RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/LDC/6
24 November 1999
(99-5100)
Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries
INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK FOR TRADE-RELATED ASSISTANCE
TO LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
Report of the 18th Inter-Agency Working Group Meeting,
Geneva, 16-17 November 1999
The Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) met on 16-17 November 1999 at the WTO
Secretariat (list of participants – Attachment 1).  The meeting was chaired by Mr. Chiedu Osakwe,
WTO Coordinator for Least-Developed Countries (LDCs), and its agenda is attached (Attachment 2)
to this report.
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
1. The agenda circulated for the meeting was adopted.
B. ROUND TABLES
2. The IAWG considered reports by participants fr om the various Agencies involved in several
Round Tables namely for Haiti and Tanzania.  The Group considered a status report prepared by theAdministrative Unit on the preparatory state of Round Tables and Multi-Year Programmes in the
40 LDCs that had completed needs assessments.  The Group reviewed in depth and exchanged views
on problems encountered, concerns expressed and considered possible solutions to the problems.
3. The exchange of views made evident several policy issues on which further discussions
would be required by the Group.  These were as follows:
(i) criteria for a factual assessment of the results of Round Tables;
(ii) continuity of government policy and commitment of governments;
(iii) coordination: within governments and private sector, among agencies and bilateral
partners;
(iv) trade policy: should Integrated Framework (IF) assistance and benefits be accorded to
LDCs without coherent trade policies or w ho have not undergone trade policy review;
(v) pledges: non-existent pledges;
(vi) informal pre-Round Table Meetings to boost coordination;
(vii) reach-out measures: should the IAWG reach-out to those LDCs that have been unable
to initiate steps to organize Round Tables.
4. The IAWG considered the issues identified, beginning with establishing a rational set of
criteria for a factual assessment of the results of Round Table Meetings.  Members of the Group feltWT/COMTD/LDC/6
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that several factors would be relevant in such an assessment of the results of Round Tables.  These
would include but not necessarily be limited to:
(a) policy coherence :  the role of trade within the development strategy of a country;
(b) coordination :  amongst different Ministries in government, and between government
and the private sector;
(c) outcome :  multi-year country programmes, and pledges;
(d) post- Round Table follow-up: mechanism installed or established;
(e) ownership  of the IF process by the LDC;
(f) discipline of the Round Table preparatory process :  following the steps and the
procedures, since this generates awareness of the role of trade in development and
need for policy coherence;
(g) donor support for the IF process ;
(i) Synergies amongst the core Agencies .
5. The Group also felt that after each Round Table, at the initiative of the lead agency, the
IAWG would evaluate the results of the Round Tabl e, reach conclusions and share these conclusions
with the beneficiary governments its development partners and Members of the core participating
Agencies.
6. In addition, some practical decisions were taken as a result of the exchange of views on the
status report provided by the Administrative Unit.  The Group authorized the Administrative Unit to:
(i) communicate to the governments of Benin and Burkina Faso, that there would be
merit for holding trade-related Round Tables within the Framework of the IF, in
addition to the JITAP and the UNDP Round Table envisaged;
(ii) report in a formal letter to the 6 core Agencies in the second week of January 2000 on
the status of the Maldives regarding its categorization as an LDC; and,
(iii) prepare a joint proposal on behalf of the si x core Agencies to organize a regional IF
Round Table for the South Pacific Island LDCs.
C. MAINSTREAMING OF ROUND TABLES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
7. The Group considered the merits of including trade-related Round Tables in World Bank
Consultative Group (CG) meetings and UNDP country Round Tables.
8. Participants recognized the need for an appropriate macroeconomic and policy setting to
ensure the effectiveness of trade-related assistance.  Another view was that stand-alone trade-related
Round Tables would assist in emphasising the significance and role of trade in the overall
development strategy of LDCs' governments.  It was felt that mainstreaming as a policy of the IAWG
could be further considered within the context of the IF review.WT/COMTD/LDC/6
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D. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
9. The Administrative Unit requested the six agencies to provide it with the annual update (till
end December 1999) of the status of implementation of the integrated responses .
10. It was agreed that this information would be submitted to the Administrative Unit on or
before end February 2000 .
E. REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL TO THE SEATTLE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE
FOLLOW -UP TO THE HIGH-LEVEL MEETING
11. The IAWG took note of the Report by the Director-General to the Seattle Ministerial
Conference on the follow-up to the High-Level  Meeting (HLM) on LDCs.  The five Agencies
(World Bank, IMF, UNDP, UNCTAD, ITC) had taken note of the Report by the Director-General.
The World Bank, IMF, UNDP and ITC had offered comments which had been taken into account.
F. REVIEW OF THE IF:  E LEMENTS , MODALITIES , TIMING
12. The Group extensively exchanged views on the review of the IF as mandated by paragraph 6
of the High Level Meeting document (WT/LDC/HL/1 /Rev.1).  The exchange of views focused on the
elements on which the review would be based: moda lities – steps – in the review process; and, timing
of the review.
13. The IAWG agreed that the review should, inter alia , focus on the seven elements as follows:
(i) identifying perceptions of the objectives of the IF: views of involved parties;
(ii) evaluation of the IF with regard in particular to:
(iii) process of the IF;
(iv) output;
(v) implementation of integrated responses;
(vi) pledges, indications of assistance, new money;
(vii) impact of the IF:  relevance and role of trade in overall development strategy of
LDCs.
(viii) review of trade-related assistance: instit ution-building, building human and enterprise
capacity and infrastructure;
(ix) policy considerations: mainstreaming, enlargement of the IF, the trade and
macro-economic policy environment;
(x) the administration of the IF; and,
(xi) recommendations for the future.
14. On steps for the review process, it was agreed as follows:
(i) First , the World Bank would select a competent individual of high authority to
provide an initial draft evaluation of the IF.  The evaluator would provide an initialWT/COMTD/LDC/6
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draft on the basis of the elements identified by the IAWG (paragraph 13 (i-vi) of this
Report).  The evaluation would be conducted and a draft prepared in consultation
with the IAWG, LDCs' governments, as appropriate, and the donor community.
[This is subject to a final decision to be made by the Bank];
(ii) Second , the initial draft would be considered and revised, as appropriate, by the
IAWG, at its next meeting in New York, 21-22 March 2000;
(iii) Third , the IAWG would receive instructions from their Agencies on the draft Report;
(iv) Fourth , the Heads or designates of the 6 core Agencies would meet, shortly
thereafter at a convenient time (preferably in April 2000) to consider the draft Report;
and,
(v) Finally , the Report would be forwarded to the General Council of the WTO as well
as to the Governing Bodies of the other 5 core Agencies.
15. Participants felt it was desirable to conclude the review by the end of April 2000, at the latest.
G. ADMINISTRATION OF THE INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT
16. Under this item, the ITC re-affirmed its willingness, as might be necessary, to continue
providing support for the implementation of the IF, in particular providing support for the
Administrative Unit, as it had since June 1998.  Howe ver, it drew attention to problems and concerns.
First, physical space was now a problem at the ITC.  Second, it required urgent assistance from the
other five participating Agencies on finance for administrative support–burden sharing.  No assistance
had been forthcoming from the other Agencies, in this regard.
17. Participants agreed that these were problems of urgent priority.  The Group agreed to include
the in the elements of review the item: daily administration of the IF by the Administrative Unitat ITC.
H. R
EQUESTS FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THE CORE GROUP
18. The IAWG considered the benefits and problems that could arise from enlargement of the
core participating Agencies.  Some felt that enlargement could offer the benefits of additional
resources, improvements in some areas of the IF such as agriculture and supply-side constraints.However, others considered that enlargement, at this time, could be premature and pose problems for
coordination for the IF in this stage of infancy, criteria would have to be established for enlargement,
and there would have to be consensus on the legal authority to decide on enlargement.  The Group
welcomed the participation of Agencies involved in trade-related activities at the country level in the
implementation of the IF.  All views were constructi vely offered in the light of what would enhance
the implementation and achievement of the objectives of the IF.
19. The Group agreed that the question of enlargement should be further considered within the
context of the IF review.
I. O
THER BUSINESS
20. It was agreed that the next meeting would take place in New York at the UNDP Office,
21-22 March 2000.WT/COMTD/LDC/6
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ATTACHMENT 1
Participants at the 18th Meeting of the Inter-Agency Working Group of the IF
16-17 November 1999
Participant Agency Tel/Fax/E-mail
Joseph Michael Finger World Bank +1-202-473 8087/522 1159
JFINGER@WORLDBANK.ORG
Susan Prowse IMF +41-22-918 0300/918 0303
sprowse@imf.org
Georges Chapelier UNDP +1-212-906 6634/906 6471
georges.chapelier@undp.org
Penny Andrea UNDP +41-22-9178539/9178001
penny.andrea@undp.org
Marcel Namfua UNCTAD +41-22-917 5873/917 0044
marcel.namfua@unctad.org
Jean-Maurice Léger WTO +41-22-7395193/7395764
jean-maurice.leger@wto.org
Gloria Bartoli WTO +41-22-739 5886/7395764
gloria.bartoli@wto.org
Chiedu Osakwe WTO +41-22-739 5250/7395774
chiedu.osakwe@wto.org
Ingela Nilsson WTO +41-22-739 5230/7395774
ingela.nilsson@wto.org
Martin V. Dagata ITC +41-22-7300299/730 0570
dagata@intracen.org
Anant Vijay ITC +41-22-7300194/730 0570
vijay@intracen.org
Francesco Geoffroy IF Administrative Unit (ITC) +41-22-7300387/730 0570
geoffroy@intracen.org
Sajal Mathur IF Administrative Unit (WTO) +41-22-7300348/730 0570
mathur@intracen.orgWT/COMTD/LDC/6
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ATTACHMENT 2
Agenda for the 18th Meeting of the Inter Agency Working Group
The 18th Meeting of the Inter-Agency Working Group will be held at the World Trade
Organization, 16-17 November 1999, in Room 3121, at 10 a.m.
The following items are proposed for the agenda:
(a) Adoption of the agenda;
(b) Round Tables:
- status and process;- assistance and preparations;
(c) Mainstreaming of Round Tables and Technical Assistance: exchange of views;(d) Monitoring and Evaluation:
- agency level;
- inter-agency level: integrated responses;
- country level;
- post round table evaluation;
(e) Report by the Director-General, WTO, to the Seattle Ministerial Conference on the
Follow-up to the HLM;
(f) Paragraph 6, Review of the Integrated Framework for trade-related technical
assistance, including for human and institutional capacity-building, to supportLeast-Developed Countries in Their Trade and Trade-Related Activities;
- elements of the review;
- modalities of the review;
- timing of the review;
(g) Administration of the IF:
- operation of the IAWG;- Administrative Unit;
-I F  w e b s i t e ;
(h) Requests for the enlargement of the core group;
(i) Other business.
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