Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for LDCs:Time to Reconsider

In the run up to the Hong Kong (HK) Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), growing attention has been paid to the needs of developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs) many of whom face depend persistent poverty and indebtedness. Judging from the draft Ministerial Text submitted by Chairman of the General Council (GC) and the Director-General (DG) to the WTO members in anticipation of the HK Ministerial Meeting, the concern about the plight of the LDCs seems to have increased considerably. There is a need for initiating measures to improve the trade related technical assistance (TRTA) and trade related capacity building (TRCB). While calling for improved aid is laudable and urgently needed, at the same time member countries should take a step back and reflect on what has been done so far in the name of TRTA in order to reach an agreement on TRTA at the HK Ministerial Meeting which will have sufficient chances of actually leading to sustained improvement of living conditions in the LDCs.