BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a7c03e98cb17 DTSTART:20241006T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20241006T150000Z LOCATION:Baghdad\, Iraq SUMMARY:Advisory mission to Baghdad to help Iraq in the preparation for the next phase of WTO accession process CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:The Third meeting of the Working Party (WP) on the accession of Iraq to the WTO was held on 18 July 2024. Consecutively\, the WTO members hip process entered into a new phase that requires substantive technical a nd legal preparations to respond\, on the one hand\, to a wide-ranging que stions formulated during and after the WP by WTO member countries\, as par t of the multilateral examination of the Iraqi trade regime\, and to meet\ , on the other\, their demands related to bilateral tariff concessions and market access for services.This exercise involves\, on the part of Iraq\, the conduct of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory reform to bring into conformity its trade-related legal and institutional frameworks with GATT/WTO rules. In this context\, Iraq has already received a significant number of queries on its foreign trade regime\, as well as on its initial offers in goods and services\, submitted to WTO members on 3 May 2024.In t his regard\, being a developing and a post-conflict nation\, Iraq faces pa rticular challenges to deal with the scope and complexity of the legal and technical obligations associated with WTO accession. The trade officials involved in the accession negotiations generally lack the experience\, exp ertise and skills in trade agreements’ negotiations. Moreover\, the trad e supporting institutions are hardly prepared for such fastidious undertak ing.Against this background\, and the request of the Ministry of Trade of Iraq\, UNCTAD will undertake an advisory mission to Baghdad\, from 6 to 9 October 2024\, to guide and support the officials and negotiators in the o rganization and delivery of the technical preparatory accession-related wo rk\, including replies to WTO members’ clarification questions on the sy stemic issues affecting consistency of the foreign trade regime of Iraq wi th core WTO multilateral agreements.In coordination with the Ministry of T rade\, UNCTAD has drawn up a road map detailing the priority areas of inte rventions and the specific time frames for the completion of the planned a ctivities over the period of October–December 2024.During this advisory mission\, UNCTAD experts are expected to organize a series of interactive sessions and meetings with officials from line ministries and the most con cerned government bodies involved in the WTO accession process to provide them with the required advice and technical support. The list comprises th e following ministries and public institutions: Trade\, Industry\, Agricul ture\, Health\, Planning (Central Organization for Standardization &\; Quality Control)\, Education and Higher Education\, Labor and Social affai rs\, Finance (Central Bank of Iraq and Customs Commission)\, Construction\ , Housing and Municipalities\, Culture\, Tourism and Antiques\, Communicat ion\, Transportation\, Environment and the National Investment Commission. UNCTAD support to Iraq aims\, ultimately\, at developing and upgrading nat ional trade-related capacity\, strengthening the national ownership of the development strategy and priorities of Iraq. Its accession bid should be construed as part of the government’s strive for peaceful society\, stab ility\, development sustainability and inclusiveness.<\;p>\;The Third meeting of the Working Party (WP) on the accession of Iraq to the WTO was held on 18 July 2024. Consecutively\, the WTO membership process entered i nto a new phase that requires substantive technical and legal preparations to respond\, on the one hand\, to a wide-ranging questions formulated dur ing and after the WP by WTO member countries\, as part of the multilateral examination of the Iraqi trade regime\, and to meet\, on the other\, thei r demands related to bilateral tariff concessions and market access for se rvices.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;This exercise involves\, on the part of Iraq \,the conduct of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory reform to brin g into conformity its trade-related legal and institutional frameworks wit h GATT/WTO rules. In this context\, Iraq has already received a significan t number of queries on its foreign trade regime\, as well as on its initia l offers in goods and services\, submitted to WTO members on 3 May 2024.&l t\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In this regard\, being a developing and a post-confli ct nation\, Iraq faces particular challenges to deal with the scope and co mplexity of the legal and technical obligations associated with WTO access ion. The trade officials involved in the accession negotiations generally lack the experience\, expertise and skills in trade agreements’ negotiat ions. Moreover\, the trade supporting institutions are hardly prepared for such fastidious undertaking.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Against this backgroun d\, and the request of the Ministry of Trade of Iraq\, UNCTAD will underta ke an advisory mission to Baghdad\, from 6 to 9 October 2024\, to guide an d support the officials and negotiators in the organization and delivery o f the technical preparatory accession-related work\, including replies to WTO members’ clarification questions on the systemic issues affecting co nsistency of the foreign trade regime of Iraq with core WTO multilateral a greements.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In coordination with the Ministry of Trad e\, UNCTAD has drawn up a road map detailing the priority areas of interve ntions and the specific time frames for the completion of the planned acti vities over the period of October–December 2024.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;D uring this advisory mission\, UNCTAD experts are expected to organize a se ries of interactive sessions and meetings with officials from line ministr ies and the most concerned government bodies involved in the WTO accession process to provide them with the required advice and technical support. T he list comprises the following ministries and public institutions: Trade\ , Industry\, Agriculture\, Health\, Planning (Central Organization for Sta ndardization &\;amp\; Quality Control)\, Education and Higher Education \, Labor and Social affairs\, Finance (Central Bank of Iraq and Customs Co mmission)\, Construction\, Housing and Municipalities\, Culture\, Tourism and Antiques\, Communication\, Transportation\, Environment and the Nation al Investment Commission.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;UNCTAD support to Iraq aim s\, ultimately\, at developing and upgrading national trade-related capaci ty\, strengthening the national ownership of the development strategy and priorities of Iraq. Its accession bid should be construed as part of the g overnment’s strive for peaceful society\, stability\, development sustai nability and inclusiveness.<\;/p>\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhtt ps://unctad.org/meeting/advisory-mission-baghdad-help-iraq-preparation-nex t-phase-wto-accession-process DTSTAMP:20260812T052601Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a7c03e98cb3d DTSTART:20241007T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20241007T150000Z LOCATION:Baghdad\, Iraq SUMMARY:Advisory mission to Baghdad to help Iraq in the preparation for the next phase of WTO accession process CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:The Third meeting of the Working Party (WP) on the accession of Iraq to the WTO was held on 18 July 2024. Consecutively\, the WTO members hip process entered into a new phase that requires substantive technical a nd legal preparations to respond\, on the one hand\, to a wide-ranging que stions formulated during and after the WP by WTO member countries\, as par t of the multilateral examination of the Iraqi trade regime\, and to meet\ , on the other\, their demands related to bilateral tariff concessions and market access for services.This exercise involves\, on the part of Iraq\, the conduct of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory reform to bring into conformity its trade-related legal and institutional frameworks with GATT/WTO rules. In this context\, Iraq has already received a significant number of queries on its foreign trade regime\, as well as on its initial offers in goods and services\, submitted to WTO members on 3 May 2024.In t his regard\, being a developing and a post-conflict nation\, Iraq faces pa rticular challenges to deal with the scope and complexity of the legal and technical obligations associated with WTO accession. The trade officials involved in the accession negotiations generally lack the experience\, exp ertise and skills in trade agreements’ negotiations. Moreover\, the trad e supporting institutions are hardly prepared for such fastidious undertak ing.Against this background\, and the request of the Ministry of Trade of Iraq\, UNCTAD will undertake an advisory mission to Baghdad\, from 6 to 9 October 2024\, to guide and support the officials and negotiators in the o rganization and delivery of the technical preparatory accession-related wo rk\, including replies to WTO members’ clarification questions on the sy stemic issues affecting consistency of the foreign trade regime of Iraq wi th core WTO multilateral agreements.In coordination with the Ministry of T rade\, UNCTAD has drawn up a road map detailing the priority areas of inte rventions and the specific time frames for the completion of the planned a ctivities over the period of October–December 2024.During this advisory mission\, UNCTAD experts are expected to organize a series of interactive sessions and meetings with officials from line ministries and the most con cerned government bodies involved in the WTO accession process to provide them with the required advice and technical support. The list comprises th e following ministries and public institutions: Trade\, Industry\, Agricul ture\, Health\, Planning (Central Organization for Standardization &\; Quality Control)\, Education and Higher Education\, Labor and Social affai rs\, Finance (Central Bank of Iraq and Customs Commission)\, Construction\ , Housing and Municipalities\, Culture\, Tourism and Antiques\, Communicat ion\, Transportation\, Environment and the National Investment Commission. UNCTAD support to Iraq aims\, ultimately\, at developing and upgrading nat ional trade-related capacity\, strengthening the national ownership of the development strategy and priorities of Iraq. Its accession bid should be construed as part of the government’s strive for peaceful society\, stab ility\, development sustainability and inclusiveness.<\;p>\;The Third meeting of the Working Party (WP) on the accession of Iraq to the WTO was held on 18 July 2024. Consecutively\, the WTO membership process entered i nto a new phase that requires substantive technical and legal preparations to respond\, on the one hand\, to a wide-ranging questions formulated dur ing and after the WP by WTO member countries\, as part of the multilateral examination of the Iraqi trade regime\, and to meet\, on the other\, thei r demands related to bilateral tariff concessions and market access for se rvices.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;This exercise involves\, on the part of Iraq \,the conduct of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory reform to brin g into conformity its trade-related legal and institutional frameworks wit h GATT/WTO rules. In this context\, Iraq has already received a significan t number of queries on its foreign trade regime\, as well as on its initia l offers in goods and services\, submitted to WTO members on 3 May 2024.&l t\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In this regard\, being a developing and a post-confli ct nation\, Iraq faces particular challenges to deal with the scope and co mplexity of the legal and technical obligations associated with WTO access ion. The trade officials involved in the accession negotiations generally lack the experience\, expertise and skills in trade agreements’ negotiat ions. Moreover\, the trade supporting institutions are hardly prepared for such fastidious undertaking.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Against this backgroun d\, and the request of the Ministry of Trade of Iraq\, UNCTAD will underta ke an advisory mission to Baghdad\, from 6 to 9 October 2024\, to guide an d support the officials and negotiators in the organization and delivery o f the technical preparatory accession-related work\, including replies to WTO members’ clarification questions on the systemic issues affecting co nsistency of the foreign trade regime of Iraq with core WTO multilateral a greements.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In coordination with the Ministry of Trad e\, UNCTAD has drawn up a road map detailing the priority areas of interve ntions and the specific time frames for the completion of the planned acti vities over the period of October–December 2024.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;D uring this advisory mission\, UNCTAD experts are expected to organize a se ries of interactive sessions and meetings with officials from line ministr ies and the most concerned government bodies involved in the WTO accession process to provide them with the required advice and technical support. T he list comprises the following ministries and public institutions: Trade\ , Industry\, Agriculture\, Health\, Planning (Central Organization for Sta ndardization &\;amp\; Quality Control)\, Education and Higher Education \, Labor and Social affairs\, Finance (Central Bank of Iraq and Customs Co mmission)\, Construction\, Housing and Municipalities\, Culture\, Tourism and Antiques\, Communication\, Transportation\, Environment and the Nation al Investment Commission.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;UNCTAD support to Iraq aim s\, ultimately\, at developing and upgrading national trade-related capaci ty\, strengthening the national ownership of the development strategy and priorities of Iraq. Its accession bid should be construed as part of the g overnment’s strive for peaceful society\, stability\, development sustai nability and inclusiveness.<\;/p>\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhtt ps://unctad.org/meeting/advisory-mission-baghdad-help-iraq-preparation-nex t-phase-wto-accession-process DTSTAMP:20260812T052601Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a7c03e98cb46 DTSTART:20241008T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20241008T150000Z LOCATION:Baghdad\, Iraq SUMMARY:Advisory mission to Baghdad to help Iraq in the preparation for the next phase of WTO accession process CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:The Third meeting of the Working Party (WP) on the accession of Iraq to the WTO was held on 18 July 2024. Consecutively\, the WTO members hip process entered into a new phase that requires substantive technical a nd legal preparations to respond\, on the one hand\, to a wide-ranging que stions formulated during and after the WP by WTO member countries\, as par t of the multilateral examination of the Iraqi trade regime\, and to meet\ , on the other\, their demands related to bilateral tariff concessions and market access for services.This exercise involves\, on the part of Iraq\, the conduct of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory reform to bring into conformity its trade-related legal and institutional frameworks with GATT/WTO rules. In this context\, Iraq has already received a significant number of queries on its foreign trade regime\, as well as on its initial offers in goods and services\, submitted to WTO members on 3 May 2024.In t his regard\, being a developing and a post-conflict nation\, Iraq faces pa rticular challenges to deal with the scope and complexity of the legal and technical obligations associated with WTO accession. The trade officials involved in the accession negotiations generally lack the experience\, exp ertise and skills in trade agreements’ negotiations. Moreover\, the trad e supporting institutions are hardly prepared for such fastidious undertak ing.Against this background\, and the request of the Ministry of Trade of Iraq\, UNCTAD will undertake an advisory mission to Baghdad\, from 6 to 9 October 2024\, to guide and support the officials and negotiators in the o rganization and delivery of the technical preparatory accession-related wo rk\, including replies to WTO members’ clarification questions on the sy stemic issues affecting consistency of the foreign trade regime of Iraq wi th core WTO multilateral agreements.In coordination with the Ministry of T rade\, UNCTAD has drawn up a road map detailing the priority areas of inte rventions and the specific time frames for the completion of the planned a ctivities over the period of October–December 2024.During this advisory mission\, UNCTAD experts are expected to organize a series of interactive sessions and meetings with officials from line ministries and the most con cerned government bodies involved in the WTO accession process to provide them with the required advice and technical support. The list comprises th e following ministries and public institutions: Trade\, Industry\, Agricul ture\, Health\, Planning (Central Organization for Standardization &\; Quality Control)\, Education and Higher Education\, Labor and Social affai rs\, Finance (Central Bank of Iraq and Customs Commission)\, Construction\ , Housing and Municipalities\, Culture\, Tourism and Antiques\, Communicat ion\, Transportation\, Environment and the National Investment Commission. UNCTAD support to Iraq aims\, ultimately\, at developing and upgrading nat ional trade-related capacity\, strengthening the national ownership of the development strategy and priorities of Iraq. Its accession bid should be construed as part of the government’s strive for peaceful society\, stab ility\, development sustainability and inclusiveness.<\;p>\;The Third meeting of the Working Party (WP) on the accession of Iraq to the WTO was held on 18 July 2024. Consecutively\, the WTO membership process entered i nto a new phase that requires substantive technical and legal preparations to respond\, on the one hand\, to a wide-ranging questions formulated dur ing and after the WP by WTO member countries\, as part of the multilateral examination of the Iraqi trade regime\, and to meet\, on the other\, thei r demands related to bilateral tariff concessions and market access for se rvices.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;This exercise involves\, on the part of Iraq \,the conduct of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory reform to brin g into conformity its trade-related legal and institutional frameworks wit h GATT/WTO rules. In this context\, Iraq has already received a significan t number of queries on its foreign trade regime\, as well as on its initia l offers in goods and services\, submitted to WTO members on 3 May 2024.&l t\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In this regard\, being a developing and a post-confli ct nation\, Iraq faces particular challenges to deal with the scope and co mplexity of the legal and technical obligations associated with WTO access ion. The trade officials involved in the accession negotiations generally lack the experience\, expertise and skills in trade agreements’ negotiat ions. Moreover\, the trade supporting institutions are hardly prepared for such fastidious undertaking.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Against this backgroun d\, and the request of the Ministry of Trade of Iraq\, UNCTAD will underta ke an advisory mission to Baghdad\, from 6 to 9 October 2024\, to guide an d support the officials and negotiators in the organization and delivery o f the technical preparatory accession-related work\, including replies to WTO members’ clarification questions on the systemic issues affecting co nsistency of the foreign trade regime of Iraq with core WTO multilateral a greements.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In coordination with the Ministry of Trad e\, UNCTAD has drawn up a road map detailing the priority areas of interve ntions and the specific time frames for the completion of the planned acti vities over the period of October–December 2024.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;D uring this advisory mission\, UNCTAD experts are expected to organize a se ries of interactive sessions and meetings with officials from line ministr ies and the most concerned government bodies involved in the WTO accession process to provide them with the required advice and technical support. T he list comprises the following ministries and public institutions: Trade\ , Industry\, Agriculture\, Health\, Planning (Central Organization for Sta ndardization &\;amp\; Quality Control)\, Education and Higher Education \, Labor and Social affairs\, Finance (Central Bank of Iraq and Customs Co mmission)\, Construction\, Housing and Municipalities\, Culture\, Tourism and Antiques\, Communication\, Transportation\, Environment and the Nation al Investment Commission.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;UNCTAD support to Iraq aim s\, ultimately\, at developing and upgrading national trade-related capaci ty\, strengthening the national ownership of the development strategy and priorities of Iraq. Its accession bid should be construed as part of the g overnment’s strive for peaceful society\, stability\, development sustai nability and inclusiveness.<\;/p>\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhtt ps://unctad.org/meeting/advisory-mission-baghdad-help-iraq-preparation-nex t-phase-wto-accession-process DTSTAMP:20260812T052601Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a7c03e98cb4e DTSTART:20241009T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20241009T150000Z LOCATION:Baghdad\, Iraq SUMMARY:Advisory mission to Baghdad to help Iraq in the preparation for the next phase of WTO accession process CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:The Third meeting of the Working Party (WP) on the accession of Iraq to the WTO was held on 18 July 2024. Consecutively\, the WTO members hip process entered into a new phase that requires substantive technical a nd legal preparations to respond\, on the one hand\, to a wide-ranging que stions formulated during and after the WP by WTO member countries\, as par t of the multilateral examination of the Iraqi trade regime\, and to meet\ , on the other\, their demands related to bilateral tariff concessions and market access for services.This exercise involves\, on the part of Iraq\, the conduct of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory reform to bring into conformity its trade-related legal and institutional frameworks with GATT/WTO rules. In this context\, Iraq has already received a significant number of queries on its foreign trade regime\, as well as on its initial offers in goods and services\, submitted to WTO members on 3 May 2024.In t his regard\, being a developing and a post-conflict nation\, Iraq faces pa rticular challenges to deal with the scope and complexity of the legal and technical obligations associated with WTO accession. The trade officials involved in the accession negotiations generally lack the experience\, exp ertise and skills in trade agreements’ negotiations. Moreover\, the trad e supporting institutions are hardly prepared for such fastidious undertak ing.Against this background\, and the request of the Ministry of Trade of Iraq\, UNCTAD will undertake an advisory mission to Baghdad\, from 6 to 9 October 2024\, to guide and support the officials and negotiators in the o rganization and delivery of the technical preparatory accession-related wo rk\, including replies to WTO members’ clarification questions on the sy stemic issues affecting consistency of the foreign trade regime of Iraq wi th core WTO multilateral agreements.In coordination with the Ministry of T rade\, UNCTAD has drawn up a road map detailing the priority areas of inte rventions and the specific time frames for the completion of the planned a ctivities over the period of October–December 2024.During this advisory mission\, UNCTAD experts are expected to organize a series of interactive sessions and meetings with officials from line ministries and the most con cerned government bodies involved in the WTO accession process to provide them with the required advice and technical support. The list comprises th e following ministries and public institutions: Trade\, Industry\, Agricul ture\, Health\, Planning (Central Organization for Standardization &\; Quality Control)\, Education and Higher Education\, Labor and Social affai rs\, Finance (Central Bank of Iraq and Customs Commission)\, Construction\ , Housing and Municipalities\, Culture\, Tourism and Antiques\, Communicat ion\, Transportation\, Environment and the National Investment Commission. UNCTAD support to Iraq aims\, ultimately\, at developing and upgrading nat ional trade-related capacity\, strengthening the national ownership of the development strategy and priorities of Iraq. Its accession bid should be construed as part of the government’s strive for peaceful society\, stab ility\, development sustainability and inclusiveness.<\;p>\;The Third meeting of the Working Party (WP) on the accession of Iraq to the WTO was held on 18 July 2024. Consecutively\, the WTO membership process entered i nto a new phase that requires substantive technical and legal preparations to respond\, on the one hand\, to a wide-ranging questions formulated dur ing and after the WP by WTO member countries\, as part of the multilateral examination of the Iraqi trade regime\, and to meet\, on the other\, thei r demands related to bilateral tariff concessions and market access for se rvices.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;This exercise involves\, on the part of Iraq \,the conduct of a comprehensive legislative and regulatory reform to brin g into conformity its trade-related legal and institutional frameworks wit h GATT/WTO rules. In this context\, Iraq has already received a significan t number of queries on its foreign trade regime\, as well as on its initia l offers in goods and services\, submitted to WTO members on 3 May 2024.&l t\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In this regard\, being a developing and a post-confli ct nation\, Iraq faces particular challenges to deal with the scope and co mplexity of the legal and technical obligations associated with WTO access ion. The trade officials involved in the accession negotiations generally lack the experience\, expertise and skills in trade agreements’ negotiat ions. Moreover\, the trade supporting institutions are hardly prepared for such fastidious undertaking.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Against this backgroun d\, and the request of the Ministry of Trade of Iraq\, UNCTAD will underta ke an advisory mission to Baghdad\, from 6 to 9 October 2024\, to guide an d support the officials and negotiators in the organization and delivery o f the technical preparatory accession-related work\, including replies to WTO members’ clarification questions on the systemic issues affecting co nsistency of the foreign trade regime of Iraq with core WTO multilateral a greements.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In coordination with the Ministry of Trad e\, UNCTAD has drawn up a road map detailing the priority areas of interve ntions and the specific time frames for the completion of the planned acti vities over the period of October–December 2024.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;D uring this advisory mission\, UNCTAD experts are expected to organize a se ries of interactive sessions and meetings with officials from line ministr ies and the most concerned government bodies involved in the WTO accession process to provide them with the required advice and technical support. T he list comprises the following ministries and public institutions: Trade\ , Industry\, Agriculture\, Health\, Planning (Central Organization for Sta ndardization &\;amp\; Quality Control)\, Education and Higher Education \, Labor and Social affairs\, Finance (Central Bank of Iraq and Customs Co mmission)\, Construction\, Housing and Municipalities\, Culture\, Tourism and Antiques\, Communication\, Transportation\, Environment and the Nation al Investment Commission.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;UNCTAD support to Iraq aim s\, ultimately\, at developing and upgrading national trade-related capaci ty\, strengthening the national ownership of the development strategy and priorities of Iraq. Its accession bid should be construed as part of the g overnment’s strive for peaceful society\, stability\, development sustai nability and inclusiveness.<\;/p>\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhtt ps://unctad.org/meeting/advisory-mission-baghdad-help-iraq-preparation-nex t-phase-wto-accession-process DTSTAMP:20260812T052601Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR