UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in collaboration with Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, is organizing a high-level workshop on “Post-MC14 Realities for LDCs: Strategies and Priorities for the WTO LDC Group.”
Held in a hybrid format, this event will bring together policymakers, LDC delegates, international experts, and development partners to reflect on the outcomes of the Fourteenth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) and to identify strategic priorities for least developed countries (LDCs) in the evolving global trading landscape.
Taking place at a time of increasing uncertainty in the multilateral trading system, the workshop will provide a platform for forward-looking discussions on how LDCs can position themselves effectively in the post-MC14 context.
Key themes to be addressed include:
LDC priorities following MC14, including expectations, outcomes, and next steps;
Smooth graduation and Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT), with a focus on usage, impacts, and policy implications;
Emerging challenges from unilateral, bilateral, and plurilateral trade initiatives, and their implications for LDCs;
Trade in services as a driver of diversification and productive capacity, including digital trade and new areas of engagement; and
Strategic positioning of LDCs in a changing global trade environment, including issues beyond traditional S&DT.
The workshop will feature a series of high-level panel discussions and roundtables with leading experts from international organizations, academia, and policy institutions, providing diverse perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing LDCs.
This event builds on a technical workshop held on 5 May 2026 for the WTO LDC Group, and forms part of UNCTAD’s ongoing support to strengthen the analytical and negotiating capacity of LDCs in the multilateral trading system.
The workshop is open to invited participants and a wider audience, and will be held in hybrid format.
