WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/COMTD/W/133 
3 September 2004  
 
 (04-3666) 
Committee on Trade and Development  
   
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PLAN 
2005 
 
 
 
Table of contents
 
Paragraphs 
 
I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................1- 7 
II. KEY FEATURES OF THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING 
PLAN 2005...................................................................................................................... ......8-14  
III. THE PRODUCTS ............................................................................................................15-117 
A. GENERAL WTO-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND 
TRAINING ............................................................................................................19-48 
B. SPECIALIZED AND ADVANCED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL 
ASSISTANCE........................................................................................................49-80 
C. ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR TRAINING AND CAPACITY 
BUILDING:  AN INTEGRATED APPROACH ................................................81-93 
D. SUPPORT TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
FACILITIES........................................................................................................94-114 
E. INPUTS INTO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND 
WORKSHOPS...................................................................................................115-117 
IV. PROCESSES AND PROGRAMMES..........................................................................118-128 
V. PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTSOURCING..................................................................129-138  
VI. MONITORING AND EV ALUATION ........................................................................139-147  
VII. FUNDING.......................................................................................................................1 48-149  
 
ANNEX 1: THE PRODUCT MATRIX:  TABLE OF CONTENTS 
ANNEX 2: THE PRODUCT MATRIX:  LIST OF ACTIVITIES 
 WT/COMTD/W/133 
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I. INTRODUCTION 
1. The Technical Assistance and Training Plan fo r the year 2005 (the Plan) builds on experience 
gained and lessons learned with the implementation of the TA Plan 2004.  It takes account of the 
outcome of the formal and informal consultati ons that have been conducted with donors and 
beneficiaries since the beginning of this year, as well as the recommendations and preliminary 
conclusions of the mid-term review process, the results of which are presented to the Committee on 
Trade and Development (CTD) (WT/COMTD/W/134).  The TA Plan 2005 thus consolidates the 
approach adopted for the delivery of Technical Assistance and Training and refines some of the 
products and concepts.  
2. The Plan is designed to enable the WTO Secretar iat to pursue in a coherent and cost effective 
fashion key objectives mandated by Members.  Th ese are to enhance institutional and human capacity 
in beneficiary countries to address trade policy issues and concerns, 'mainstreaming' trade into 
national development and poverty reduction policies and facilitati ng a fuller participation of 
beneficiaries in the Multilateral Trading System (MTS ) and effective participation in the negotiations.  
It reflects the principles and priorities laid down in the Ministerial Declaration adopted at the fourth 
Ministerial Meeting in Qatar in November 2001, the Doha Development Ag enda (DDA), and takes 
into account the Decision adopted by the General Council on 1 August 2004 (the 'July Framework 
Agreement').  Emphasis is put on fully integrati ng training and technical cooperation and maximizing 
potential synergies between the two, which was one of the main purposes of establishing the Institute 
for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC), and which now is fully operational.   
3. The DDA recognizes that technical assistance and capacity building are core elements of the 
development dimension of the MTS.  A well planne d, targeted and coordinated delivery of such 
activities will not only assist resource constrained Members to adjust to WTO rules and disciplines, 
implement obligations and exercise the rights of me mbership, but will also support domestic efforts to 
mainstream trade into national plans for economic development and strategies for poverty reduction.  
Thus, consistent with the Doha Ministerial Decl aration, the development dimension will be fully 
reflected both generically and in specific modules of the Plan. 
4. The Plan features a range of products which can be used in the delivery of technical 
assistance and training as well as some programmes.  All the products, whether in Geneva or in the field, are geared towards achieving the same ge neral objective.  The products can be applied 
individually or in combination.  Moreover, the Pl an is designed in such a way that all eligible 
Members and Observers can systematically benefit.   In light of their pressing trade development 
needs, priority will be given to Least-Developed Co untries (LDCs).  This priority will be articulated 
through specially designed events and, for benefici aries of the Integrated Framework (IF), activities 
will be linked to their processes of mainstreaming tr ade into their national development plans.  The 
main challenge for the WTO is to assist LDCs to integrate into the MTS and to benefit from 
progressive trade liberalization in world trade.  Anothe r challenge is to assist LDCs to participate fully 
in the negotiating process of the DDA.  In the light  of the Secretariat's experience, one way of 
addressing these challenges is to identify and put in place appropriate cost-effective mechanisms that 
the Secretariat can deploy to encourage LDCs to take advantage of the full range of technical assistance and training programmes, including national seminars. 
5. The ITTC, as well as the Technical Assistance Management Committee (TAMC), play a 
central role in coordinating the implementation of the activities contained in the Plan.  The 
implementation of the Plan will involve virtuall y all WTO Divisions, as well as partner institutions, 
regional development banks and other agencies.  More over, the process of informal consultations that 
was initiated since the beginning of the year 200 4, involving donors and beneficiaries alike, has 
proven to be a valuable mechanism for frank a nd open discussions and exchanging views between 
stakeholders, in a constructive spirit, on issues of  common concern in the field of Trade-Related 
Technical Assistance (TRTA).  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 3 
 
 
6. The Plan is structured as follows:  Chapter II discusses the key features of technical assistance 
and training for the year 2005, followed by a presen tation in Chapter III of the products and the 
objectives they are meant to achieve.  Chapter IV provides insights into some specific programmes 
and processes relating to the delivery of TRTA.  Ch apter V provides information on partnerships and 
outsourcing.  Chapter VI addresses monitoring and evaluation, and Chapter VII covers the issue of 
funding. 
7. The Annexes provide practical information with re gard to all technical assistance and training 
activities and provide more detail on the activities and the resource implications of the activities, which are accounted for in terms of output (par ticipant/days).  This methodology was introduced in 
the TA Plan 2004 and permits a more realistic m onitoring of implementation.  The Annexes follow 
the same order as the text of the Plan. 
II. KEY FEATURES OF THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PLAN 2005 
8. The key features of the Plan are: 
• quality-oriented:  while it is important to ensure that Members are offered an 
appropriate number of activities, it is even more important to ensure high quality;   
• product-oriented:  the Plan is centred ar ound the delivery of products.  For each of 
these there are well defined specific objectiv es.  These products include trade policy 
courses of varying duration, which can be he ld in Geneva or in the field, regional 
seminars, workshops, national activities,  including trade policy clinics etc.; 
• process and programme oriented:  besides th e products, the Plan contains several 
processes and programmes geared towards fac ilitating the integration of beneficiaries 
into the multilateral trading system (IF, Joint Integrated Technical Assistance 
Programme (JITAP)); 
• development-oriented:  in keeping with th e thrust of the DDA, special emphasis is 
given to the developmental dimension in all aspects of the Plan; 
• impact and results-oriented:  the Plan la ys emphasis on activities that have been 
proven to build, or to be likely to build , sustainable human and institutional capacity.  
The Plan is intended to "leave a trace"; 
• geographically balanced:  there is a consid erable reliance on regional activities so as 
to ensure an equitable coverage of beneficiaries; 
• broad and deep in coverage:  to ensure  that all the WTO Agreements and the 
negotiating issues of the DDA are addressed, with the appropriate degree of detail;  
• simple and flexible:  the Plan is simple, tr ansparent and flexible.  It plans what is 
plannable (core activities, whether in Gene va or for regions) and leaves room to 
address priority needs and to accommodate specific requests from beneficiaries;  it 
will particularly take into account the needs of LDCs, small and vulnerable 
economies, as well as of non-residents;  and, 
• designed to build and strengthen stra tegic partnerships and coherence: 
o with the beneficiaries, i.e. in-country cooperation and capacity building, 
designed to create conditions which w ill allow transfer of ownership and 
responsibility for training progressively to the beneficiary over time, and 
through a participatory approach, iden tify needs and establish priorities for 
technical assistance and training; WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 4  
 
o with the donor community, to achieve greater coherence among providers of 
technical assistance and training, avoid overlap and duplication in activities and enhance efficiency; 
o with regional training institutes, bodies and other internati onal organizations, 
to share responsibility and take full  advantage of complementarities and 
available expertise;  and, 
o with academia, to sensitize the academ ic community to local needs and 
requirements and build their capacity in teaching and  research. 
9. This Plan builds on previous years' experience, with a view to making it even more effective 
as the blueprint for the delivery of training and technical assistance.  In this regard some key 
recommendations and lessons learned emerging from th e monitoring and evaluation reports have been 
particularly relevant in the design of the Plan.  The priority areas of monitoring and evaluation as well 
as the methodology of feeding back the lessons lear ned are discussed in Chapter VI.  The Plan has 
been conceived with due regard to the recomme ndations made in the Technical Cooperation Audit 
(TCA) Reports for 2002 and 2003
1, which may contribute to a better planning and delivery of TA.  
The Plan attaches more attention to increasing the short duration of many TA activities, and thereby 
improving the potential to offer in-d epth knowledge and skills in specific areas.  Furthermore, in order 
to enhance real skill development and capacity bu ilding, the attendance at training workshops, courses 
and seminars will generally be limited to a maximum of  30 participants.  If larger numbers of officials 
attend seminars, the objectives are more geared towards dissemination of information, sensitization or awareness creation, than capacity building.  The TC A Reports also suggest that capacity building be 
organized in such a way that a series of short tr aining activities oriented towards the same target 
groups be developed as building blocks, and designed  as a systematic and coherent capacity building 
programme.  In this regard the suggested system atic needs assessment of the Members and the 
continuous dialogue with the Secretariat in meeti ng those needs will result in  a more target-oriented 
selection from the products of the Plan.  This appr oach, coupled with an improved selection of the 
participants, will lead to more relevant TA and lasting results. 
10. Various sources of information which have assisted in designing the Plan in the past continue 
to be of importance:  the Secretariat interacts with Members in various ways, e.g. through direct contacts with Geneva-based delegations, with vi siting officials, including high level officials 
attending the Geneva Week, during missions, in the course of regional and national 
seminars/workshops, during the trade policy courses, he ld either in Geneva or in the field.  The 
Secretariat regularly interacts with regional groupi ngs to discuss TRTA relevant to countries in the 
region.  Trade policy clinics, at least as initially de vised, are essentially diagnostic in nature, i.e. they 
aim to determine trade policy-related needs in speci fic circumstances (Chapter III. D. (b)).  Moreover, 
as part of the process of implementation of th e Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the 
WTO and United Nations International Developmen t Organization (UNIDO), a preliminary 'needs 
assessment' is held through roundt able meetings held with benefi ciary countries, which provide the 
basis for the projects to be undertaken subsequently. 
11. In the course of committee meetings and consu ltations, which are regularly held by the ITTC 
with operational divisions and donor s and potential beneficiary countries or groups of countries, the 
Secretariat has an opportunity to shape the progr amme of activities.  The Committees, through the 
Secretary, are invited to submit their proposals for ac tivities in specific areas to the ITTC in a timely 
fashion, so as to allow for their inclusion into the Plan.  The analyses contained in Trade Policy 
Review (TPR) reports are also helpful in assistin g the Members and Secretariat to identify suitable 
issues for TA.  Cooperation between the ITTC and Trade Policy Review Division (TPRD) is pursued 
with a view to strengthening the process of needs iden tification.  It should also be noted that certain 
institutional mechanisms, such as th e IF, which includes a phase of diagnostic study of country needs, 
                                                     
 
1 WT7COMTD/W/111 - 28 March 2003 and WT/COMTD/W/125 - 22 March 2004  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 5 
 
 
continue to be valuable tools in defining TA pr ogrammes.  Finally, through the back-to-office reports, 
a better appreciation can be obtained as to the requ irements for follow-up activities.  Operational 
divisions have a particular role to play because of their in-depth knowledge of each country's situation 
with respect to each Agreement.  More generally, if  "demand" (which is not always coterminous with 
"need") is to be accurately assessed and usefully channelled, canvassing of requirements, as defined 
by Members, is particularly important. 
12. Assessing needs is generally recognized as an essential element in designing a Technical 
Assistance and Training Plan.  This has clearly been underlined by Members, who have emphasized 
the necessity for beneficiaries to identify and pr ioritize their requests for assistance, based on a 
process of needs identification.  The Secretariat ha s prepared informal discussion papers on the issue 
of needs identification, including suggestions for a process of conducting needs assessments in a more 
systematic way.  In close cooperation with bene ficiaries, the Secretariat has undertaken needs 
assessment studies on a pilot basi s for several countries. Following discussions of these studies, 
guidelines for needs assessment (JOB(04)/113) were developed, which can assist beneficiaries in 
undertaking their own needs assessment. Finally, ways are considered to assist countries in 
conducting their own needs assessment in a systematic  and more fundamental way, including through 
the TPR process and with the assistance of some regional Secretariats.  
13. One of the main challenges in the delivery of TA is to ensure that the participants' and 
Secretariat's expectations match. It has been pr oven that the outcome of an activity with an 
homogeneous group of participants in  terms of knowledge is signifi cantly higher than a group with 
varying levels of knowledge. While this applies to  some extent to general trade policy courses, for 
which a selection process is already established a nd conducted routinely, this applies more 
specifically when the level of required expertise increases, such as in sp ecialized workshops and 
training courses. In order to ensure that the right match is achieved prior to the activity, there are 
responsibilities on the side of the Secretariat as well as on the side of the beneficiary. The Secretariat 
has to ensure that the letter of invitation for an  activity clearly states the objectives and expected 
outcome of the activity, as well as the required qualif ications of the participants. The beneficiaries 
need to ensure that the right candidates are propo sed for the activity, which fully correspond to the 
indicated profile. Thus, in order to match expecta tions, a selection process is often conducted, prior to 
the start of the activity, not only for the Geneva-b ased training courses, but equally for field-based 
workshops and specialized, topic re lated seminars and training courses, and more particularly for 
advanced and higher levels of training. Such selection process will naturally differ per activity, as 
discussed further.  
14. Such selection can include, as is already done by some Divisions, sending out questionnaires 
or other forms for assessment of the candidates, which would provide some indication and assurance 
to the organizers of the activity that the required expe rtise is available. This can be done electronically 
or in writing, and can also include direct inter action with the candidates over the telephone. Such a 
process is particularly important when the activity is geared towards experts in a specific field and 
when higher levels of learning are the objective.  This can apply to advanced courses as for  
anti-dumping practitioners, dispute settlement, services,  market access etc., where the main purpose is 
to build on higher levels of training, thus movi ng away from the basic training.  Moreover, these 
specialized courses are increasingly conducted on an interactive basis, with participants conducting 
simulations, group work, sharing of experiences etc,  which can only be performed successfully if 
overall levels of participants are comparable. In th e same vein, participants attending more advanced 
and/or specialized activities are increasingly required to have a solid base knowledge, so that they are 
at par prior to the course. In order to synchronize levels of knowledge, the Secretariat often prepares 
lists of readings, which can be sent to the particip ants directly, or can be accessed electronically, e.g. 
on a dedicated WTO website. When necessary, the S ecretariat should be in a position to inform the 
participant and/or the relevant authorities if it feel s that the official does not correspond to the profile 
set out in the letter of invitation. WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 6  
 
III. THE PRODUCTS 
15. The products are designed to ensure a "doable" number of high quality activities, with 
expected durable effects.  Each product comes w ith clearly identified objectives.  In this way 
outcomes become measurable, making evaluation more meaningful.  The key features discussed 
above are reflected in the design of the products and related technical assistance and training 
activities, and in their implementation.  In defini ng the products, the approach that was adopted 
reflects the situation that each product targets a diff erent need and is based on different levels of 
knowledge of the participants.  Experience show s that the success of an activity is not only 
determined by the quality of the inputs provided by the lecturers, but to a very high degree by the attendance of the right participants in the activity.  This has clearly come out from the back to office 
reports as well as from the monitoring and evaluation process, hence the application of a selection 
mechanism for several products.  Given the different  nature of the technical assistance and training 
activities proposed and the objectives for each produc t, it is important that, prior to enrolling a 
participant on a specific course, the needs of the participants a nd the expected benefits for the 
beneficiary country are carefully assessed.  
16. The products can be grouped broadly in five main categories: 
 A. General WTO-related Technical Assistance and Training;  
 B. Specialized and Advanced Technical Assistance and Training;  C. Academic Support for Training and Capacity Building:   
an Integrated Approach; 
 D. Support Technical Assistance a nd Training Facilities;  and, 
 E. Inputs into Internationa l Conferences and Workshops. 
17. In addition to these products, there are two ma in programmes, the JITAP and the IF for  
trade-related assistance to LDCs (IF), which are pr ocesses or mechanisms for the delivery of technical 
assistance, rather than products per se , and will be discussed in Chapter IV. 
18. The main characteristics of these  products are presented in the document, followed by a more 
detailed listing of corresponding activities in the Anne xes.  A distinction is  made between products 
that are geared towards basic learning, requiring relatively lower levels of base knowledge of the 
WTO multilateral trading system, and products that  require increasingly specific and/or advanced 
knowledge and training.  One of the main challenges w ill always be to ensure that the right activity is 
selected in relation to the objectives pursued. 
A. GENERAL WTO-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING 
19. This first category covers activities geared towa rds government officials with a broad overall 
WTO responsibility and a general knowledge of the mu ltilateral trading system and who are therefore 
neither specialists, nor technicians.  This al so includes officials who have recently assumed 
responsibilities with regard to the WTO and have not had much exposur e to the theory and practice of 
WTO rules and regulations and for whom this is an opportunity to exchange information and share 
experiences.  The main purpose is to initiate offici als to the rules of the WTO and/or to raise the 
general level of knowledge.  This category mainly includes activities geared towards basic training.  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 7 
 
 
(a) Trade Policy Courses 
 
20.  Trade Policy Courses are held in Geneva and in the regions.  They last 12 weeks and consist 
of a series of presentations on the WTO, including a historical background, the rules and procedures, and its functioning.  All Agreements and issues on the WTO agenda are covered.  The purpose is not 
to form specialists in each area of activity of the WTO but rather to ensure that participants are 
thoroughly exposed to all WTO-related issues, and develop practical skills as well as an extensive 
network of contacts.  This kind of overall expos ure is critically important in countries where the 
human resources devoted to the MTS are insufficient to permit a high degree of specialisation.  They 
also serve as a general introduction for those w ho may become specialists at a later stage. 
21. A selection process for participants is conducted,  levels of knowledge are tested and at the 
end of the course an evaluation made to assess the impact of the course on each participant.  This information is fed back into the process of desi gning and constantly improving the quality of the 
course per se .  A committee is constituted to conduct the process of selection, which includes such 
elements as the eligibility of candidates, their qualifica tions, geographical balance, etc.  Also, levels of 
knowledge before and after the courses are assessed in  a systematic manner, using different methods, 
including self-assessment tests, exercises, etc. 
(i) Geneva-based Trade Policy Courses (TPCs) 
22. Four TPCs are organized annually at Headquart ers.  They comprise a series of modules 
covering all the areas of work of the WTO.  Th ey also include visits to other international 
organizations active in trade-related matters as well as attendance at selected meetings of WTO 
bodies.  Regular briefings on WTO work-in-progress are an integral part of the TPCs.  Computer 
classes are offered on an optional basis and cont acts with WTO experts and experts from other 
international organizations are also a common feature. 
23. In terms of objectives, it is expected that, at the end of the Geneva-based TPCs, the 
participants will have:   
• developed a good understanding of all aspects of the WTO, including the 
Agreements; 
• learned to use effectively the relevant  information and documentation on specific 
issues; 
• improved analytical and negotiating skills; 
• strengthened capacity to work in an international environment;  and, 
• established and/or strengthened a networ k of contacts with each other and the 
trainers/experts. 
24. The TPCs are organized by the ITTC, and call on experts from various operational divisions 
and the specialized support of outside consultants.   Guest speakers from other organizations, in 
particular from International Trade Centre  (ITC), United Nations Conference on Trade and 
Development (UNCTAD), World In tellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Bank are 
regularly invited. 
25. Government officials from developing count ries and LDCs, economies in transition and 
acceding countries are eligible to participate in the TPCs.  Between 25 and 30 participants are selected 
for each course.  These officials usually, but not necessarily, are from the Ministry of Trade.  The 
selection process seeks to ensure an  equitable distribution among eligible countries over a cycle of six WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 8  
 
courses:  four in English, one in French and one in Spanish
2.  In 2005, the following courses will be 
held in Geneva: 
• the 31st and 32nd TPCs for English-speaking officials to be held simultaneously in 
Spring;  
• the 33rd TPC for French-speaking officials to be held in Summer;  and, 
• the 34th TPC for English-speaking officials to be held in Autumn. 
26. The training methods used put emphasis on in teractive learning, simulations, practical 
exercises, case studies, round tables and debates.  Standardized training material, including 
background material, visual supports, exercises, simulation and reference documents, is being 
consolidated. 
27. The costs incurred for the organization of Gene va-based TPCs, including fellowships for the 
participants covering travel, lodging and insura nce, are financed through the regular budget. 
(ii) Regional Trade Policy Courses (RTPCs) 
28. RTPCs are built on the same model as Geneva-bas ed TPCs and are delivered in partnership 
with an institution of higher learning in different regions of the world.  Government officials from 
each specific region participate in the training and the courses adapt to regional specificities in terms 
of number of participants from each country.  The courses are co-delivered by officials from the WTO 
Secretariat and academics and trade policy specialists from the region.  There is a natural 
complementarity between the WTO expertise and re gional expertise which renders this type of 
training comprehensive and adapted to local needs.  WTO lecturers provide authoritative explanations 
of WTO provisions and the workings of the institutio n, and specialists from the region deliver lectures 
and discussions with a strong emphasis on regional c oncerns.  This dual-delivery approach provides 
the training with a regional relevance and context that is unique to RTPCs.  
29. While the key objectives of RTPCs are the same as for the Geneva-based courses, and 
provide similar training opportunities, the RTPCs are also expected to: 
• build institutional partnerships at the regi onal level for capacity building activities; 
• establish joint lecturing arrangements at the regional level with academics and 
specialists for training government officials;  and, 
• create academic networks among institutions of higher learning. 
30. In conjunction with each RTPC, a preparatory th ree-day workshop is held for academics and 
trade specialists who co-deliver the course.  The workshop provides a detailed briefing on the 
objectives of the RTPC project, bilateral meetings  with WTO trainers, updating on the status of 
ongoing work in the WTO and exchanges on research activ ities.  The workshop is an integral part of 
the RTPC project as it helps to bui ld the institutional partnership, contextualizes the joint lecturing 
arrangements and facilitates the building of an academic network. 
31. The institutional partnerships by definition can onl y be forged with a single institution within 
a region at any one time, but the co-lecturers are drawn from institutions of higher learning and other 
                                                      
2 The next cycle of six Geneva-based TPCs will include the 30th TPC in Spanish (anticipated and 
already held in 2004), the 31st TPC in English – last course of the current cycle (to be held in January 2005 in 
parallel with the 32nd TPC in English), the 33rd TPC in French (to be held in Spring 2005), the 34th TPC in 
English (to be held in Autumn 2005), and the 35th and 36th TPC in English (to be held in parallel in January 
2006).  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 9 
 
 
sources from throughout the region.  Thus, linkages are established and/or reinforced with the 
academic community as part of an integrated approach for sustainable capacity building. 
32. It is envisaged to organize five of these courses in 2005:   
• for the Caribbean;  
• for English-speaking Africa; 
• for French-speaking Africa; 
• for Asia and the Pacific;  and 
• for Latin America. 
33. It is in our plans to hold, progressively, RTPCs in regions not yet covered, such as Arab and 
Middle East Countries, Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus. 
(iii) Follow-up to RTPCs 
34. The partnership between the regional institution and the ITTC should evolve over time, with 
the RTPC being considered as Phase 1 of the proj ect.  The increased capacity and expertise of the 
regional partner and the academic network, resultin g from a series of RTPCs,  would be harnessed to 
move on to Phase 2, in which the regional partner would assume a growing share of the responsibility 
for delivering follow-on WTO training courses in the region.  The Secretariat would reduce its involvement and continue with the partnership on this basis.  The le vel of involvement would have to 
be sufficient to ensure quality control and to a llow the WTO to continue to lend its name to the 
courses, while leaving most aspects of organizing and implementing them to the partner. 
35. The timeframe for progress from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of the project will depend on 
circumstances, the aim being to ensure sustainab ility.  Measurable progress should be made, however, 
as the courses proceed. 
36. Follow-on actions could include Universiti es establishing academic programmes on WTO 
matters (e.g. a multidisciplinary Masters programme or  a module in an Undergra duate or Postgraduate 
Degree).  The WTO Secretariat can provide sugges tions and relevant materials, if requested. 
37. Other follow-on activities could include: 
• regional specialized courses on specific issu es for former participants of RTPCs, 
taught by academics from the region; 
• inputs into vocational training; 
• eTraining activities of the kind that the WT O Secretariat is developing on a trial 
basis;  and, 
• curriculum development. 
38. The organization of these Phase 2 activities will be closely related to the efforts of the WTO 
Secretariat to reinforce its linkages with the academic community in developing countries. 
39. The costs incurred for the organization of RTPC s, including fellowships for the participants 
covering travel, lodging and insurance, and for Phase 2 activities are covered by the DDAGTF. WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 10  
 
(b) Introduction Courses 
40. The main purpose of Geneva-based Introductio n Courses is the dissemination of general 
information about the WTO, its basic rules and di sciplines and its functioning.  The courses usually 
last three weeks, and are held at Headquarters.  Briefings on overall WTO work progress are an integral part of the courses.  The development dimension constitutes an important module in the 
programme of introduction courses.  The courses are often conducted with the participation of 
representatives of ITC, UNCTAD, WIPO and the World Bank. 
41. In terms of objectives to be reached, it is e xpected that at the end of the courses the 
participants will have:   
• developed a general understanding of the historical development of the MTS; 
• acquired general knowledge about the basi c principles of the WTO and the legal 
structure of the Marrakech Agreem ent and more recent developments; 
• learned to access relevant information and documentation on WTO-related issues, 
and to use the WTO legal texts and related background material; 
• acquired analytical and practical tools to pl ace a particular trade-related issue in the 
proper WTO context;  and, 
• established and/or strengthened a network of useful contacts between participants and 
with WTO experts from the Secretariat. 
42. The Introduction Courses are organized by the I TTC in cooperation with experts from various 
divisions.  Guest speakers from other organizations ac tive in the specific area of work concerned may 
also be invited to co-train. 
43. Normally, only government officials from LDCs  are eligible to participate in the two 
introduction courses organized annually.  However, in  certain cases, government officials from other 
developing countries are also invited to participate. 
44. The training methods used put emphasis on inte ractive learning, practical exercises and case 
studies.  Exercises are used to transfer skills to participants. 
45. The courses for 2005 are: 
• 7
th Introduction Course for French-speaking officials from LDCs to be held in 
Summer;  and, 
• 8th Introduction Course for English-speaking officials from LDCs to be held in 
Autumn. 
46. The costs incurred by the organization of In troduction Courses are covered by the regular 
budget. 
(c) Regional and Sub-regional Short Trade Policy Courses (STPCs) 
47. Increasingly, STPCs (which mostly last between one and two weeks) are proposed as part of 
the partnership arrangements3 with other organizations and institutions, as well as with regional 
Secretariats, and hence are held in the field.  Th ese courses offer basic training at the field level and 
share information, with a regional and/or sub-re gional dimension.  The advantages of cooperation 
                                                      
3 See chapter V for a more detailed discussion on the partnerships.  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 11 
 
 
with partner agencies in these courses are numerous, as not only the partner agencies often take charge of (part of) the logistical and administ rative burden of organizing such events, as well as a 
share of the costs, but also it enhances the quality  of the courses, with more emphasis on the regional 
dimension than what the WTO could ensure.  Such STPCs are held in nearly all regions. Some of the 
partners have the disposal of regional training centr es, thus offering local facilities where the activities 
can be conducted.  Increasingly, such cooperation becomes institutionalized.  For joint cooperation 
with partners to be effective and in order to enhance ownership of these programmes, experience has 
shown that sharing in the costs of the activit y as well as in the logistical and administrative 
preparations is a sine qua non .  Without such practical cooperation the organization of these courses 
cannot be assured. 
48. Any part of the costs of such courses accr uing to WTO will be covered by trust funds. 
B. SPECIALIZED AND ADVANCED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
49. This category of products includes activities that address specific topics and issues and are 
geared towards the initiated and specialists/techni cians.  They include national and/or regional 
seminars and workshops, as well as specialized courses, and can be held in Geneva or in the field.  
Given their specific nature, these activities are ex clusively geared towards the specialists and a 
selection process may be conducted.  The criteria for participation will be clearly indicated in the 
letter of invitation.  This category also includes ot her products which are specific in nature, including 
trade policy clinics, technical missions, workshops .  This category includ es tailor-made programmes 
for experts and visiting delegati ons in Geneva, as well as advice provided by the Secretariat in 
specific fields.  
(a) Geneva-based Specialized Courses 
50. Geneva-based Specialized Courses focus on one or a group of WTO-related topics, and 
usually last one or two weeks.  Briefing on WTO work progress in the topics concerned is an integral part of the specialized courses.  The training me thods used put emphasis on interactive learning, 
practical exercises, case studies and debates.  Simulati on exercises are often used to transfer skills to 
participants.  
51. In terms of objectives, it is expected that at th e end of the courses the participants will have:   
• acquired a more in-depth understanding of  the specific issues concerned;  and, 
• improved practical skills to enhance thei r country's participation in the WTO, 
including in the context of current negotiations. 
52. The specialized courses are organized by the I TTC in cooperation with experts from various 
operational divisions and sometimes with the ad ho c support of outside consultants or professors.  
Guest speakers from other organizations active in th e specific area of work concerned may also be 
invited to co-train.  
53. Government officials from developing count ries and LDCs, economies in transition and 
acceding countries are eligible to participate in th e specialized courses.  Government officials from 
developed countries can be invite d to some courses, e.g. specialized courses on Dispute Settlement 
Rules and Procedures, which are organized pursuant to Article 27.3 of the DSU. 
54. The following specialized courses are scheduled for the year 2005 :   
• 11
th (Specialized) Dispute Settlement Cour se (for English-speaking officials); 
• 12th (Specialized) Dispute Settlement Cour se (for English-speaking officials); WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 12  
 
• 13
th (Specialized) Dispute Settlement Cour se (for French-speaking officials); 
• 1st Specialized Course on Sanitary and Phyt o-Sanitary (SPS) (for Spanish-speaking 
officials);  and, 
• 4th Specialized Course on Trade Negotiations:  from Theory to Practice (for  
Spanish-speaking officials). 
55. The costs incurred by the organization of specia lized courses held in Geneva differ depending 
on the activity.  For the (specialized) Dispute Se ttlement Courses, the participation of a limited 
number of Developing countries, including LDCs, is  financed through the regular budget, while the 
other participants are self-financed.  For the othe r Specialized Courses, the costs are covered through 
the regular budget. 
(b) National Technical Assistance Activities 
56. The national activities focus on specific issues at the national level that, in terms of priority 
needs and depth of treatment, cannot be adequately c overed in the regional seminars and in the TPCs.  
Occasionally, national seminars are of a broad and general nature.  National seminars and technical 
workshops are conducted as a complement to the TP Cs and regional seminars .  The national demand 
would thus mainly be a function of what cannot be  dealt with efficiently in the other training and 
assistance provided including th rough regional seminars and ipso facto , cannot always be anticipated.4 
57. Requests for national activities can be made at any time, as flexibility in matching available 
resources in specialized WTO Divisions with na tional demands is required.  Members will be 
reminded of this approach in writing, and the st eps to be taken for obtaining national technical 
assistance activities will be explained, as contained in  this document.  Requests for national technical 
assistance and training activities can be made to the S ecretariat, either directly (in writing) or through 
the respective WTO Bodies.  Such national activities will therefore not specifically be listed in the 
Plan, but will be registered in a database and ma naged by the ITTC.  Their execution by the WTO will 
depend on a number of consider ations and criteria, including: 
• the specificity of the request and the prio rity/relevance of the issue in terms of 
domestic policy making and/or multilateral trade negotiations; 
• whether the request could be or has been addressed in a regional seminar, previous 
national training course or under a jo int programme (e.g. JITAP, IF); 
• the Secretariat capacity to undertake the activity;  and, 
• scope for meeting the request through a partner agency and/or donor (e.g. 
outsourcing). 
58. It is the responsibility of the beneficiary country  making a request to ensure that this request 
reflects a national priority.  This is particular ly important, as individual departments sometimes 
approach the Secretariat directly for assistance.  Therefore, Members are urged to address their 
requests for national activities to the Secretariat th rough the established official channels.  Also, a 
geographical balance needs to be maintained.  This  implies that the Secretariat will ensure that 
national activities will be conducted in all regions and in equal proportion, of course mainly 
depending on demand.  Given the limitations in WTO resources, the number of demands that can be 
met in respect of a beneficiary country will be limited,  but by this approach the Secretariat will be in a 
                                                      
4 For acceding countries, the provisi on of national technical assistance is particularly essential.  
Acceding countries' technical assistance needs are specific by nature and vary  with the stages of the accession 
process.  The type of assistance th at can be provided to acceding countri es by the WTO is broad and ranges 
from awareness activities (seminars, workshops) and th e preparation of documentation to technical advice on 
legislation and enforcement mechanisms.  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 13 
 
 
better position to adapt the technical assistance to Me mbers' demands as they are identified.  This can 
only lead to more focused and relevant assistance.  The Secretariat is prepared to undertake the same 
number of national activities that were conducted in  recent years, i.e. around 250, and relevant 
budgetary provisions have been made to that effect.  Given the number of potential beneficiaries, this 
would amount to an anticipated average of about two national activities per country.  This figure is 
indicative and should ensure that a disproportionate  allocation of national seminars to the same 
beneficiary would not occur.  The 'first-come firs t-served approach' will not be applicable.  LDCs 
would a priori be able to have up to three national ac tivities, based on their specific requests. 
59. The allocation of national seminars is mainly  a function of the demand and all requests will 
be given serious and equal consider ation.  Regional coordinators in the ITTC will be pro-active, and 
in dialogue with the beneficiary, the relevant WTO Divisions and possibly donors and other agencies, 
will consider how the request can best be met.  Me mbers are thus encouraged to contact the ITTC and 
particularly the regional coordinators, who will guide  them further in the process regarding their TA 
requests.  Should the Secretariat not be in a pos ition to execute the activity within a reasonable 
timeframe, e.g. because of capacity constraints, it w ould consider and suggest possible alternatives in 
consultation with the beneficiary country.  For exampl e, the request may be redirected to one of the 
agencies/institutions with which the WTO has cooperative arrangements.  The Organisation for 
Economic Cooperation and Devel opment (OECD)/WTO Trade Capacity Building Database may 
provide guidance in that regard.  In any case, prio rity will be given to the most urgent requests, 
particularly from LDCs and fro m small and vulnerable economies. 
60. National activities for LDCs would be over and above technical assistance and training 
activities inscribed in joint programmes, including JITAP and IF, to the extent that they do not 
overlap.  Also, such activities would be in addition to  'trade clinics' that may be held and for which 
terms and criteria have been defined separately (see next section), as well as TPRs.  It should also be 
noted that there continue to be a number of LD Cs who do not utilize their right to request national 
seminars.  The reasons for this can vary, e.g. lack  of awareness, lack of capacity to identify and 
prioritize needs or a shortage in capacity to host a national event.  The Secretariat will pursue its 
continued efforts to associate all LDCs with all aspects of the Plan, as reflected in the Mid-term 
review. 
61. National activities will be financed from the regular budget and from trust funds. 
(c) Regional Seminars 
62. As a result of the regional seminars and workshops, the beneficiaries:   
• will be equipped with practical knowle dge and improved understanding of the 
agreements and issues of negotiation, and ad equate skills to solve specific problems, 
as needed; 
• will have shared information and experiences;  and, 
• placed and analysed the various issues in a regional context. 
63. The main advantage of regional technical assist ance and training seminars and workshops is 
that they allow WTO to reach a more homogeneous a udience interested in the same subject matter;  
they are considered cost effective, it being clear that it would be impossible to address every issue in 
every country on a national basis.  It also facilitat es exchange of information, sharing of experiences 
and networking among participants.  Regional semin ars increasingly move away from providing basic 
explanations to more adva nced levels of training. WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 14  
 
64. While this regional approach may be suitable for many WTO-related topics, it has become 
apparent that this approach may be less appropria te for some areas, which rather require a more 
focused national approach (cf. paragraph 56). 
65. These seminars will be conducted in  some or all regions and groups  of countries, in the most 
practical and homogeneous way:  
• Africa, (English); 
• Africa, (French); 
• Arab and Middle East countries; 
• Asia and the Pacific; 
• the Caribbean; 
• Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus;  and, 
• Latin America. 
66. Some subjects will not be covered in all regions during 2005, the main reason being that some 
Divisions responsible for a given area consider th at the subject has been adequately addressed in 
2004, or will be covered otherwi se including through Geneva-based training (e.g. in DSU).  Also, 
some of the topics will be covered over a two-year cycle, partly to reduce the cost, partly to alleviate 
some of the pressure on WTO staff.  In all cases, ad equate coverage of these topics will be ensured in 
the TPCs and the RTPCs.  In some cases, and for pragmatic reasons, there may be additional regional 
or sub-regional seminars which are therefore not included in the Plan, because, for example, further 
explanations are required on a specific issue, which cannot be anticipated .  Regional seminars cover 
the Uruguay Round Agreements, as well as other WTO -related topics, the degree of coverage being 
determined essentially by the Members' decision.   While each of the seminars will be designed 
according to the specifics of the field covered, such  seminars will, as much as possible, take into 
account different levels of knowledge  and degrees of specialization.  In some cases they will be 
tailored to experts and 'technicians' with highly sp ecialized knowledge, e.g. in the area of Rules, 
Dispute Settlement, Market Access, SPS a nd Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). 
67. The level of expertise required (target audience)  will always be specified in the letter of 
invitation and it will be the primary responsibility of the beneficiaries to ensure that their attendees 
have the required level of knowle dge and expertise.  As discussed above (paragraphs 13-14) a 
selection process may also be conducted for some of these activities, depending on their format.  As to 
testing levels of knowledge at the end of the se minars, increasingly seminars include self-assessment 
exercises and/or simulations as part of the traini ng, which to some extent, allow participants to 
'measure' whether the informa tion has been fully absorbed. 
68. Seminars that may be conducted at the regional level, include: 
(i) Agriculture; 
(ii) Customs Valuation; 
(iii) Dispute Settlement; 
(iv) Government Procurement; 
(v)
 Non Agriculture Market Access (NAMA); 
(vi) Regional Trade Agreements;  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 15 
 
 
(vii) Rules (Anti-Dumping, Subsidies and CVDs, Safeguards, State Trading); 
(viii) SPS Measures; 
(ix) Services negotiations and GATS; 
(x) TBT; 
(xi) Textiles and Clothing; 
(xii) Trade and Competition Policy; 
(xiii) Trade and Development, including:  Special and Differential Treatment and 
Small Economies; 
(xiv) Trade and Environment; 
(xv) Trade and Investment; 
(xvi) Trade Facilitation;  and, 
(xvii)  Trade-Related Aspects of Intellect ual Property Rights (TRIPs) (e.g. 
geographical indications, TRIPs and p ublic health, biotechnology/traditional 
knowledge/biodiversity, enforcement). 
69. The proposed work programme on some issues, particularly those relating to the DDA, takes 
into account the Decision adopted by the General Co uncil on 1 August 2004.  More specific attention 
will be given to Trade Facilitation, for which th e General Council Decision explicitly refers to 
technical assistance to be provided, and to NAMA.  
70. As for the venue for the regional seminars, as in  the past this will be decided in consultation 
between the Secretariat and the Members, to en sure a reasonable geographical distribution of 
activities, taking account also of practical consider ations (ease of access, conference facilities, etc).  
Such consultations would involve the regional coordinators in the ITTC, the operational division that 
will undertake the activity and countries in the regi ons where the activity would be undertaken.  When 
and where appropriate, such activity could also be hosted by a partner institution, including a regional 
development bank, a training centre or a regional Secretariat;  when that happens the venue is 
determined by the partner institution. 
71. There are several other technical assistance and training products discussed later in the Plan, 
which will also be delivered at the regional level.   Altogether, there are some 20 distinct products 
delivered regionally, thus covering all areas, a nd all Members and acceding countries.  If all are 
executed, the total of anticipated regional seminars would be close to 80.  They will be financed from 
trust funds and from the regular budget. 
(d) Trade Negotiations Skills and Techniques 
72. The WTO organizes an Intensive Course on Trad e Negotiations Skills, which is designed to 
provide participants with skills and knowledge co ncerning appropriate strategies and tactics for the 
conduct of negotiations, as well as techniques of sy stematic decision analysis for monitoring and 
managing the negotiating process. 
73. The training provides instructions in pre-negotia tion planning, effective negotiation strategies 
and tactics, and the management of the negotiation process that leads to a win-win outcome for all WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 16  
 
parties.  These activities will take different a pproaches, going from theoretical comprehension of 
previous and present negotiations, enhancement of skills and techniques, simulations, case studies and 
use of data extracted from existing databases. 
74. The WTO organizes workshops and seminars in which tools are provided to assist trade 
negotiators in the formal and informal negotiating process, at both bilateral and multilateral levels.  
Some of the products proposed have been devel oped by the WTO and others in collaboration with 
academia and regional or international institutions: 
a) Negotiating Trade Agreements:  strategies, t actics, and simulations.  Simulations are 
mainly related to tariffs and services;   
b) the Integrated Database (IDB) and the Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS) database, 
with the software applications to allow the extraction, analysis and use of data:  the 
IDB Internet Analysis Facility, the IDB CD-ROM and the IDB Reporting Tools;  
c) "Toolkit for Negotiators and Training":  prepar ation and analysis of lists of offers or 
requests, and comparison, analysis and prep aration of proposals on WTO disciplines;  
and, 
d) provisions to develop or enhance existing products: 
(i) enhancement of the IDB and CTS software tools;  and, 
(ii) enhancement of the Toolkit for Trad e Negotiators and Development of 
Services' module. 
75. The target group for the intensive course on trade negotiation skills are officials with good 
knowledge of the WTO Agreements a nd who will serve as their governme nt negotiators in regional or 
international trade negotiations.  The target audien ce for b) and c) are negotiators with computer 
skills.  Participants will be trained in the use of the tools and will take part in practical exercises where 
they can apply IDB/CTS data or their own data.  The costs will be met from trust funds and the 
regular budget. 
(e) Outreach Activities for Parliamentarians and Civil Society 
76. Outreach activities for parliamentarians and civil society are part of an overall WTO strategy 
to help legislators and civil society representa tives better understand the provisions of the Doha 
Ministerial Declaration.  They are also a res ponse to challenges in the Declaration for greater 
transparency in the WTO's operations and improve d dialogue with the public.  Outreach activities 
consist of national workshops organized in response to requests from WTO Members (referred to in a 
previous section) and regional workshops organized jointly with partner ins titutions and conducted in 
selected regions. 
77. Concerning regional workshops, these are similar in  design.  They are introductory-level and 
working-level.  They are interactive and presentati ons are routinely supported by written material and 
background documentation.  Also, to the extent  the regional workshops are co-organized and 
co-funded with partner institutions, they allow for cross-fertilization of ideas.  Governments in the 
various host countries are informed on the regional workshops and routinely invited to contribute. 
78. The objectives of the regional workshops are the same:   
• to foster greater understanding of and interest in the MTS; 
• to inform parliamentarians and civil soci ety representatives on the basic operations of 
the WTO, key issues on the international trad e agenda, and status of the DDA;  and,  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 17 
 
 
• to encourage dialogue and exchanges of views and ideas among parliamentarians and 
civil society representatives on trade-related and development-related issues of particular relevance to their regions. 
79. In the regional workshops, participants recei ve a basic introduction to the MTS covering its 
history, structure, functions, principles, membership  and operating procedures.  Participants are also 
briefed on the workings of the WTO Secretariat an d decision-making procedures of the organization.  
In addition, participants ar e informed on key WTO agreements and the status of the DDA 
Negotiations.  Regional workshops are designed as we ll to cover issues of sp ecial interest to the 
particular region/group;  in this regard guest  speakers from the region and representatives from 
international and regional organiza tions are regularly invited to address the workshops.  Throughout 
the regional workshops, parliamentarians and civil society representatives are encouraged to consider 
their respective roles in multilateral processes a nd ways to increase parliamentary and public 
awareness of the international trade agenda. 
80. The cost of outreach activities are covered from the DDAGTF. 
C. ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING:   
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH 
81. The ITTC has engaged in a process of developi ng partnerships between the WTO Secretariat 
and the trade policy-related academic community in Member countries.  These partnerships are 
designed to promote "joined up" capacity building,  simultaneously enhancing the capacity of the 
WTO to train government officials, building ins titutional and human capacity for such training in 
developing countries, contributing to the devel opment of WTO-related curricula in academic 
institutions of higher learning, and promoting WTO- relevant research intended to strengthen national 
and regional negotiating capacity.  The partnershi ps build on various activities already being 
undertaken by the WTO Secretariat.  They will e volve over time, with certain activities increasingly 
becoming the responsibility of partners. 
82. This integrated approach has four inter-linki ng elements.  Each of these elements can in 
principle stand alone, but natural synergies favour  their integration and increase prospects for 
sustainability.  The four elements of this integrat ed approach to academic partnerships for capacity 
building encompass the following: 
(a) training government officials; 
(b) building institutional partnerships at the regional level for capacity building activities; 
(c) establishing joint lecturing arrangements at the regional level with academics and 
specialists for training government officials;  and, 
(d) creating academic networks with institu tions of higher learning; these academic 
networks have several elements  on which to build, including: 
(i) curriculum development; 
(ii) increasing knowledge through training; 
(iii) development of didactic material; 
(iv) information exchange; 
(v) 
encourage joint research by academics from developing countries and the 
WTO; WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 18  
 
(vi) develop a programme for support of doctoral studies; 
(vii) establish arrangements for short-term research visits to the WTO by 
academics;  and, 
(viii) enhance a broader public access to WTO-re lated information in Universities. 
83. Costs for these activities will be met prin cipally from the DDAGTF, unless otherwise 
indicated. 
84. Activities geared towards building partnerships for training and capacity building include: 
(i) Regional Trade Policy Courses 
85. As discussed in section A.(a)(ii), RTPCs form a key component in building such partnerships, 
the main objective being to transfer and enhance lo cal ownership and to build capacity at the regional 
level. 
(ii) Workshops for University Professors on WTO Matters 
86. Workshops will be organized on a periodic basis to solidify and advance partnerships with 
academics.  They are essential for adequate coor dination and networking.  These events address 
different components of our joint activities involving teaching and research, all of which aim to 
increase the capacity of Members to participate ef fectively in the WTO.  Elements for discussion 
include curriculum development, teaching material s and literature, information exchange, evaluation 
of joint teaching activities aimed at government of ficials, and joint research.  Furthermore, these 
meetings are used to update the academic partne rs on progress in the WTO negotiations and work 
programme, and equally serve to prepare for RTPC s organized by the Secretariat in the regions. 
87. The workshops last three days and each one i nvolves up to 30 academics from each region.  
The Secretariat aims at delivering seven of these work shops in 2005, five of which are directly related 
to the RTPCs and two of which are held in  the two regions, not yet covered by RTPC. 
(iii) Support Programme for Doctoral Studies  
88. The main objective of such a support programme is  to contribute to a continuing renewal and 
enlargement of academic WTO expe rtise in developing countries. 
89. The Secretariat will finance and assist doctoral students from developing countries to conduct 
research at the WTO for periods between three and six months, and to  provide them with 
mentoring/advice in close collaboration with the stud ents' academic supervisors.  Since this is likely 
to be a highly effective means of engaging young aca demics in WTO-related research of direct policy 
relevance to governments, the inte ntion is to accommodate up to 12 students at any one time.  In 
2005, budget provisions will be made for 12 students over the year. 
(iv) Programme for Visiting Academics 
90. The Secretariat will facilitate visits of up to six months by practising academics who are 
working on WTO-related issues.  This will allow the academics to interact with the Secretariat and the 
trade policy community more generally, and maxi mise the WTO relevance of their work.  Visiting 
academics would be self-financed.  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 19 
 
 
(v) Research Collaboration 
91. The main objective of research collaboration is to develop joint research initiatives on  
WTO-related matters with academics from developi ng countries.  Such collaboration will increase 
engagement by the scholarly community in WTO -relevant research, to increase the supply of region 
and country-based analysis of WTO-related policy issues.  The cost of planned joint research 
programmes in 2005 will be met from the regular budget. 
(vi) Document Dissemination Programme for Universities 
92. The main objective of the document dissemination programme is to contribute to the creation 
and/or strengthening of a WTO "library" at Univer sities from developing countries with a view to 
facilitating access to this informa tion by the student population. 
93. The WTO disseminates, on a yearly basis, a set of WTO publications, in both hard copy and 
electronic formats to groups of Universities from de veloping countries.  Collaboration for a possible 
global project has been discussed with the United Na tions University.  The cost will be met from the 
regular budget. 
D. SUPPORT TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FACILITIES 
94. The Secretariat has developed a number of products and technical assistance facilities that are 
aimed at providing general and specific support to dele gations and beneficiaries, both in the field and 
in Geneva.  In the field, this can include provi ding infrastructural support, through the reference 
centres, which facilitates access to WTO-related information as well as training material in different 
formats, including in print or electronically, servicing non-residents, as well as such support provided within the TPR framework.  This also includes Geneva-based support, e.g. through the Geneva week, 
the introduction days, WTO's trainee programm es and internships, assisting Geneva-based 
delegations, briefing sessions, as well as assistan ce provided in conducting needs assessment. 
(a) Geneva-based activities 
(i) Geneva-based Topic-Specific Symposia 
95. A total of 16 stand-alone symposia to take place in Geneva on specific topics have been 
proposed by divisions largely reflecting suggesti ons that emerged from various WTO bodies as well 
as areas that have priority attention in light of th e DDA.  The symposia are often held back-to-back 
with meetings, which then become part of the activit y for the participants.  In view of the financial 
limitations and the need for proportionality among the various products, the Plan  foresees eleven such 
symposia for a total budget of around CHF 3.5 million.
5 
96. The costs will be met from the trust funds. 
(ii) WTO Introduction Days 
97. WTO Introduction Days are usually held three to four times a year in Geneva and are 
intended for newly arrived delegates in Geneva, n on-governmental organizations, journalists, new 
WTO staff members, interns working in the S ecretariat and interested officials from other 
international organizations.  Other interested dele gates and staff members are also welcome to attend 
the presentations. 
                                                      
5 These Geneva-based activities that have not be en retained include: a workshop on trade and 
environment, a workshop on different approaches to conformity assessment, a symposium on competition 
policy, a workshop on Telecommunications, and a workshop on TRIPs and public health. WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 20  
 
98. In terms of objectives to be reached, it is expected  that at the end of the day the participants 
will have:   
• acquired a general understanding of the WTO, its functioning and fundamental 
principles; 
• learned how to access WTO-relevant resour ces through information technology;  and, 
• been updated on WTO current activities (including negotiations). 
99. These courses are organized by the ITTC in c ooperation with experts from other divisions and 
mainly consist of a presentation on the WTO, the historical background of the MTS, the WTO basic 
principles, the functioning of the Organization, as well as the different ways to access WTO-relevant information.  The courses are held at Headquarter s.  There are no direct costs for these activities.  
(iii) Other Forms of Geneva-based Support 
100. A variety of different products are provi ded directly in Geneva, which include: 
• the "Geneva Week" for Non-Residents , which is funded through the regular budget of 
the WTO.  In order to meet the special ch allenges faced by the Non-Residents and to 
enhance their participation in the MTS, the WTO organizes the "Geneva Week", during 
which representatives of Non-Residents from capitals and from Europe-based missions are invited to Geneva.  Two "Geneva Weeks" are scheduled in 2005.  The costs relating 
to "Geneva Week" are met from trust funds.  By  the end of the week the participants:   
o will have become familiar with the stat e of play of work and work processes 
in the WTO and the range of technical assistance on offer;  and, 
o will have benefited from opportunities – dur ing their stay – to be involved in 
the work of WTO bodies;  and from interaction with officials from other Geneva-based agencies and delegations. 
• the Newsletter for Non-Residents  prepared by the Secretariat, seeks to respond to the 
special challenges faced by the Members without representation in Geneva in terms of 
their participation in the work of the WTO.   It provides information on recent meetings 
and activities, as well as on upcoming activiti es.  The newsletter is prepared on a 
monthly basis, but supplemented periodically by additional communications. 
• ad hoc assistance ;  such assistance is provided to visiting delegations, for whom 
specialized programmes, lectures, briefing sessions are designed and meetings organized;  equally, delegations frequently  seek direct support from WTO Divisions on 
specific WTO Agreements (no direct costs); 
• briefing sessions through video-conferencing :  regularly the Secretariat organizes 
meetings with beneficiary countries through vi deo-conferencing, to inform them about 
a specific issue.  Many countries can be c onnected simultaneously through these means 
with Headquarters, so as to ensure an inte ractive dialogue.  Such conferences are very 
cost effective (generally cost-rela ted to video/telephone connection); 
• servicing Regional Groups :  increasingly the Secretariat provides assistance to regional 
groupings in support of their meetings and organizes briefings on specific WTO-related 
topics in light of negotiations (no direct costs);  and, 
• advisory role on legal issues :  the Secretariat has, since the conclusion of the Uruguay 
Round, provided legal advice in accordance with the requirement in Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) Article 27.2 to any deve loping country which so requests in the  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 21 
 
 
event of that country being involved in dis pute settlement (costs c overed by the regular 
budget). 
(iv) Trainee Programmes and Internships 
101. The WTO internship system has been fully de veloped and consolidated.  There are four 
different components to the WTO internship progr amme.  These programmes vary in nature and 
duration, however, they all have the common underl ying objective of building human capacities in a 
systematic and cumulative manner:   
(a) the regular WTO internship,6 in which interns are selected in Geneva, by WTO 
Divisions.  Generally these interns are empl oyed by the WTO for a duration of up to 
24-weeks, the length of the internship depends  on the project the intern is requested to 
work on, and on the needs of each division.  Paid interns receive a daily allowance of  
CHF60 (including weekends and official holidays).  This programme is financed 
from the WTO regular budget and is managed by the Human Resources Division; 
(b) the Dutch internship programme, which is open to government officials from  
LDCs, other low income countries and lower middle income countries and territories 
that are either Members or Observers or are in the process of accession.  They are 
selected by the WTO and the proposals have  to be accepted by the Netherlands 
Ministry of Development and Cooperation.  The Trainees are considered staff members of the WTO (Grade 7, Junior Professionals) and enjoy the rights, privileges and immunities of a staff member.  Trainees are not eligible for any form of WTO appointment during a period of three years following the end of the assignment.  
Assignments are expected to be for 14-months.  This programme started in  
October 1998.  On average, four to fi ve trainees were recruited per annum.  
Continuation of this programme will de pend on the availability of resources; 
(c) the WTO Regional Coordinator internship:  in  this programme, the intern will be paid 
by the WTO, and will be based in the Mission of a rotating coordinator of each of 
nine designated groups, for a period of six-months, without extension .  At the end of 
six-months, the system will rotate to the next designated group coordinator of the nine identified groupings (groups select th eir rotating coordinators).  These groups 
are:   
(i) the ACP – both the Geneva Secretariat and the office of the rotating country 
coordinator; 
(ii) the WTO African Group; 
(iii) the CARICOM; 
(iv) the GRULAC; 
(v) the SAARC; 
(vi) the WTO LDCs’ Consultative Group; 
(vii) the Informal Group of Developing Countries; 
(viii) the Arab Group;  and, 
                                                     
 
6 This is not officially a TRTA "product", even if many interns are from developing countries. WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 22  
 
(ix) the Pacific Islands Group. 
The internship system will be strictly limited to these nine groupings.  Interns under 
this system are paid CHF3,000 per month, plus travel expenses, from the DDAGTF; 
 (d) the WTO mission internship:  This programme was developed in early 2001, with a 
similar objective as the Dutch programme, for the benefit of Geneva-based missions.  
The candidates work in their own country Mission in Geneva and 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 a nd small and vulnerable 
economies.  Since resources for this programme are limited, preference is given to 
countries with lower per-capita GNP and the least number of staff in Geneva.  For 
this programme, interns are selected by the Human Resources Division together with the Mission concerned on the basis of a lis t of detailed CVs and possible telephone 
interviews.  In short, the selection criteria are similar to that for entry level positions 
at WTO.  Continuation of this programme will depend on the availability of 
resources, which relied, for the past two years, on earmarked funds that need 
replenishing.  Interns under this system are paid CHF3,000 per month, plus travel 
expenses. 
(b) Activities Held in the Field 
(i) Trade Policy Clinics
7 
102. The purpose of trade policy clinics is to help  respond to trade-policy issues identified by 
Members and provide diagnosis and practical re commendations on how they might be addressed.  
Clinics will make it possible to identify gaps in planned technical assistance and answer the types of 
questions that are not covered by WTO's present activ ities.  As clinics are demand-driven, they are 
tailored to meet the specific concer ns of the requesting Member.  A clinic can explore to what extent 
the Member is able to identify its strategic trad e interests effectively in the light of its overall 
development strategy or to manage  the policy process domestically and internationally.  It can also 
help the Member with a preliminary assessment of its technical cooperation and capacity building 
needs.  Diagnosis and recommendations from clinics,  where appropriate, are fed into the WTO regular 
training/technical assistance process.   In each instance, other relevant organizations are associated 
with the clinic to bring to bear their expertise. 
103. Trade policy clinics are a form of national activity, and, as discussed in the note by the 
Secretariat, they can be applied to countries in di fferent situations.  One such situation relates to 
countries that emerge from crises or conflicts, wh ich need to start from 'ground zero' in developing 
their trade regime.  A first trade policy clinic wa s thus launched in Sierra  Leone in August 2003 and a 
second one was held in Angola during summer 2004.   This clinic was conducted by the WTO 
Secretariat, including various Divisions (Devel opment, ITTC, TPR) and in association with ITC, 
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNIDO, and the Commonwealth Secretariat.  
Other organizations were invited to particip ate, including UNCTAD and the World Bank.  The 
mission lasted three days and led to a first identifi cation of needs and requirements, thus providing the 
basis for follow-up action by relevant agencies.  The number of such clinics likely to be requested, or 
that can be carried out in practice, cannot be anticipa ted at this stage.  The Secretariat's response to a 
trade clinic request will depend on the resources availa ble.  In some cases a regional approach can be 
adopted if several Members in the same region sh are similar concerns.  For budgetary purposes they 
will be accounted for as national activities. 
                                                      
7 The concept of Trade Policy Clinics is discussed in more detail in a note prepared for the Committee on Trade 
and Development, WT/COMTD/W/117, 16 June 2003.  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 23 
 
 
(ii) Reference Centres 
104. The WTO Reference Centre is a dedicated place, generally attached to the Ministry of Trade 
and used as a documentation and trade informati on facility, where relevant documentation on the 
MTS is made readily available to the officials,  the press, the general public, the business community, 
academia, and other authorized users.  The establi shment of a WTO Reference Centre consists of 
three elements:   
(a) creation of a local "library" with documen ts and publications on the WTO, including 
CD-ROMs and other machine-readable materials; 
(b) access to the Internet, in particular to the WTO web-site;  and, 
(c) hands-on training in using relevant softwa re, the web browser, hyperlinks, and e-mail 
to communicate with the WTO.   
105. The Reference Centre gives di rect access to WTO Web Sites and WTO Databases, public and 
restricted for authorized users, to official WTO documents, such as the Documents Online, IDB, CTS, 
WTO Services Electronic Schedules, Statistical database, the text of the Agreements, and other official papers released during negotiations. Electr onic versions of the website on CD-ROMs are also 
provided.  The Reference Centre not only provides written and electronic information to users, but 
also connects them with knowledgeable WTO resour ce persons, who can help  them to understand and 
to interpret the rules and the developmental impli cations, or solve issues and respond to questions on 
WTO issues.  Resource persons, namely coordinators, are attached to the Reference Centres, to help 
users find their way in the technical and legal documentation. 
106. During the year 2005, the Reference Centre programme will essentially focus on the LDCs 
and JITAP for African countries.  Moreover, the program will focus on the quality of the computer 
equipment provided to beneficiary countries, the on line and offline tools such as the Computer Based 
Training (CBT) currently developed by the WTO on CD-ROMs and DVDs, and third, to the training of the participants using on-line connection to the WT O databases.  It is thus envisaged to undertake 
24 missions for the establishment and upgrading of Re ference Centres, to be financed through trust 
funds. 
(iii) Technical Assistance within the Trade Po licy Review Mechanism (TPRM) Framework 
107. The TPRM is a valuable forum for achieving tr ansparency in, and understanding of, the trade 
policies and practices of Members.  TPRs of developing and LDCs Members have increasingly performed a technical assistance function and have  been useful in increasing understanding of the 
trade policy structure in place and its relationshi p with the WTO Agreements, playing an important 
part in "capacity building and mainstreaming" .  The main objectives of the reviews are: 
• to enhance understanding in these countri es of the WTO Agreements, enabling better 
compliance and integration in the MTS;  and, 
• to enhance interaction between government ag encies, also facilitated by the reviews. 
108. The Secretariat reports' wide coverage of Members' policies enables them to identify any 
shortcomings in policy and specific areas where further technical assistance may be required. 
109. Since 2000, the review process for LDCs and a number of other developing countries has 
included a two-to-four-day seminar for their official s on the WTO and, in particular, the TPR exercise 
and the role of trade in economic policy, including  a presentation by the participants from the country 
under review on the experience from trade liberaliza tion efforts and round tables.  The Secretariat 
report for an LDCs review, as well as other less de veloped countries, includes a section on technical WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 24  
 
assistance needs and priorities, as identified in coop eration with the Member concerned, and with a 
view to feeding this into the IF process.  For LDCs, the Secretariat also works closely with the 
World Bank on the trade component of the latter's Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTIS), with 
the reviews being an integral part to the framing of the DTIS.  In addition, the TPRM has an important 
role in the new Trade Policy Clinics (paragraph 5 and 6 of WT/COMTD/W/117, 16 June 2003).  The 
ITTC and TPRD are working together to elaborat e a methodology to use TPRs more systematically as 
a tool for needs assessment (see below).  These activ ities are assimilated to national activities, and the 
costs covered from both regular budget and trust funds. 
(c) Other Activities 
(i)  Assisting Beneficiaries in Conducting Needs Assessment 
110. It is generally recognized that WTO's TRTA can more effectively contribute to building 
lasting capacity if it is planned and designed on the basis of a thorough assessment of the Members' needs.  Following the discussions in the CTD and in  the informal consultations process, it was agreed 
that the WTO Secretariat would prepare guidelines that could be used by beneficiaries in conducting their own needs assessment for TRTA.  These guide lines are contained in document (JOB(04)/113). 
111. The objective of these guidelines is to assist Me mber countries in the process of identifying 
their needs, bearing in mind that this task is th e prime responsibility of the beneficiary country.  The 
design of these proposed guidelines is based on th e pilot needs assessment s that were conducted 
through desk studies by the Secretariat.  The gu idelines are not prescriptive in any way and countries 
are encouraged to adapt the approach to their own conditions.  The Secretariat can assist beneficiaries 
in undertaking their needs assessment by providin g data and information of direct relevance. 
(ii) Distance Learning and Information Technology 
112. The main objectives of the distance learning programme and information technology are to: 
• take full advantage of information technology  and the Internet as a complement and 
an alternative to traditional training programs; 
• enhance WTO outreach to academic instituti ons and individual students;  and, 
• develop WTO-related training material which would not require simultaneous 
presence of the trainees and trainers in Geneva or in the regions. 
113. To that effect, the Secretariat will continue  the development of a comprehensive distance 
learning programme consisting of different types of IT-based technical assistance and training tools.  
Each type of product targets different categories of participants and will meet distinct needs. 
(a) CBT Modules :  the Secretariat will continue to develop CBTs on specific WTO 
Agreements/Issues.  These modules will be available on-line through the WTO 
Webpage and/or on CD-ROM or DVD.  The CBTs  are used essentially for self-
training.  Each CBT includes theory and exercises through multiple choice questions 
with an automatic correction mechanism. Th e CBTs developed so far have been text-
based.  The first video-based CBTs are bei ng developed in collaboration with the 
Institute of Advanced Studies of the Un ited Nations University.  CBTs on a number 
of WTO Agreements are already available and three to four additional CBTs will be 
developed in 2005; 
(b) Technical Assistance through the use of CD-ROMs combined with video 
conferencing :  this distance learning modality consists of a combination of 
interrelated media - slide presentations, video files, reference documents such as legal  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 25 
 
 
texts and lists of specific commitments - all stored on the same CD-ROM.  Follow-up training is delivered through video-conferences.  The delivery of technical assistance activities with this distance learning modalit y will continue to be tested in 2005 with 
the development of two to three modules on specific service sectors;  and, 
(c) The eTraining :  this Internet platform provid es interactive courses on the Internet 
allowing government officials on-line access to the training material and to their 
assigned tutors from their office in the capita l, the mission or the field.  A course on 
WTO Basic Principles was held in English in 2004 for 62 participants from developing country Members.  Courses in Fr ench and/or Spanish will also be offered 
in 2005.  The Secretariat will experiment  with the development of courses on a 
variety of WTO issues ranging from general to  specific.  The possibility of using the 
eTraining coupled with traditional face-to-face activities will also be explored.  The objective will be to facilitate more in-depth training in developing countries by first 
offering short introduction courses throug h the eTraining followed by regular 
technical assistance activities at an advanced level. 
114. The cost of the distance learning programme for the year 2005 will be met from the regular 
budget and trust funds. 
E. INPUTS INTO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS 
 
115. WTO's participation in and representation at in ternational meetings, conferences, seminars 
and symposia, either at the technical or at the poli tical (ministerial) level, is increasingly solicited.  
WTO officials are frequently called upon to make specific, topic related presentations and give 
lectures in workshops and conferences, organized and financed by partner institutions.  Such meetings 
can in most instances not be anticipated but past  experience shows that the WTO attends annually 
between 80 to 100 such events.  WT O's participation in such meetings  is considered indispensable for 
a variety of reasons:   
(a) it can be essential for coordinating and defi ning effective policies with other agencies, 
as well as for ensuring policy coherence; 
(b) it provides opportunities to brief stakeholders  on the state of play in the negotiations 
or address and clarify any specific issues regarding the WTO;  and, 
(c) it can be critical for engaging in policy di alogues with outside communities, including 
the private sector, Parliamentarians and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). 
116. Moreover it is important for the WTO to be repr esented particularly in meetings held with 
other international organizations, and to provide input to the debate that carries the WTO brand. 
117. The costs of the WTO's participation in these activities will be met from the regular budget 
and the DDAGTF. 
IV. PROCESSES AND PROGRAMMES 
118. Two particular mechanisms/programmes designe d in joint cooperation between particular 
institutions, donors and recipients and geared towa rds assisting beneficiary countries with a fuller 
participation in the MTS relate to JITAP and the IF for TRTA are discussed below. WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 26  
 
(a) Joint Integrated Technical Assistance Programme (JITAP) 
119. JITAP is a multi-country, multi-agency capacity building programme, implemented by WTO, 
UNCTAD and ITC, and constitutes an integral pa rt of the Plan.  The second phase of JITAP was 
launched in February 2003 and c overs sixteen African countries
8 selected on the basis of criteria 
determined jointly by the implementing agencies and the donors to the programme. 
120. The JITAP aims at building capacity and strengthening the national knowledge base on the 
MTS in the beneficiary countries with a view to contributing to their: 
(a) more effective participation in trade negotiations, implementing the WTO 
agreements, and formulating tr ade-related policies;  and, 
(b) improved supply capacity and market know ledge of exporting and export-ready 
enterprises, to derive benefits from business opportunities resulting from better 
market access under the MTS. 
121. JITAP II's key features and programme strategy are: 
(a) partnership among the executing organizati ons, the participating countries and the 
donor community with involvement of other providers of TRTA; 
(b) building networks and synergies among par ticipating countries and extensive use of 
existing national capacities; 
(c) self-implementation of programme modules b ased on generic tool kits provided by 
the agencies; 
(d) pooling of resources in a Common Trust F und (CTF) and coordination with other 
TRTA programmes; 
(e) selection of partner countries and their commitment based on criteria, notably  
(i) allocation of counterpart resources to support programme activities; 
(ii) setting up a National Steering Committee (NSC) and 
creation/institutionalization of an Inter-Institutional Committee on MTS;  and, 
(iii) mainstreaming of trade as an engine for poverty reduction;  and, 
(f) results-based Management, and particular  attention to gender issues and poverty 
reduction. 
122. As part of expanded JITAP activities in 2004, a programming exercise involving the 
preparation of country-specific project documents  for each beneficiary country was launched, and 
kick-off workshops in the eight new JITAP countries
9 organized.  The country project documents 
entail, among other elements, an implementation plan for each country spelling out the detailed 
activities to be undertaken. 
                                                      
8 Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, 
Mozambique, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Senegal and Zambia. 
9 Botswana, Cameroon, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Senegal and Zambia.  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 27 
 
 
123. Activities to be carried out by the WTO in 2005 under Module 2 will comprise mainly of 
technical missions to establish or upgrade Refere nce Centres and National Enquiry Points (NEPs) on 
SPS, TBT, Services and TRIPS in each of the sixteen JITAP countries.  These missions will entail procurement of computer equipment and training of  managers on efficient operation of Reference 
Centres and NEPs. 
124. The total cost for the implementation of JITAP II is estimated at US$12.6 million and is 
covered by the JITAP trust fund. 
(b) The Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to LDCs  
125. The main objectives of the IF for trade-related assistance to LDCs are:   
• to enhance economic growth and devel opment capacities of LDCs, through the 
combined efforts of six international organizations, the IMF, ITC, UNCTAD, UNDP, 
the World Bank and the WTO, as well as with  the full participation of development 
partners and the donor community; 
• to ensure that national trade policies are integrated into the overall development and 
poverty-reduction strategies for each country;  and, 
• to coordinate trade-related technical assistance provided by the various agencies and 
other (bi- and multilateral) development part ners, each in its own area of competence 
and funded from its own resources. 
126. The IF process covers 35 countries to date which are at various stages of the process.  
127. The activities to be undertaken in the year 2005 will relate both to the design, management 
and implementation of current and new IF activities.  These will thus include: 
• participation in meetings of the IF management structure such as the Integrated 
Framework Working Group (IFWG) and th e Integrated Framework Steering 
Committee (IFSC).  Although normally held in one of the Headquarters of the six IF 
core Agencies, some meetings of the IF WG in 2005 are likely to be held in the 
beneficiary countries, to bring the IF closer to the realities "on the ground";  and, 
• participation in IF-related seminars and conferences, as well as in the workshops for 
the implementation of the IF, such as Validation Workshops and Implementation 
Workshops with a country's donor community.  The Secretariat will also participate 
in the execution of TRTA projects flowing from the IF process.  It should be borne in mind that the number of LDCs participating in the IF has increased significantly (35 
to date), which will have direct conseq uences on the number of IF-related activities 
the Secretariat will participate in. 
128. Most of the anticipated activities will relate to  WTO's involvement in national workshops and 
seminars in beneficiary countries, as well as in  meetings of the management structure. 
V. PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTSOURCING 
129. In order to build and strengthen local cap acity in beneficiary countries and enhance 
ownership, emphasis is increasingly put on partnerships , at varying levels of involvement with other 
providers or sponsors of TA.  Su ch partnerships can relate to the design and execution of specific 
programmes, including the IF and JITAP, as well as to the general coopera tion on TRTA with other 
agencies and organizations.  Basically, in each geogr aphical region partnerships are built and used for 
training purposes and for conducting joint activities.  Th e nature of the partnerships varies widely WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 28  
 
among partner institutions, depending on the ins titution itself, the contents of any signed 
undertakings, where they exist, and on the agr eed objectives in the partnership arrangements. 
130. The Plan intends to build on what  has already been developed over the last few years.  It has 
been acknowledged that partnerships  have greatly improved the deliver y of WTO TA.  Partnerships in 
the delivery of WTO TA are also inevitable when  considered against the background that most 
training and technical assistance is concerned with the WTO Agreements and, more recently, with the 
DDA. 
131. It is expected that these partnerships will: 
• enrich the quality of training and techni cal assistance activities by using existing 
capacity, expertise and faciliti es, where available, at the regional level and/or in 
Geneva.  Moreover, such c ooperation will facilitate th e delivery of technical 
assistance and the dissemination of WTO training programmes; 
• achieve greater coherence among providers of WTO-related training and technical 
assistance; 
• gradually transfer ownership and building partnerships on technical assistance;  and, 
• optimize the use of resources available. 
(a) Regional Partnerships 
132. Partnership arrangements have been establishe d at the regional level, and by way of 
illustration, these include the following: 
• in Africa, many training and technical cooperation activities are undertaken in 
partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (AFDB), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Secretariat, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), South African Development Community (SADC), West African Economic and Monetary 
Union (WAEMU) etc.  The "Agence intern ationale de la francophonie" is also a 
partner in this region.  Its "Rexp aco" programme dovetails well with WTO's 
programme of activities with academics and is specifically aimed mainly at African French-speaking states; 
• for Arab and Middle East countries, following the signing of MoUs, close 
cooperation is undertaken with the Arab  Monetary Fund (AMF), the Islamic 
Development Bank (IsDB) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission 
for Western Asia (UNESCWA). 
• in Asia and the Pacific there is coopera tion with the United Nations Economic and 
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacifi c (UNESCAP), the Pacific Islands Forum 
Secretariat (PIFS), the International Deve lopment Law Organization (IDLO) and with 
the Asian Development Bank; 
• institutional cooperation for training for count ries in Central and Eastern Europe and 
Central Asia takes mostly place with the Join t Vienna Institute (JVI).  The WTO will 
have eight slots of a total of eight weeks for conducting seminars and training 
courses;  in addition, the Secretariat under takes training through the so-called Applied 
Economic Policy Course, which is held twi ce a year at the JVI.  Cooperation also 
takes place with UNESCAP, as well as with  the Canadian Centre for Trade Policy 
and Law (CTPL);  and,  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 29 
 
 
• in Latin America and the Caribbean, the bulk of regional activities are undertaken in 
close partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), in particular 
its Institute for the Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean (INTAL).  Every 
year a joint programme is defined and co-financed.  Within the framework of the IADB/INTAL cooperation, partnerships exis t with regional integration Secretariats 
such as the Latin American Integrati on Association (ALADI), the Andean 
Community, Central American Economic Integration Secretariat (SIECA) and 
Mercosur, as well as with the Organization of American States.  In the Caribbean, 
cooperation exists with the CARICOM S ecretariat and the Caribbean Regional 
Negotiating Machinery, as well as the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Association of Caribbean States. 
(b) Other Partnerships 
133. The Secretariat is always seeking to stre ngthen and expand cooperation with other 
international organizations, regional bodies and institu tions.  A total of 28 MoUs currently exist, with 
varying international organizations , bodies and partner institutions.  By way of illustration, the MoU 
with UNIDO is geared towards addressing supply-si de constraints in conjunction with barriers to 
market access.  This MoU has led to concrete acti ons in beneficiary countries that were identified 
under the MoU under the pilot phase.  Another partne rship arrangement, with IDLO comes largely in 
support of regional training and contributes to ra ising general levels of  knowledge on the WTO and 
the multilateral trading system.  
134. Special mention should be made of the Sta ndards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), 
which is a joint initiative of the Food and Agricu lture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 
World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), World Bank, WHO and WTO. 
135. The STDF grew out of the Doha WTO Minister ial meeting held in Qatar in November 2001 
at which the heads of the five organizations comm itted themselves to work together to strengthen the 
capacity of developing countries in meeting SPS sta ndards.  From this joint commitment, the STDF 
was launched in 2002.  The strategic aim of the STDF is to assist developing countries enhance their 
capacity to meet international SPS standards, im proving their human health, animal health and 
phytosanitary situation, and thus  gaining and maintain market acce ss.  In addition to facilitating 
international trade, SPS capacity building, notably in the area of food safety, can result in improved health conditions for local markets and so favour economic and social development.  
136. The STDF is both a financing and a coordinating me chanism.  Grant financing is available for 
private and public organizations in developing coun tries seeking to comply with international SPS 
standards and hence gain or maintain market access.   Applications are particularly encouraged from 
stakeholders in LDCs.  The STDF annual work pr ogramme will consist of a mixture of project 
preparation grants and projects:  A contribution of  CHF150,000 to assist the executing institution, the 
WTO, to administer the STDF, is to be made in 2005. 
137. While in some instances there ar e costs associated with partnerships, in most cases it is the 
partners who make a contribution to the activities, either in cash or in kind. 
(c) Outsourcing 
138. The WTO's policy on outsourcing is based on the Note by the Secretariat circulated to 
Members (document WT/COMTD/W/116), dated 16 J une 2003.  Experts to be considered for the 
roster are former trade offici als, ex-delegates, former GATT/ WTO staff members, academics, 
recognized experts in a specific field, trainers and officials from other international organizations, to 
be drawn from all regions.  A new database was creat ed and has been operational since early 2004.  
Administrative procedures have been established to  guide the process of applications, selection and WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 30  
 
implementation of outsourcing of activities by divisions, as well as fo r the process of evaluation of 
performance of resource persons and reporting.  The database is administered by the Human 
Resources Division and jointly managed with the I TTC.  Costs associated with the contribution of 
resources persons to the implementation of technical assistance activities will be met from the GTF and the regular budget. 
VI. MONITORING AND EVALUATION 
139. In the second year of the new planning framework there is no need for radical changes in the 
established system of monitoring and evaluation of  TA.  In 2005 self-evaluations combined with 
TCA's on-site evaluations will continue to be conducted as a standard modality for ensuring the 
improvement of the planning, design and delivery  procedures and practices.  There are, however, 
some other considerations that should be reflected upon. 
140. If the planned external evaluation of WTO technical assistance takes place and is completed 
before the end of 2005, it may have implica tions not only upon the planning process and the 
implementation of the planning framework but also on some aspects of monitoring and evaluation. 
141. The TA Plan 2005 puts higher priority to the provis ion of more effective, efficient, relevant 
and sustainable TA.  This consideration is closel y linked to the dilemma of quantity versus quality, 
i.e. train/inform the maximum number of persons or  limit the number of participants and enable them 
to absorb more in-depth knowledge and skills.  After a substantial volume of generic courses and 
workshops delivered between 2002 and 2004 incr easingly more specialized  activities focus on 
specific subject areas, which requires the developmen t and delivery of more tailor-made TA activities.  
The issue of quality is also linked to the legitima te expectation that the activities be based on the 
analysis of identified needs and the improved se lection of the participants, thereby making the 
activities more relevant.  Another aspect of this i ssue is the need for increasing the duration of some 
of the activities.  These quality aspects will certainly be  among the priority concerns of M&E in 2005.  
142. The delivery of the products included in the TA  Plan for 2005 continues to be supported by a 
more coherent design and systematic monitoring and evaluation.  Although some efforts were made in 
this regard in 2004, the design of the individual ac tivities will have to be further improved and more 
explicitly guided by the objectives set out in th e Plan under the relevant products.  The product 
objectives are kept generic in nature and should c ontinue to be perceived as higher-level, programme 
objectives to which the individual activities, includi ng the national activities, are expected to bring 
contribution.  However, more efforts will be done  both by the ITTC, the operational divisions and 
TCA to ensure close linkages between the produc t objectives and those of the related individual 
activities. 
143. In support of the product-level objectives, c ontinued work will be done to identify specific 
performance indicators and targets in the design ph ase and evaluate the effects and impact against 
those criteria.  Progress and annual reports will increasingly focus not only on the effects and impact of the individual activities but also those of the products.  This will necessitate an increased 
recognition by the TA providers' units and the regiona l focal points in the ITTC of the importance of 
systematic gathering and analysis of both positiv e and negative feedback received from the Members 
regarding the results and outcome of WTO TA, including evidence of an y changes within the 
beneficiary organisations that are attributable to WTO TAs. 
144. In order to further improve the delivery of on -going TA, continued efforts will be made to 
regularly follow-up the recommendations emerging from self evaluations on the one hand and to the 
systematic dissemination and application of the less ons learned, on the other.  These efforts will 
certainly contribute to the improvement of the qualit y and the delivery of the activities and help them 
achieve the desired outcome.  In this process TCA will continue to render regular services to the TA 
providers by briefing/training them in setting out  realistic, measurable and time-bound objectives as  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 31 
 
 
well as performance indicators and targets which measu re their achievement.  TA providers will also 
receive help (hands-on sessions on gap-analysis, evaluation concerns and process, etc.) in  the 
application of the monitoring and evaluation procedures. 
145. Depending on the availability of resources, more internal evaluations are foreseen and other 
forms of evaluation, e.g. thematic evaluation will also  be experimented with.  Regular feedback on the 
self-evaluations will be given with a view to keep the TA providers interested in achieving effects and 
impact.  The revised M&E procedures and guidelines will also be subject of systematic scrutiny by 
TCA and adapted to emerging needs as appropriate.  The M&E system, policy, strategy, procedures 
and tools will also be made available for the users on the Intranet of WTO. 
146. It is expected that the monitoring and evalua tion results will continue to represent the most 
important source of knowledge of effects and im pact and contribute to refining and updating the 
products in the planning framework and the operational tools of the TA.  The systematic feedback 
from the participants and Members will continue to  help TA providers and managers to perceive 
monitoring and evaluation as inter-linked management functions, which help them to regularly ask for 
and apply evaluative information in making operational, programme and policy decisions. 
147. In accordance with established practices the TAMC  will continue to serve as a forum for 
exchanging across-the-board experiences and views on every phase of planning, design, implementation and evaluation of TA. 
VII. FUNDING 
148. Pursuant to the commitment contained in paragr aph 40 of the Doha Declaration, the General 
Council approved on 20 December 2001 the creati on of the DDAGTF and defined its terms of 
reference.
10  One of the main purposes of the GTF was to consolidate the numerous extra-budgetary 
resources of the WTO in one single un-earmarked fund,  so as to provide a solid and stable financial 
basis for WTO technical assistance and capacity build ing.  This is the reason why the terms of 
reference of the GTF provide a monitoring mechan ism for the pledges and for the payment of the 
contributions.  The General Council also increased  substantially the share of the regular budget 
dedicated to technical assistance, but the GTF is  now the main source of funding for technical 
assistance.  
149. According to the terms of reference of th e GTF, the Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration will have to recommend to the Gene ral Council a target amount for the GTF in 2005.  
The target amount will correspond to the estimated value of the 2005 TA Plan as determined by the 
CTD, taking into account the resources available fo r technical assistance in the regular budget for 
2005, and resources contributed by partner in stitutions in respect of shared activities.
                                                      
10 See document WT/BFA/56, and in particular its paragraphs 13 to 22 and its annexes A and B. WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 32 
 
 
ANNEX  1  
THE  PRODUCTS  MATRIX:  TABLE  OF CONTENTS 
 A. GENERAL
 WTO-RELATED  TRAINING  AND  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE 
(a) Trade Policy Courses 
(i) Geneva-based Trade Policy Courses 
(ii) Regional Trade Policy Courses 
(iii) Follow-up to RTPCs 
(b) Geneva-based Introduction Courses 
(c) Regional and Sub-regional Short Trade Policy Courses 
(d) National Activities 
 B. SPECIALIZED
 AND  ADVANCED  TRAINING  AND  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE 
(a) Geneva-based Specialized Courses 
(b) National Technical Assistance Activities 
(c) Regional Seminars 
(d) Trade Negotiations Techniques 
(e) Outreach Activities for Parliamentarians and Civil Society 
 C. ACADEMIC
 SUPPORT  FOR  TRAINING  AND  CAPACITY  BUILDING:    
AN INTEGRATED  APPROACH 
(i) Regional Trade Policy Courses (see A. (a) (ii) ) 
(ii) Workshops for University Professors on WTO Matters 
(iii) Support Programme for Doctoral Studies 
(iv) Programme for Visiting Academics 
(v) Research Collaboration 
(vi) Document Dissemination Programme for Universities  WT/COMTD/W/133 
 Page 33 
 
 
D. SUPPORT  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE  AND  TRAINING  FACILITIES 
(a) Geneva-Based Activities 
(i) Geneva-based Topic-Specific Symposia 
(ii) WTO Introduction Days 
(iii) Other forms of Geneva-based Support 
(iv) Trainee Programmes and Internships 
(b) Activities Held in the Field 
(i) Trade Policy Clinics 
(ii) References Centres 
(iii) Technical Assistance within the TPRM Framework 
(c) Other Activities 
(i) Assisting Beneficiaries in Conducting Needs Assessment 
(ii) Distance Learning and Information Technology 
 E. INPUTS
 INTO  INTERNATIONAL  CONFERENCES  AND  WORKSHOPS 
  WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 34 ANNEX 2 
THE  PRODUCT  MATRIX:   LIST  OF ACTIVITIES 
Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
A. GENERAL WTO-RELATED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
(a) Trade Policy Courses 
All regions 31st  Trade Policy Course (English)    ITTC, WTO Divisions, UNCTAD, ITC, 
WIPO, World Bank (30x60) 1800 
All regions 32nd Trade Policy Course (English)  ITTC, WTO Divisions, UNCTAD, ITC, 
WIPO, World Bank (30x60) 1800 
All regions 33rd  Trade Policy Course (French)  ITTC, WTO Divisions, UNCTAD, ITC, 
WIPO, World Bank (30x60) 1800 (i) Geneva-based 
Trade Policy 
Courses  
All regions 34th Trade Policy Course (English )  ITTC, WTO Divisions, UNCTAD, ITC, 
WIPO, World Bank (30x60) 1800 
Caribbean Based on the same model as Geneva-based TPC 
– co-delivered with academics and specialists 
from the region ITTC, WTO Divisions, Partner 
University (31x60) 1860 
Africa (English) Based on the same model as Geneva-based TPC 
– co-delivered with academics and specialists from the region ITTC, WTO Divisions, Partner 
University (25x60) 1500 
Africa (French) Based on the same model as Geneva-based TPC 
– co-delivered with academics and specialists 
from the region ITTC, WTO Divisions, Partner 
University (28x60) 1680 
Asia and Pacific Based on the same model as Geneva-based TPC 
– co-delivered with academics and specialists from the region ITTC, WTO Divisions, Partner 
University (33x60) 1980 (ii) Regional Trade 
Policy Courses 
Latin America Based on the same model as Geneva-based TPC 
– co-delivered with academics and specialists from the region ITTC, WTO Divisions, Partner 
University (25x60) 1500  
  WT/COMTD/W/133
 Page 35Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
(iii) Follow-up to 
RTPCs (Phase 2) Africa (English)    
SUB-TOTAL I    15,720 
(b) Geneva-based Introduction Courses 
Global 7th Introduction course for Least-Developed 
countries (French) ITTC, WTO Divisions, UNCTAD, ITC, 
WIPO, World Bank  (30x15) 450  
Global  8th Introduction course for Least-Developed 
countries (English) ITTC, WTO Divisions, UNCTAD, ITC, 
WIPO, World Bank (30x15) 450 
SUB-TOTAL II    900 
(c) Regional and Sub-regional Short Trade Policy Courses 
Africa 4th  WTO/ADB/ECA Trade Policy Course for 
African Countries ITTC, ADB, UNECA (60x10) 600 
Africa (English) Advanced Training Programme I TTC, University of Western Cape (30x5)  150 
Africa (French) Advanced Training Programme   (28x5)  140 
Arab and Middle 
East countries WTO/IsDB Short Trade Policy Course for OIC 
Members countries ITTC (19x15) 285 
Asia and Pacific WTO/UNESCAP Short Trade Policy Course ITTC, UNESCAP (32x7) 224 
Asia and Pacific WTO/IDLO Public International Trade Law 
Course ITTC, Legal Affairs Division, IDLO (30x15) 450 Regional and  
Sub-regional Short 
Trade Policy Courses 
Pacific WTO/IDLO/PIFS Advanced Training 
Programme ITTC, IDLO, PIFS (28x5) 140  WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 36 Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
Caribbean Advanced Training Programme for English-
speaking countries in the Caribbean ITTC,  OAS (31x5) 155 
Central and Eastern 
Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus WTO/UNESCAP Short Trade Policy Course ITTC, UNESCAP (30x7) 210 
Latin America Short Trade Policy Course for ALADI 
Members ITTC,  ALADI Secretariat (30x10) 300 
Latin America Advanced Training Programme for Spanish-
speaking countries in Latin America on WTO 
and FTAA issues ITTC,  OAS, Georgetown University (30x10) 300 Regional and  
Sub-regional Short 
Trade Policy Courses Cont'd…  
Latin America WTO on-going negotiations for Andean 
Countries ITTC,  Secretariat of the Andean 
Community, INTAL – IADB (25x5) 125 
SUB-TOTAL III    3,049 
B. SPECIALIZED AND ADVANCED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES 
(a) Geneva-based Specialized Courses 
All regions 11th (Specialized) Dispute Settlement Course,  
(English) ITTC, Legal Affairs Division, 
Appellate Body Secretariat (30x5) 150 
All regions 12th (Specialized) Dispute Settlement Course, 
(English) ITTC, Legal Affairs Division, 
Appellate Body Secretariat (30x5) 150 
All regions 13th (Specialized) Dispute Settlement Course, 
(French) ITTC, Legal Affairs Division, 
Appellate Body Secretariat (30x5) 150 
All regions 1st Specialized Course on SPS (Spanish) ITTC, WTO Division, Inter-American 
Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) (30x10) 300  
All regions 4th  Specialized Course on Trade Negotiations 
(from Theory to Practice) – (Spanish) ITTC (30x10) 300 
SUB-TOTAL IV    1,050  
  WT/COMTD/W/133
 Page 37Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
(b) National Technical Assistance Activities 
 All regions 250 specialized national activities All WTO divisions  
(c) Regional Seminars 
Africa (English) Regional Workshop Agriculture and Commodities Division, 
FAO (25x3) 75 
Africa (French) Regional Workshop Agriculture and Commodities Division, 
FAO (28x3) 84 
Asia and Pacific Regional Workshop Agriculture and Commodities Division 
Joint WTO/ UNESCAP activity;  
ASEAN, SAARC, ADB, PIFS (37x3) 111 
Caribbean Regional Workshop Agriculture and Commodities Division 
FAO, ICA, INTAL – IADB (14x3) 42 (i) Agriculture (Ag) 
Latin America Regional Workshop Agriculture and Commodities Division, 
IICA, INTAL – IADB (20x3) 60 
Asia and Pacific WTO/PIFS Workshop on Customs Valuation, 
including an overview of Trade Facilitation  Market Access Division, PIFS (30x4) 120 
Sub-regional 
activity Workshop on Customs Valuation, including an 
overview of Trade Facilitation  Market Access Division  (30x4) 120 (ii) Customs 
Valuation  
Sub-regional 
activity Workshop on Customs Valuation, including an 
overview of Trade Facilitation  Market Access Division  (30x4) 120 
Asia and Pacific Special Training Course on WTO Dispute 
Settlement Joint WTO/UNESCAP activity; Legal 
Affairs Division, Appellate Body 
Secretariat, ASEAN, SAARC, ADB, 
PIFS (37x4) 148 (iii) Dispute 
Settlement (DSU)  
Caribbean  Special Training Course on WTO Dispute 
Settlement Legal Affairs Division, Appellate Body 
Secretariat, INTAL-IADB (12x4) 48  WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 38 Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
Central and Eastern 
Europe, Central 
Asia and Caucasus Special Training Course on WTO Dispute 
Settlement Legal Affairs Division, Appellate Body 
Secretariat, JVI (23x4) 92 (iii) Dispute 
Settlement (DSU) 
Cont'd… 
Latin America Special Training Course on WTO Dispute 
Settlement Legal Affairs Division, Appellate Body 
Secretariat, INTAL-IADB (22x4) 88 
Africa (English) Workshop on Government Proc urement Intellectual Property Division, World 
Bank, AfDB, COMESA (50x3) 150 
Arab and Middle 
East countries Workshop on Government Procurement Intellectual Property Division, World 
Bank (38x3) 114 
Asia and Pacific Workshop on Government Procur ement Intellectual Property Division, ADB (58x3) 174 (iv) Government 
Procurement 
Central and Eastern 
Europe and Central Asia Workshop on Government Procurement Intellectual Property Division, World 
Bank (44x3) 132 
Africa (English) Workshop on Market Access Ne gotiations Market Access Division, Economic 
Research and Statistics Division, SADC, COMESA (25x3) 75 
Africa (French) Workshop on Market Access Ne gotiations Market Access Division, Economic 
Research and Statistics Division (28x3)  84 
Arab and Middle 
East countries Workshop on Market Access Negotiations  Market Access Division, Economic 
Research and Statistics Division (19x3)  57 
Asia and Pacific Workshop on Market Access Ne gotiations Market Access Division, Economic 
Research and Statistics Division (37x3)  111 
Caribbean Workshop on Market Access Negotia tions Market Access Division, Economic 
Research and Statistics Division (12x3) 36 
Central and Eastern 
Europe and Central Asia Workshop on Market Access Negotiations  Market Access Division, Economic 
Research and Statistics Division (23x3) 69 (v) Non-Agriculture 
Market Access (NAMA)  
Latin America Workshop on Market Access Nego tiations Market Access Division, Economic 
Research and Statistics Division, ALADI, ECLAC, Mercosur Secretariat, Andean Community Secretariat, 
SIECA, INTAL – IADB (22x3) 66  
  WT/COMTD/W/133
 Page 39Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
Africa (English) WTO rules on RTAs Trade Policy Review Division, 
Regional Secretariats (25x3) 75 
Africa (French) WTO rules on RTAs Trade Policy Review Division, 
Regional Secretariats (28x3) 84 
Asia and Pacific WTO rules on RTAs Trade Policy Review Division, 
Regional Secretariats (37x3) 111 (vi)Regional Trade 
Agreements 
Latin America WTO rules on RTAs Trade Policy Review Division,  
INTAL – IADB, Regional Secretariats (22x3) 66 
Arab and Middle 
East Countries Workshop on Trade Remedies Rules Division (20x4) 80 
Asia and Pacific Workshop on Trade Remedies  Rules Division (30x4) 120 
Central America Workshop on Trade Reme dies Rules Division, SIECA, INTAL – 
IADB (30x4) 120 (vii) Rules  
Central and Eastern 
Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus  Workshop on Trade Remedies Rules Division (24x4) 96 
Africa (English)  Applied training in the SPS Agreement Agriculture and Commodities Division, 
Codex, IPPC, OIE (48x4) 192 
Africa (French) Applied training in the SPS Ag reement Agriculture and Commodities Division, 
Codex, IPPC, OIE (48x4) 192 
Asia Applied training in the SPS Agreement Agriculture and Commodities Division, 
Codex, IPPC, OIE (48x4) 192 
Asia and Pacific Applied training in the SPS Agreement Agriculture and Commodities Division, 
Codex, IPPC, OIE (48x4) 192 (viii) Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) 
Latin America Applied training in the SPS Ag reement Agriculture and Commodities Division, 
Codex, IPPC, OIE, INTAL - IADB (48x4) 192 
(ix) Services; GATS TBC Developments in the rule-making negotiations 
and other relevant issues arising from the 
ongoing services negotiations Services Division (30x3) 90  WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 40 Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
TBC Developments in the rule-making negotiations 
and other relevant issues arising from the 
ongoing services negotiations Services Division (30x3) 90 
Asia and Pacific WTO/PIFS workshop on Trade in Services: 
Developments in the rule-making negotiations 
and other relevant issues arising from the ongoing services negotiations Services Division, PIFS (28x3) 84 (ix) Services; GATS 
Cont'd… 
TBC Developments in the rule-making negotiations 
and other relevant issues arising from the ongoing services negotiations Services Division (30x3) 90 
Africa  Training on the implementation of the TBT 
Agreement and other selected issues Trade and Environment Division. 
SADC, International Organization for Standardization  (ISO) (24x3) 72 
Asia  Training on the implementation of the TBT 
Agreement and other selected issues Trade and Environment Division.  
APEC (34x3) 102 (x) Technical 
Barriers to Trade (TBT)  
Caribbean  Training on the implementation of the TBT 
Agreement and other selected issues Trade and Environment Division.  
CARICOM, INTAL – IADB (24x3) 72 
Africa Post-ATC Environment and DDA Market 
Access negotiations for African countries Textiles Division (47x3) 141 
Asia and Pacific Post-ATC Environment and DDA Market 
Access negotiations for Asia and Pacific  Textiles Division, ASEAN, SAARC, 
ADB  (30x3) 90 
Caribbean Post-ATC Environment and DDA Market 
Access negotiations  for the Caribbean (English) Textiles Division, CARICOM,  
INTAL - IADB (12x3) 36 (xi) Textiles and 
Clothing (ATC) 
Latin America Post-ATC Environment and DDA Market 
Access negotiations  for ALADI countries Textiles Division, INTAL – IADB (12x3) 36 
Africa  Workshop on Trade and Competiti on Policy Intellectual Property Division, 
UNCTAD (53x3)  159 (xii) Trade and 
Competition Policy 
Arab and Middle 
East countries Workshop on Trade and Competition Po licy Intellectual Property Division, 
UNCTAD (19x3)  57  
  WT/COMTD/W/133
 Page 41Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
Asia and Pacific Intensive course on Trade and Competition 
Policy Intellectual Property Division, 
UNCTAD (29x6)  174 (xii) Trade and 
Competition Policy 
Cont'd…  Caribbean Intensive course on Trade and Competition 
Policy Intellectual Property Division, 
UNCTAD;  CARICOM,  INTAL – IADB (12x6)  144 
Africa (English) Trade Policy Course on Special and Differential 
Treatment, LDCs, and Small Economies Development Division (25x3) 75 
Africa (French) Trade Policy Course on Special and Differential 
Treatment, LDCs, and Small Economies Development Division (28x3) 84 (xiii)  Trade and 
Development 
Asia and Pacific Trade Policy Course on Special and Differential 
Treatment, LDCs, and Small Economies Development Division (37x3) 111 
Asia and Pacific Workshop on Trade and Environment  - the 
work of CTE and the negotiations Trade and Environment Division (46x3) 138 
Central and Eastern 
Europe, Central 
Asia and the Caucasus Workshop on Trade and Environment  - the 
work of CTE and the negotiations Trade and Environment Division (46x3) 138 (xiv) Trade and 
Environment 
Latin America and 
the Caribbean Workshop  on Trade and Environment - the 
work of CTE and the negotiations Trade and Environment Division, 
international organizations and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (68x3)  204 
TBC Regional Workshop Trade and Finance Division (30x2) 60 
TBC Regional Workshop Trade and Finance Division (30x2) 60 
TBC Regional Workshop Trade and Finance Division (30x2) 60 (xv) Trade and 
Investment 
TBC Regional Workshop Trade and Finance Division (30x2) 60  WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 42 Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
Africa (English) Workshop on Trade Facilit ation Market Access Division, WCO, 
UNCTAD, SADC, COMESA (25x3) 75 
Africa (French) Workshop on Trade Facilit ation Market Access Division, WCO, 
UNCTAD, COMESA, UEMOA (28x3) 84 
Arab and Middle 
East countries Workshop on Trade Facilitation Ma rket Access Division, WCO, 
UNCTAD (19x3) 57 
Asia and Pacific Workshop on Trade Fac ilitation Market Access Division, WCO, 
UNCTAD, APEC, ASEAN, ADB, ESCAP (37x3) 111 
Caribbean Workshop on Trade Facilita tion Market Access Division, WCO, 
UNCTAD, CARICOM,  INTAL – IADB (12x3) 36 
Central and Eastern 
Europe and Central Asia Workshop on Trade Facilitation Ma rket Access Division, WCO, 
UNCTAD (23x3) 69 (xvi) Trade 
Facilitation  
Latin America Workshop on Trade Facilit ation Market Access Division, WCO, 
UNCTAD, INTAL – IADB (22x3) 66 
Africa (English) Workshop on TRIPS Intellectual Property Division, WIPO, 
WHO, ARIPO (50x3) 150 
Africa (French) Workshop on TRIPS Intellectual Property Division, WIPO, 
WHO, OAPI  (56x3) 168 
Caribbean Workshop on TRIPS Intellectual Property Division, WIPO, 
WHO, CARICOM, INTAL - IADB (28x3) 84 (xvii) Trade-related 
Intellectual Property Rights 
Asia and Pacific WTO/PIFS Sub-regional Workshop on TRIPS Intellectual Property Division, WIPO, 
PIFS (28x3) 84 
SUB-TOTAL VI    7,227 
(d) Trade Negotiations Skills and Techniques 
Africa (English) Intensive course on Tr ade Negotiations Skills ITTC (26x5) 130  
Africa (French) Intensive course on Tr ade Negotiations Skills ITTC (27x5) 135  
  WT/COMTD/W/133
 Page 43Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
Arab and Middle 
East countries Intensive course on Trade Nego tiations Skills ITTC (30x5) 150 
Asia and Pacific Intensive course on Trade Negotia tions Skills ITTC,  Joint WTO/UNESCAP activity. 
ASEAN, SAARC, ADB, FORSEC (37x5) 185 
Caribbean  Intensive course on Trad e Negotiations Skills ITTC (28x5) 140  
Central and Eastern 
Europe, Central 
Asia and Caucasus Intensive course on Trade Nego tiations Skills ITTC (30x5) 150 
SUB-TOTAL VII    890 
(e) Outreach Activities for Par liamentarians and Civil Society 
East-Africa 
(English) Workshop for Parliamentarians  External Relations Division, 
Commonwealth Parliamentary 
Association (CPA) (40x3) 120 
Asia and Pacific Workshop for NGOs External Relations (30x2) 60 
Caribbean Workshop for Parliamentaria ns  External Relations Division, 
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) (40x3) 120 
TBC Workshop for Parliamentarians  Ex ternal Relations Division, Assemblée 
Parlementaire de la Francophonie (40x2) 80  
TBC Workshop for Parliamentarians  External Relations Division,  
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (90x1) 90 
SUB-TOTAL VIII    470  WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 44 Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
C. ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING:  AN INTEGRATED APPROACH 
(i) Regional Trade Policy Courses (see A. (a) (ii))    
Arab and Middle 
East countries WTO Agreements for University Professors ITTC, Economic Research and 
Statistics Division (30x3) 90 (ii) Workshop for 
University 
Professors on WTO Matters Central and Eastern 
Europe and Central 
Asia  WTO Agreements for University Professors ITTC, Economic Research and 
Statistics Division (30x3) 90 
(iii) Support 
Programme for doctoral studies  Support Programme for doctoral stude nts Economic Research and Statistics 
Division, operational divisions 12 x 120 days:  1,440 
(iv) Programme for 
visiting academics   Programme for visiting academics Economic Research and Statistics 
Division, operational divisions  
(v) Research 
collaboration   Research collaboration:  joint research activities 
with academics from developing countries Economic Research and Statistics 
Division  
(vi) Document 
Dissemination 
programme for Universities   Document Dissemination Programme for 
Universities:  the donation of a basic set of 
WTO publications to 20 universities from. ITTC,  Regional Academic Institutions  
SUB-TOTAL IX    1,620 
D. SUPPORT TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FACILITIES 
(a) Geneva-based activities 
Geneva-based 
delegates Symposium on Trade and Environment Trade and Environment Division, other 
relevant divisions and international organizations  
Capital-based 
delegates Workshop on Supplier's Declaration of 
Conformity (SDoC) Trade and Environment Division (120x4)  480 (i) Geneva-based 
Topic-Specific Symposia 
Capital-based 
delegates Workshop on TRIPs and Public Health for 
IP/Trade Officials Intellectual Property Division (25x3) + 75  
  WT/COMTD/W/133
 Page 45Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
Capital-based 
delegates Introduction to GPA for Members in the 
process of accession to the GPA and other GPA 
Observers Intellectual Property Division (36x4) 144 
Geneva-based 
delegates Symposium on Government Procurement Intellectual Property Division  
Capital-based 
delegates Mode-, sector-, and rule-related issued of 
particular relevance for developing countries Trade in Services Division (120x3) 360 
Capital-based 
officials Colloquium for Developing Country Teachers 
of Intellectual Property Intellectual Property Division (jointly 
with WIPO) (20x10)200 
Geneva-based 
delegates Symposium on TRIPS Intellectual Property Division (jointly 
with WIPO, if possible)  
Capital-based 
delegates Workshop on Information Technology 
Agreements Market Access Division (30x2) 60 
Capital-based 
delegates Special Workshop on the SPS Agreement Ag riculture and Commodities Division (50x5) 250 (i) Geneva-based 
Topic-Specific 
Symposia Cont'd… 
Capital-based 
delegates Seminar on Regional Trade Agreements Trade Policy Review Division, 
Regional Secretariats (69x1) 69 
(ii)WTO 
Introduction Days  12th , 13th  and 14th Introduction Days 
(trilingual) ITTC, WTO Divisions (35x3) 105 
 Geneva Week – First Semester  Development Division (30x5) 150 (iii) Other forms of 
Geneva-based support  Geneva Week – Second Semester  Development Division (30x5) 150 
(v) Trainee 
programmes and internships Pro Memoria       
SUB-TOTAL V    2,043 
(b) Activities held in the field 
(i) Trade Policy 
Clinics       WT/COMTD/W/133 
Page 46 Subject/ 
Programme Region/ 
Sub-region Description of the Activity  
WTO Divisions Cooperation with 
other Bodies/Organizations 
  
No. of participants  
x 
days 
(ii) References 
Centres  24 WTO Reference Centres ITTC, Informatics Division, UNCTAD 
and ITC as part of the JITAP (15x3x24) 1,080 
(iii) Technical 
Assistance within the TPRM Framework       
(c) Other Activities 
(i) Assisting 
Beneficiaries in Conducting Needs Assessment         
(ii) Distance 
Learning and Information Technology       (60x10) 600* 
E. INPUTS INTO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS (cf. paragraphs 115-117) 
This includes, inter alia , WTOs participation in IDLO Courses, JVI Activities,  APEC Meetings, Asean, Colombo Plan, SAARC, Rexpaco 
GRAND TOTAL    34,649 
 
PRO MEMORIA:   
  JITAP activities   
  IF activities   
  L-Posts     
   STDF project 2005     
   Obligations under Art. 27.2 of DSU     
 
__________