Expert Group Meeting for Least Developed Countries on the Preparation for
the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, Bali, Indonesia
11–12 November 2013
Programme
Room XI
Palais des Nations, Geneva
Day 1: Monday, 11 November 2013
Opening Session
8–9 a.m.
Registration
10–10.15 a.m.
Welcome statement by Mr. Seraphin Lissassi, Ambassador, Benin, and
Coordinator for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
10.15–10.30 a.m.
Opening statement by Mr. Taffere Tesfachw, Director, Division for
Africa, LDCs and Special Programmes, UNCTAD
10.30–10.45 a.m.
Opening remarks by Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi, Ambassador, Nepal
Item 1
The current status of LDC package for the Bali World Trade
Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference: Challenges and
opportunities for LDCs
This session is intended to provide an overview of negotiations of the LDC package on the
road to Bali WTO Ministerial Conference
Moderator
Mr. Taffere Tesfachw, Director, Division for Africa, LDCs and Special
Programmes (ALDC)
10.45–11 a.m.
Policy challenges and opportunities for LDCs on the way to Bali, Mr.
Hari Odari, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Nepal, Geneva,
Switzerland
11–11.45 a.m.
The viewpoint of a practitioner on the way to Bali, by Mr. Craig Van
Grasstek, President, Washington Trade Reporter
11.45 a.m.–1 p.m. Interactive discussions
(Lunch break)
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Item 2:
The duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) and rules of origin commitment:
Status of implementation on the way to Doha and current negotiations
This session is intended to provide a detailed information on the key issues surrounding
the implementation of the DFQF commitment and the LDC proposal on rules of origin
Moderator
Mr. Taffere Tesfachw, Director, Division for Africa, LDCs and Special
Programmes (ALDC)
3–3.50 p.m.
The missing part of the DFQF: What remains to be achieved?
– Permanent Mission of Nepal
– UNCTAD
– Washington Trade Reporter
Mr. Hari Hodari
Mr. Stefano Inama
Mr. Craig Van Grasstek
3.50–4.10 p.m.
Presentation of the rules of origin proposal, by Mr. Stefano Inama,
UNCTAD
4.10–5.10 p.m.
The point of view of the preference-giving countries:
 Representative from the United States of America
 Mrs. Oksana Zikuna, European Union Trade Commission
 Mr. Liu Ping, First Secretary, Delegation of China at WTO
5.10–6.00 p.m.
Interactive discussion and summing-up by a moderator
Day 2: Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Item 3:
The operationalization of the services waiver and the cotton issue
This session will focus on the modalities that have been discussed so far to make operational and meaningful
the services waiver and the issues that LDCS are raising in the context of cotton
Moderator
Mr. Craig van Grasstek, President, Washington Trade Reporter
10–10.30 a.m.
The LDC position on the service waiver, by Mr. Bijoy Bhattacharjee,
Minister, Economic Affairs, Permanent Mission of Bangladesh,
Geneva, Switzerland
10.30–10.45 a.m.
Possible modalities on the operationalization of the services waiver
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Presentation by:
 Ms. Natasha Ward, Consultant
 Mr. Pierre Sauvé, Director, External Programmes and Academic
Partnerships, World Trade Institute, Bern, Switzerland
10.45–11.30 a.m. Interactive session
11.30 a.m.–12 p.m. The cotton proposal, by the Ambassador of Benin
12–12.15 p.m.
A view from another perspective (To be confirmed)
12.15–1 p.m.
Interactive session
This session will focus on the other issues that may be relevant in a dynamic LDC agenda
such as trade facilitation and what are the overall prospects of an LDC package in Bali,
Indonesia, and beyond
3.00–3.20 p.m.
The LDC position on the trade facilitation negotiations: The LDC view,
by Ms. Pilli Mutani, Minister, Economic Affairs, Permanent Mission of
the United Republic of Tanzania
3.20–4 p.m.
A voice from the region, by Mr. Mark Pearson, Programme Director,
Trade Mark Southern Africa
A view from another perspective, by Ms. Moono Mupotola, Division
Manager, Regional Integration and Trade, African Development Bank
4–4.30 p.m.
Interactive discussions
Consideration of the possible outcome of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali,
Indonesia, on key issues of interest to LDCs
4.30–6 p.m.
Comments and discussions by the panel of experts and participants
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