UNCTAD will participate in a national workshop on the strategy for promoting services and on WTO negotiations organized by the Government of Mauritius. The workshop will deliberate on four main issues:

• The six priority services sectors for Mauritius
  
  
• National trade policies to develop services
  
  
• The state of play of WTO services negotiations and appraisal of offers already made
  
  
• A regional strategy for expanding trade in services

This workshop constitutes a response to the needs expressed by African Governments in general - and by Mauritius in particular - to further develop their countries´ analytical capabilities and decision-making capacity in the area of services.

The aim of the workshop is to assist Mauritius to increase the negotiating capacity of the Government officials in the regional forum, and to coordinate their position in the WTO negotiations on the GATS.