The training aims to strengthen the trade negotiations capacity and skills of Iraqi negotiators and to enable them to better prepare for the next phase of Iraqi WTO accession process.
The work programme covers key GATT/WTO agreements and provisions related to the accession process and negotiations. Under the coaching of UNCTAD the trainees are introduced to the main trade policy components under accession negotiations. A thorough review of Iraqi accession documents including the legal and institutional aspects related to the Foreign Trade Regime will be undertaken. Participants will also be guided through the strategy and technics for the preparation and negotiations in the context of the working party meetings (management of the multilateral track including replies to additional questions by WTO Members) and bilateral negotiations on market access for goods and services (initial offers - Bilateral track).
Expected output:
- Build the capacity of Iraqi senior officials in trade policymaking and the identification of the impact of trade policy on trade, and WTO accession negotiations.
- Build the technical knowledge and capacity of the technical team of the Iraqi Ministry of Trade and other relevant partners for preparing WTO negotiating positions and to benefit from the observership status within the WTO.
- Strength the human and institutional capacity of Iraq to engage in WTO accession negotiations and ensure mainstreaming of WTO accession policy and regulatory reform into modern national trade policy and development frameworks.
Intended participants:
Core negotiating team from the national committee on WTO accession.
Expected results:
- Participants acquired trade negotiations technics and skills.
- WTO accession documents including the draft outline of the initial offer in services reviewed.
- Priority areas for the next phase of the accession process identified.
This training course is organized by UNCTAD in partnership with UN ESCWA, Beirut, which graciously provided the conference facilities and contributed in the delivery of the work programme.
This event has been carried out under a joint UNCTAD/ UNIDO programme funded thanks to the generous contribution from SIDA (Sweden).
