The UNCTAD TRAINFORTRADE Programme has developed a new training course entitled the "The New Multilateral Framework of International Trade". This course should meet the needs of developing countries and economies-in-transition which have been seeking assistance from UNCTAD for training in international commercial diplomacy, in particular with regard to the results, consequences and opportunities arising from the Uruguay Round.
The course covers both GATT/WTO agreements and negotiating skills and techniques. It seeks to help trade executives and advisers from the private and public sectors to apply the principles of GATT/WTO agreements in the context of their economic environment and contribute to the preparation of national negotiating positions in connection with future multilateral trade negotiations.
The training material includes 23 modules, each composed of a reference document, a set of exercises and case studies, and a trainer´s manual. The latter also includes a computer-assisted presentation of the course.
The validation of the course will take place at a workshop for trainers organized in Kuala Lumpur from 22 to 31 July at the Malaysian Insurance Institute, a training institution of the TRAINFORTRADE network. Trainers from universities and business schools in developed and developing countries of the Asian and Pacific region are expected to attend the workshop.
Supplemented by a basic core course under preparation, the 23 modules could also form the basis for a diploma programme in International Commercial Diplomacy delivered by the TRAINFORTRADE network of associated training institutions. On the other hand, these modules may be used individually or in combination in specialized training courses or seminars, for example on trade in agriculture and textiles.
The course was developed in the framework of a UNDP project for the strengthening of trade capacities in Asia and the Pacific. It is currently available in English only. But the UNCTAD secretariat is seeking ways of financing translations into other United Nations languages. A similar workshop is scheduled to take place this year in Geneva, subject to additional funding.
The TRAINFORTRADE Programme was launched by UNCTAD in 1990 to respond to the increasing demand from developing countries interested in the development of human resources in the field of international trade. Information on the programme can be found on the Internet at:
http://www.unctad.org/trainfortrade
