee and to the WTO.  He said that th e proposal was currently being examined by the EU 
and, therefore, his comments should be considered as initial reactions only.   
45. He underlined the need to explore - together w ith the proponents - a number of questions such 
as whether a work programme only for the recently  acceded LDCs was needed, since some of the 
valid concerns raised in the proposal could be addressed in the normal work of the Sub-Committee, 
especially as most of the issues were pertinent for all LDCs, independent of their accession history.  
He put emphasis on the efficiency of the WTO, especially as post-accession work and scrutiny could take place in the regular committees and through the Trade Policy Review Mechanism.  He noted that 
the needs of LDCs in the area of technical assist ance were already being addressed in a number of 
programmes and specific bodies.  He added that technical assistance did not necessarily stop at 
accession.  In conclusion, he said that the EU was open to discuss the proposal further under the 
leadership of the Chairman.  He pointed out that  the outcome of the LDC-IV Conference would be 
available in ten days.  As a result, Members would have to collectively judge how that would impact 
the work of the Sub-Committee.   
46. The representative of Japan congratulated th e Chairman on his election.  He expressed 
appreciation to the Secretariat for its state-of-play note on LDC accessions, as well as for the 
comprehensive explanation on the status of LDC accessions.  He believed that accession to the WTO was important for the acceding LDCs, since it would enable them to integrate into the multilateral 
trading system, and would allow them to enjoy the benefits of free trade.  At the same time, the 
accession processes constituted a big challenge for the LDCs, as acceding governments needed to 
develop their domestic laws and re gulations in accordance with WTO rules.  In that context, he 
acknowledged the difficulties that could be faced by the newly acceding Members.  He welcomed the 
proposal made by the LDC Group.  However, he said that his delegation would require some 
clarifications to further consider the proposal.  Fi rst, he wished to know what actual problems were 
being faced by the acceding LDCs that necessitate d submitting the proposal.  Second, he required 
information on whether the proposal would duplicat e the work in other WTO bodies.  He expressed 
Japan's willingness to join further di scussions on the proposal in future. 
47. The representative of Vanuatu urged Members to  positively consider the proposal.  He argued 
that the proposal could effectively address the challenges in the post-accession phase; it could also 
prepare recently acceded LDCs for their trade policy re views.  His delegation was ready to refine the 
proposal based on comments from Members.  He requ ested Members to adopt the proposal as soon as 
possible.   
48. The representative of Yemen said that the propo sal would not duplicate work in other bodies 
of the WTO.  He took note of the questions and comments made by Members at the meeting.  He 
suggested that a small group, comprising interest ed Members along with the LDCs, be convened.  
This small group could discuss the pros and cons of the proposal and then report back to the WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
Page 10  
 
  Sub-Committee at its next meeting.  He hoped th at the work on the proposal could be advanced 
further so as to take a decision at the earliest possible moment.   
49. The representative of Bangladesh thanked Memb ers for their interest in the proposal.  He 
considered all the comments from Members as initial r eactions.  He reiterated that the proposal would 
not duplicate work in other WTO bodies.  His delegation would be ready to meet in small-group 
configurations to further clarify the proposal to interested Members.  He requested Members to 
provide the LDC Group with written comments and qu estions which could help make progress on the 
proposal.   
50. The Chairman noted that the submission by the LDC Group would require considerable 
reflection by Members.  He encouraged interested Members to be engaged with  the LDCs to explore a 
way forward.  He said that the Sub-Committee would revert to this item at a future meeting.  He 
suggested that the Sub-Committee take note of the document contained in WT/COMTD/LDC/W/50 
as well as the statements made. 
51. It was so agreed. 
D. FOURTH UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON THE LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDC-IV) TO 
BE HELD FROM 9 TO 13 MAY 2011 
52. The Chairman noted that the LDC-IV Conference would be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 9 
to 13 May 2011.  The Conference would provi de the framework of cooperation for LDCs' 
development in the next decade.  He invited the re presentative of Turkey to provide the meeting with 
an update on the Conference.   
53. The representative of Turkey congratulated th e Chairman for assuming his role as the Chair 
of the Sub-Committee.  He then gave an update on the preparations for the LDC-IV Conference.  He 
thanked both Members and international organizations  which had contributed to the preparatory work 
that had begun more than a year ago.  He partic ularly thanked Ambassador  Bhattarai (Nepal) and 
Ambassador Hannan (Bangladesh) for their efforts as well as for their cooperation with Turkey.  He 
underlined the importance of active involvement of  Members as well as Geneva-based organizations 
for a successful outcome of the LDC-IV Conference.  He said that human and financial resources of 
his Government had been limited and thus it had no t been possible for Turkey to fully meet various 
demands of delegations.  In this regard, he sought the unde rstanding of Members.   
54. He said that apart from the comprehensive Pr ogramme of Action, a political declaration 
would also be adopted at the LDC-IV Conference  - the first draft of which had been recently 
circulated in New York.  The political declarati on contained 18 paragraphs along with a preamble.  
That declaration and the Programme of Action woul d constitute the framework of support measures 
for LDCs in the next decade.   
55. He informed Members that some 23 Presidents and nine Prime Ministers were expected to 
attend the Conference.  Fifty-three delegations would be headed by Ministers.  Twenty-two 
international organizations were participating, while 46 Special Ev ents were being organized.  The 
inaugural session of the Conference would be addressed by the President of Turkey.  Other leaders 
who would speak at the inaugural session included th e President of Benin, the Prime Minister of 
Nepal, the President of the European Union and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.   
56. He drew the attention of Members to the high-le vel interactive thematic debates, which would 
be attended by Prime Ministers and Ministers of participating countries.  These thematic sessions 
included:  (i) "Enhancing productive capacities in the role  of private sector and LDCs";  (ii) "Resource 
mobilization for LDC development and global pa rtnership";  (iii) "harnessing trade for LDCs'  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
 Page 11 
 
 
  development and transformation";  (iv) "Go od governance at all levels";  (v) "Reducing 
vulnerabilities, responding to emerging challenges, and enhancing food secur ity in LDCs";  and 
(vi) "Human and social development - gender e quality and empowerment of women".  The private 
sector, as well as civil society organizations, would al so take active part in the Conference.  A novelty 
for the Conference was the organization of a Parlia mentarian forum.  In conclusion, he requested 
Members to contact his delegation should they have  any query or require additional information on 
the Conference.  He hoped that with the support a nd cooperation of the international community, the 
LDC-IV Conference would be able to produce a successful outcome.   
57. The representative of Canada said that his dele gation looked forward to actively participating 
in the LDC-IV Conference.  He noted that unde r the existing WTO Work Programme for the LDCs, 
the Sub-Committee had taken into account the trade- related elements of the Brussels Programme of 
Action for the LDCs for the decade 2001-2010, consis tent with the WTO's mandate.  He, therefore, 
believed that the work of the Sub-Committee would need to take into account the results of the 
LDC-IV Conference. 
58. The representative of Bangladesh, on behalf of  the LDC Group, thanked the representative of 
Turkey for his presentation.  He expressed appreciati on to the Government of Turkey for hosting this 
major Conference for the LDCs.  He said that the preparatory process of the Conference was at the 
final stage.  Thus, the scope for detailed discussi on on the outcome of the Conference was limited.  
The LDCs had been pinning their hopes on a high-va lue outcome, with the primary objective of lifting 
at least half of the members of the LDC Group be yond the graduation threshold in the next decade.  
He expressed concern that the current state of  negotiations did not provide much hope for a 
productive outcome for the LDCs.  He urged the international community to work towards a 
successful Conference which was being held once in a decade.    
59. He recalled that the Brussels Programme of Action for the LDCs for the decade 2001-2010 
had stressed the need for enhancing the role of tr ade in the overall development of LDCs.  Modest 
progress had been made in that direction over the last ten years.  The LDCs' share of global trade had 
increased from a mere 0.4 per cent prior to the Br ussels Conference in 2001 to the present figure of 
around 1 per cent. However, the growth in the sh are of LDCs in world trade had largely been 
propelled by extractive industries with margin al contributions from LDCs' agriculture and 
manufacturing sectors.  He added that market acce ss opportunities were compromised by severe lack 
of diversification in the export products from the LDCs, which had been further aggravated by high 
subsidies and depressed global market prices, particul arly in the case of commodity dependent LDCs.  
There had also been limited progress in trade-rela ted physical infrastructure development in the 
LDCs.  Aid for Trade had not been forthcoming to the desired extent to enhance productivity gains in 
the LDCs.  He acknowledged that the increase in  trade from the LDCs was possible through the 
duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) market access pr ovided by many developed and even some 
developing countries to variable extents.  
60. He reiterated that the priorities and expectations  of LDCs were well known to Members.  He 
wondered as to what concrete deliverables the WT O could showcase to the international community 
at the Istanbul Conference.  He noted that the imminent accession of Vanuatu was a positive 
development.  He underscored the importance of forward-looking deliverables since the Programme 
of Action to be adopted at the LDC-IV Conference w ould remain valid for the next ten years.  He said 
that the negotiations in the WTO could have a b earing on the results of the LDC-IV Conference, 
especially in the area of trade.  The Doha Round of negotiations had specific provisions which could 
allow for early agreement among Members, including delivering on LDC-specific issues.  He requested Members to deliberate on this aspect of  the negotiations in a systematic manner which 
could then facilitate better results at the LDC -IV Conference.  He cautioned that an ambitious 
outcome on trade and development would remain elus ive at the LDC-IV Conference if the ambition WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
Page 12  
 
  for LDCs in the WTO remained low.  In conclusi on, he hoped that the Istanbul Conference would be 
able to give an impetus to accelerate growth and development in the LDCs.   
61. The representative of Nepal, in his capacity as the Coordinator of the LDCs in the UN system, 
expressed appreciation to the Government of Turk ey for hosting the LDC-IV Conference.  The 
Conference was important as it was held only once in a decade.  The negotiations on the outcome 
document of the Conference were proceeding in full  swing in New York.  Informal meetings were 
being held in various configurati ons.  Several rounds of reading of the document had been undertaken.  
The first meeting of the Preparatory Committee (Prep Com) had been held in January 2011, while the 
second Prep Com had ended in April 2011.  He note d that while some issues of importance to the 
LDCs had been agreed upon, challenges remained. 
62. He said that the LDCs had been demonstrati ng flexibility in the negotiations, which had now 
entered a crucial phase.  He urged developm ent partners to recognize the challenges and 
vulnerabilities of the LDCs, including new challenges re lated to climate change and food security.  He 
regretted the fact that no new commitments had been  forthcoming in the negotiations.  He underlined 
the importance of an enhanced level of comm itment to address the multifaceted development 
challenges faced by the LDCs.  He stressed that cr itical issues of importance to the LDCs should not 
be left out from the outcome document.   
63. He concluded by saying that business as usual was not an option for the LDC-IV Conference, 
in particular since the Conference was being held  under the shadow of the global economic crisis.  
Priority areas of action in the outcome document should be backed by clear political direction and 
necessary support measures.  He hoped that the LD C-IV Conference would draw up an action plan 
that would be ambitious, comprehensive, and forward-looking, as well as results-oriented.   
64. The representative of India thanked Turkey for his lucid and precise presentation.  He also 
expressed appreciation to the Government of Turkey for hosting the LDC-IV Conference.  He noted 
that the share of 48 LDCs in global trade remain ed a mere 1 per cent.  Twenty-two out of the 
33 countries that were in a permanent state of f ood insecurity represented the LDCs.  This situation 
was further exacerbated by their rapidly expandi ng urban population and declining agricultural 
productivity.  Nearly a decade after the adoption of  the Brussels Programme of Action for the LDCs 
in 2001, most of LDCs had still struggled to meet  the objectives and targets set out therein.  The 
LDCs were also behind schedule in achieving th e Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  He 
expressed concern that the number of LDCs had almost  doubled from 25 in 1970 to 48 in 2011.  Only 
three LDCs had so far been able to graduate from the LDC status.  As a result, the LDC-IV 
Conference should come up with a comprehensive and effective action plan to ameliorate the 
conditions of the LDCs.  He hoped that the next decade would witness a substantial reduction in the 
numbers of LDCs; that would truly be a testimony to the collaborative efforts of the international 
community in the sustainable development of the LDCs. 
65. He informed Members that India had hosted a pre-Conference event on 18-19 February 2011 
in New Delhi, entitled "Harnessing the positive contribution of South-South Cooperation for 
Development of LDCs", in cooperation with the Un ited Nations Office of the High-Representative for 
the Least-Developed Countries, Landlocked Devel oping Countries and the Small Island Developing 
States (UN-OHRLLS).  The Foreign Ministers of a ll the LDCs, the LDCs' Permanent Representatives 
to the UN in New York, the High Representative for the LDCs and other senior UN officials had been 
invited to the meeting.  Australia, China, Croa tia, the EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, 
Hungary, Italy, Slovenia and the US had particip ated in the meeting as observers.  UNCTAD and 
UNDP had also been present as observers.  The Prime Minister of India had inaugurated the 
Conference, who had reiterated India's commitm ent to the development of the LDCs and had 
underscored the importance of South-South cooperation in  the pursuit of that cause.  In his inaugural 
speech, the Prime Minister had also announ ced India's new initiatives for the LDCs,  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
 Page 13 
 
 
  namely:  (i) additional five scholarships every year for each LDC;  (ii) a special fund of US$5 million 
over the next five years for the follow-up to the LDC-IV Conference;  and (iii) US$500 million credit 
line facility over the next five years to be used specifically for projects and programmes of LDCs.   
66. He said that the first-ever pre-Conference even t to prepare for an LDC Conference, organized 
by India, had provided the participants with an  opportunity to brainstorm on how South-South 
cooperation could contribute to the development of  LDCs.  The Conference had identified initiatives 
and had provided policy recommendati ons on how to harness the resources of the South and leverage 
its contribution to the development of LDCs in the coming years.  He drew the attention of Members 
to the Delhi Declaration, adopted at that Conference , copies of which were made available at the back 
of the meeting room.  He hoped that the outcome of  the Conference would feed as an important input 
into the LDC-IV Conference in May 2011.   
67. He went on to say that India had provided substantial development assistance aimed at 
capacity building, institutional development and in cubating technical expertise to create long-term 
sustainability in the LDCs.  India's private sector  had invested more than US$15 billion in recent 
years in the LDCs; it had extended lines of credit of  over US$4 billion to the LDCs since 2004.  These 
lines of credit had had a significant impact on la rge-scale project implementation and promotion of 
trade and investment in the LDCs.  In addition, duty-free preferential market access had been granted 
to the LDCs.  The e-connectivity project had digita lly connected 43 countries in Africa, most of which 
were the LDCs.  He said that with its expandi ng global economic and commercial footprint, the 
resilience and dynamism of its economy, increa sing outbound investment and low-cost technology 
innovation, India had been in the vanguard of S outh-South cooperation and had forged valuable 
development partnershi ps with many LDCs. 
68. He reiterated the commitment of India to the development of the LDCs.  He called upon 
Members to express their strongest commitment, so lidarity and support for the integration of LDCs 
into the multilateral trading system.  Echoing the re marks made by the Ambassador of Nepal, he said 
that creating an environment for sustaining busin ess in an innovative way was the only option to 
benefit the LDCs in the coming decade.  In conclu sion, he hoped that the accession of Vanuatu would 
set the pace for faster accessions of the remaining acceding LDCs in the WTO.   
69. The representative of the European Union said that the issues that his delegation would 
particularly stress at the LDC-IV Conference in cluded full market access for LDCs' products along 
with improved rules of origin, as well as the importan ce of trade facilitation.  There were other crucial 
issues to be addressed such as good governance, sound  institutions, aid effectiveness, foreign direct 
investment, and other sources of financing and dist ributing benefits from trade equitably within a 
given country.  The Conference in Istanbul was ex pected to adopt a comprehensive programme of 
action for the LDCs, to which the EU had actively contributed throughout the negotiations.  The EU 
was fully committed to a successful outcome of the Conference, as well as to implementing its 
commitments as it had done for the Brussels Progr amme of Action for the LDCs for the Decade 
2001-2010.  The ultimate shared goal of the intern ational community was to see many more LDCs 
graduate in the next decade than had so far occurred. 
70. The representative of El Salvador congratulate d the Chairman on his election.  She thanked 
the representative of Turkey for his presentation on  the upcoming LDC-IV Conference, and requested 
him to provide her delegation with a copy of that presentation.  Her Government had taken an interest 
in the Conference, and would take part in the Is tanbul Conference.  She took note of the progress 
made in the negotiations on the outcome document of the Conference.  She hoped that the LDC-IV 
Conference would have a successful outcome. 
71. The representative of the International Trade Ce ntre informed Members that the ITC, in 
cooperation with the Government of Turkey, w ould organize a forum on tourism in Istanbul on WT/COMTD/LDC/M/59 
Page 14  
 
  10 May 2011.  He drew Members' attention to the fact that tourism had been identified as a priority 
sector in almost all Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTISs) prepared under the EIF process.  He 
extended an invitation to Members to partic ipate in the event on tourism in Istanbul. 
72. The Chairman thanked the representative of Turkey for his report, as well as other Members 
for their interventions.  He encouraged Members to contribute to the successful conclusion of the 
LDC-IV Conference.  He suggested that the Sub- Committee take note of the report made by Turkey 
as well as statements made.   
73. It was so agreed. 
E. OTHER BUSINESS  
74. The Chairman said that the next meeting of the Sub-Committee was tentatively scheduled for 
early July 2011.  The exact date would be communicated in due course. 
75. In the absence of any other business, the meeting was adjourned. 
 
 
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