Capacity Building and Assistance to Comoros and Sudan in Acceding to the WTO

1- WTO Memorandum on foreign trade regime (MFTR) is finalized (Comoros)/Updated in case of Sudan

2- WTO Accession related documents are reviewed and revised

3- Inventory and analysis of existing trade related legislative and regulatory instrument prepared and recommendations formulated, including provision of trade advisory support services

4- Elaboration of “legislative action plan”.

5- Research and compilation of sectoral economic data to prepare the following statutory WTO accession questionnaires and notification documents are completed.

• Comoros: MFTR of finalized and submitted to WTO Secretariat.
• Sudan Advisory and technical mission to Khartoum, conducted by UNCTAD on 20 Jan.2015. Road map on the update of MFTR and other related accession documents agreed during a consultative meeting in presence of the Minister of Trade and Members of the Secretariat of the National Committee on Sudan’s WTO accession.

Deliverable 2:

• Comoros: 160 replies to Questions from WTO Members prepared and reviewed. A validation 2-day national workshop was organized 16-17 Dec. 2014.
• Sudan: A detailed work program indicating activities and documents to be prepared including WTO consistent legislative action plan was discussed and agreed during a national workshop organized by UNCTAD in Khartoum (21-22 Jan.2015)

Deliverable 3:

• Comoros: A revised note on WTO accession process of Comoros in the context of the review of country’s Diagnostic Trade Information Study (DTIS), including a road map and detailed work program for the next phases of the accession process was prepared and delivered to the Ministry of trade.

• Sudan: Recommendations on the update of WTO accession docs were discussed and formulated at the closing of the above mentioned national workshop. Work Programwas submitted to UNCTAD and to the Chair of the AFTIAS to seek fund for the implementation of activities in 2015. Up to date, no action was taken by AFTIAS board on this matter.

• An analytical and strategic paper on the accession of Comoros and Sudan as LDCs under the WTO General Council Decision of Jul.2012 on revised guidelines related to the LDCs accession was prepared and delivered with specific policy and operational recommendations to both countries

Deliverable 4:

• Comoros: UNCTAD provided technical advice to the national team to assist in the compilation of the trade -related legislation and regulations. However, it was felt necessary in view of the scarcity of available data and docs to recruit a national consultant to complete the task. A recommendation to this effect was formulated by UNCTAD in its final report Dec. 2014 but, additional funding under AFTIAS was not granted for 2015 work plan.
• Sudan: Has submitted the legislative action plan on 30 June 2004. An update of the initial document was necessary. A recommendation to this effect was formulated by UNCTAD in its final report Dec. 2014 but, additional funding under AFTIAS was not granted for 2015 work plan.
• Comoros: This work concerning sectoral data was achieved as part of the MFTR drafting and review as well as in the process of the preparation for the replies to WTO Members questions as mentioned under deliverable 2.
• Sudan: submitted most of the notifications (ACC forms on Agriculture, services IP, and TBT/SPS) between 2003 and 2006. Therefore there is a need for updated docs. A recommendation to this effect was formulated by UNCTAD in its final report Dec. 2014 but, additional funding under AFTIAS was not granted for 2015 work plan.

Important delay in the reaction to UNCTAD proposed work plan for activities to take place in the reporting period.

Lesson 2: Comoros :

– Weak institutional and administrative setting to supervise the WTO accession preparatory work

– Slow response from the ministry of trade regarding the implementation of the project activities.

• Comoros is at relatively early stage of its accession negotiation and needs substantive backstopping and capacity building in trade related and WTO issues.
• Sudan has initiated its accession process back in 1994. However for non-trade considerations its accession process is considered as “frozen”. Therefore the nature of the support it needs consists mainly in updating its WTO accession documents and training a new generation of trade negotiators. Additional funding under AFTIAS is needed for the next phases of the accession process of both countries on a priority basis, being LDCs.