The World Trade Organization (WTO) has launched an online portal on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, to allow individuals to apply online for trade-related technical assistance and training activities.
The new online tool is available via the WTO’s Technical Assistance Management System, which contains information on the targeted audience for each activity and the eligible candidates.
Deputy Director-General Yonov Frederick Agah, who oversees development matters in the WTO, stated that the new online platform will make it easier for trade officials to acquire new skills that will help them participate fully in trade. The courses are designed to help government officials and others, such as parliamentarians, strengthen their understanding of trade-related issues.
“The WTO Secretariat is continuing its efforts to modernize the design and enhance the flexibility of the Technical Assistance Management System. This new portal will allow trade officials to apply directly for the WTO’s technical assistance and training activities, which will help them acquire the essential skills and knowledge to effectively participate in international trade”
Agah
A Cuban, Armando Enrique Pelaez, who participated in the Young Professionals Programme in 2020 also shared his views on the essence of the new online portal.
“The new interface will be a useful tool to ease future participants’ access to the WTO’s planned activities, thus contributing to enhancing the effectiveness of the system. Technical assistance activities are essential to help us build the necessary expertise to carry out our functions at the highest standards”
Armando Enrique Pelaez.
Technical assistance activities aim to help developing countries take full advantage of the multilateral trading system. Within the WTO Secretariat, these activities are coordinated by the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC), based on technical assistance and training plans. The Committee on Trade and Development regularly oversees all TRTA activities.
The WTO’s technical assistance and training plans contain detailed information on all of the WTO Secretariat’s TA “products” as well as on individual activities. The WTO responds to specific national and regional needs in line with its Progressive Learning Strategy, which provides graduated levels of training to course participants. A results-based management approach is used to monitor and evaluate these activities and to further develop the assistance provided.
The changing needs of WTO members continue to determine the type of assistance provided. These needs are expressed, for example, through members’ national activity requests. Global trade developments also guide TA activities delivered at a regional or global level. Ensuring that technical assistance responds to members’ needs is the main priority of the Secretariat.
The Technical Assistance Plan for 2020-21 aims to help: government officials implement WTO agreements and make full use of members’ rights; governments negotiating WTO membership participate in accession negotiations; members access the most relevant trade information so that they can better enforce their rights and obligations; members of parliament, journalists and civil society learn more about WTO activities; and students and academic institutions supported by the WTO gain a better understanding of trade policy and WTO subjects.
The aim is to strengthen trade capacity in the following areas: trade policy formulation and implementation; compliance with WTO obligations; the exercising of WTO rights; and WTO-related trade negotiations.
