Within the framework of their joint technical assistance programme for Arab countries on World Trade Organization issues and at the request of the Jordanian Government, UNCTAD and UNDP are organizing a national workshop in Amman from 23 to 25 September 1996. This programme is being implemented under the auspices of the Jordanian Ministry of Industry and Trade and in close cooperation with WTO and ESCWA. It is expected that about 50 to 70 officials from both the public and private sectors will participate in the deliberations of the meeting. The issues to be covered will be, among others: The WTO System and the results of the Uruguay Round; Analysis of the Uruguay Round results and assessment of its impact on the trade prospects of Jordan; Accession to the WTO; Ways and means of strengthening the negotiating and institutional capacity of Jordan to participate in the multilateral trading system; GATS and its implication on the Jordanian services sector (including preparation of schedule of commitments on services); Analysis of the Agriculture Agreement (tariffication and non-tariff measures, subsidies, AMS); Implications of the TRIPs Agreement with particular emphasis on the pharmaceutical industry; Textiles and Clothing Agreement with particular emphasis on rules of origin. In addition to experts from UNCTAD, WTO and ESCWA, international consultants will assist in delivering lectures.
The experts at the meeting will also review with the Jordanian National Committee on accession to the World Trade Organization various modalities related to the future negotiations within the WTO.
Parallel to this meeting a seminar is scheduled to take place in Amman on 25 September on the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation agreement.
Similar activities have already been developed by UNCTAD and UNDP in 1995 and 1996 in Morocco, Lebanon, Libya, Bahrain, Sudan, etc. and are expected to be undertaken shortly in Algeria and Yemen.
