RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/COMTD/LLDC/W/5
28April 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1819)
Original: English Sub-Committee onLeast-Developed Countries
Sixth (Special) Session
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ONLEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES:
COMMUNICATION FROM CANADA
Thefollowing communication fromthePermanent Mission ofCanada wasdistributed inthe
meeting oftheSub-Committee onLeast-Developed Countries on18April 1997.
___________________________
High-Level Meeting/Critical Path
Supply ofTrade-related Technical Assistance
Immediately
Letters senttoallrelevant multilateral,
regional institutions, anddonor governments,
asking them tosubmit background papers
outlining nature, amount, andbeneficiaries of
trade-related technical assistance, aswellto
outline from theirperspective keyelements of
more integrated approach toprovision of
trade-related technical assistance. OECD
DAC Secretariat toberequested toprovide
outline ofdiffering approaches tothe
provision oftrade-related technical assistance
itsmembers undertake: 30MayDemand forTrade-related Technical
Assistance
WTO/World Bank tocoordinate compilation
oftrade-related technical assistance needs of,
onpriority basis, least-developed countries
already Members ofWTO, followed bynon-
WTO Members. Technical assistance to
assess needs tobeprovided onanas
needed/requested basis.
Preliminary needs assessments due30May;
small number ofcountries more advanced in
needs assessment chosen asrepresentative for
workshop round table.
Papers onmarket access (WTO lead) andinvestment (UNCTAD lead) begun due30May.
2-21June
Co-organizing institutions compile anddistribute background papers andannotated agenda.
26-27 June orearly July
Preparatory intergovernmental workshop; experts fromregional andmultilateral institutions,
tradeministries andaidagencies toattend. Round tables provide learning experience torefine further
theneeds assessments ofallleast-developed countries involved inthehigh-level conference. Gaps
./.WT/COMTD/LLDC/W/5
Page2
andoverlap/duplication identified insupply oftrade-related technical assistance, andfirstdiscussion
onkeyelements ofintegrated provision oftechnical assistance takes place. Papers onmarket access
andinvestment/role ofprivate sector alsoavailable forthese workshop sessions.
30September
Final, refined needs assessments ofallparticipating least-developed countries distributed to
all"suppliers" oftechnical assistance. Development offinalproposals fostering integrated approach
toimproving trading opportunities ofleast-developed countries.
20-21 October1
High-Level Meeting.
1TheSub-Committee onLeast-Developed Countries subsequently agreed toholdtheHigh-Level Meeting
on27-28 October 1997 (WT/COMTD/LLDC/M/6).