MOREPRESS RELEASE
PRESS/272
13 February 2002
(02-0760)
WTO ADOPTS WORK PROGRAMME FOR LDCS
The World Trade Organization's Sub-Comm ittee on Least-Developed Countries agreed
yesterday (12 February 2002) on a work programme for least-developed countries. The work
programme, based on instructions from the Doha Ministerial Declaration, will support LDCs' efforts
to accelerate their trade development.
"I welcome the adoption of the work programme for the LDCs," said Mike Moore, WTO
Director-General. "In the Doha Development Agenda, it was clear that the meaningful integration into
the Multilateral Trading System and the global economy of the LDCs, the non-residents and other
capacity constrained countries, is the greatest challenge that faces the WTO. The adoption of this
work programme sends a powerful and positive message from the Membership of the WTO that the
Doha Development Agenda was not just words but that we intend to implement it seriously."
The work program contains seven broad elements:(1) Market access for LDCs : Trade can be a powerful factor for growth and poverty
reduction in LDCs. Improved market access is therefore important and will depend onall WTO Members who can give better access;
(2) Trade-related technical assistance and capacity building initiatives for LDCs :
The Doha Declaration establishes a firm basis for increased and targeted assistance
for LDCs to enable them to participate fully in the WTO;
(3) Providing, as appropriate, support to agencies assisting with the diversification
of LDCs' production and export base : Measures taken within the mandate of the
WTO in support of Agencies assisting to enhance LDCs' trading capacity are needed
to address supply constraints and make full use of the improvements in accessopportunities;
(4) Mainstreaming, as appropriate, trade-related elements of the LDC-III
Programme of Action : Follow-up is needed to take account of the commitments
made in May 2001, in Brussels, at the Third UN Conference on LDCs;
(5) Participation of LDCs in the Multilateral Trading System : Work in the WTO has
to be further responsive to the needs and particular constraints faced by the LDCs.PRESS/272
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Many LDCs are also non-residents or have capacity-constrained missions. Measures
taken to increase their participation are therefore important;
(6) Accession of LDCs to the WTO : Only 30 of the 49 LDCs are currently Members of
the WTO. In the Doha Declaration, Ministers have called for measures to "facilitate
and accelerate" LDCs accession to the WTO. Nine LDCs are currently at variousstages of their accession process and work should be focused on supporting these
acceding countries; and
(7) Follow-up to WTO Ministerial Decisions/Declarations : action and follow-up is
required to take account of the commitments made in Ministerial
Decisions/Declarations.
END