The Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP) is an inter-regional agreement for preferential South-South trade liberalization, legally covered under the 1979 Enabling Clause of the WTO. Signed in 1988 and entered into force in April 1989, the GSTP currently has 42 member countries. The UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) serves as its Secretariat.
The Committee of Participants is the governing body of the GSTP.
The event will be hosted by the President of the GSTP, H. E. Omar Zniber, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Online registration is mandatory for all those wishing to attend the meeting.
The morning session is open to the attendance of the press.
Programme
| 10:00 a.m | Opening |
| 10:15 a.m | Adoption of the agenda |
| 10:20 a.m | GSTP and the current state of international trade |
| 11:00 a.m | Special session 1: Integrating export-oriented South-South value chains: the Potential to Enhance South-South Trade in Bioeconomy Products (organized by Brazil and the Interamerican Development Bank) |
| 12:00 a.m | Special session 2: Finance, investment and technology as levers of a sustainable GSTP implementation (organized by UNCTAD Secretariat) |
| 1:00–3:00 a.m | Lunch break |
| 3:00 a.m | Follow-up on the third round of GSTP negotiations (“the São Paulo Round”)
|
| 4:00 a.m | Identification of possible areas for future cooperation under GSTP
|
| 4:30 a.m | The work plan for 2026-2028 – Update
|
| 4:45 p.m | Briefing on the GSTP trust fund and other administrative matters |
| 5:00 a.m | Any other business |
| 5:10 a.m | Closing |
| 5:15 p.m | Reception at the Palais des Nations’ Delegates' Restaurant: Lausanne Salon. |
Note
Participation in this meeting is reserved for the delegations of the parties to the GSTP Agreement.* The members of the Group of 77 and China that are not party of the GSTP are welcome to attend as observer.
*Parties to the GSTP Agreement are the following:
Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe and Mercosur.
