WTO Capacity Building Initiative

1.Definition

Japan holds training courses for developing countries, based on their needs, to promote their understandings ofthe existing WTO Agreements and negotiation issues in the new WTO Round.

2. Background

Developing countries have been worried about their lack of capacity to fulfill the obligation set out in WTO Agreements. When Trade Ministers agreed to launch a new WTO Round Negotiation at the Doha WTO Ministerial Conference last November, Ministers clearly committed themselves to WTO-related Capacity Building with a view to promoting the ability of developing countries to participate in the New WTO Round Negotiation.

Japan carries out WTO-related Capacity Building projects in order to build confidence with developing countriesby satisfying their needs and to fulfill Japan's new commitments in the Doha Ministerial Conference.

3. Activities

Japan continues to promote bilateral technical assistance toward ASEAN 4 (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines,and Thailand) and China. This assistance is conducted through JICA's Development Studies Scheme based on "Starategic APEC Plan."

4. Partners

ASEAN 4 (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines, and Thailand) and China