| LDC trade ministers meeting - draft agenda |
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DAY 1: Senior Officials Meeting
08.00 – 09.00 Registration
09.00 – 09.30 Opening Session
Opening Address by Honourable Popane Lebesa MP, Minister of Trade and Industry, Cooperatives and Marketing, Lesotho and Co-ordinator of the WTO LDC Group
09.30 – 10.30 Session I: Overview of the Process and Negotiation Issues
Presentation by the LDCs Co-ordinator of the Geneva based LDCs Ambassadors. The Co-ordinator will, from the perspective of the LDC Group in Geneva, provide a broad overview of the Doha development agenda negotiation process and related issues this will include the main issues for LDCs and the main constraints to making progress in the DDA.
10.30 – 11.00 Tea/Coffee
11.00 – 12.30 Session II: Agriculture
As an introduction to this issue, a paper will be presented highlighting the key negotiation issues of interest to the LDCs Group, the current state of negotiations and possible strategies and approaches for the period leading to the conclusion of the negotiating modalities. The meeting will discuss in detail the elements of the Agriculture Framework and ways to safeguard LDCs interests in the negotiations process, particularly with regard to their developmental needs and special and differential treatment provisions.
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 15.00 Session III: Non-Agricultural Market Access
There will be a presentation on the main issues of relevance to LDCs in NAMA. Discussions on this issue will identify and assess progress in the negotiations on the NAMA modalities. These aspects include the formula and flexibilities, Duty Free Quota Free Market Access, Rules of Origin and Special and Differential Treatment for developing countries, Sectoral Tariff Liberalisation, Preferences, Technical Assistance and Capacity Building, non-tariff barriers and other NAMA issues.
15.00 – 15.30 Tea/Coffee
15.30 – 16.30 Session IV: Services
This session will take stock of the progress in the negotiations in Trade in Services, in particular the role and contribution of the LDCs group to the negotiations process.
16.30 – 17.30 Session V: Trade Facilitation
Participants will review the progress made in WTO negotiations on Trade Facilitation. In particular, the meeting will identify, and specify, the needs and priorities of LDCs to be addressed in the negotiations in this area.
17:30 – 18:30 Session VI: Special and Differential Treatment, Rules, Aid for Trade and Enhanced Integrated Framework
There will be a presentation on progress made in WTO negotiations on Special and Differential Treatment (S&D). Discussions will be mainly on how to achieve consensus on the consideration and adoption of LDCs specific S&D proposal.
This session will take stock of the progress in the Rules negotiations area including the current draft text and will also consider related Rules issues in Agriculture, NAMA, S&D, Services and Trade Facilitation.
18:30 – 19:00 Session VII: Finalising and Adopting the Draft Declaration
The meeting will finalise and adopt the Draft Declaration to be presented to the Ministers.
Circulation of the Draft Declaration
20.00 – 21.30 Cocktail
Day 2: Ministers Meeting
10.00 – 11.00 Official Opening
Opening address by The Right Honourable the Prime Minister Mr. Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho.
11.00 – 11.30 Tea/Coffee
11.30 – 13.00 Overview of the Negotiations Process and Consideration of the Officials Report
The Co-ordinator will, from the perspective of the LDC Group in Geneva, provide a broad overview of the Doha development agenda negotiation process and related issues. This will include the main issues for LDCs and the main constraints to making progress in the DDA. The chairman of the Senior Officials meeting will present a report from the Senior Officials meeting.
13:00 – 14:30 Lunch
14.30 – 17.00 Consideration of the Draft Declaration
The Chair of the Senior Officials will present the Draft Declaration for consideration by the Ministers. The Ministers will then consider a plan of action to follow up the LDC Ministerial Meeting which will canvas support for the LDC positions on issues in the run-up to the WTO consultations scheduled for March/April in Geneva and thereafter.
17:00 – 18:00 Adoption of the Declaration
19.30 – 21.30 Working Dinner: Informal dialogue with the WTO Director General on DDA and Aid for Trade (LDCs Ministers Only)
Day 3
Informal Session on LDCs and the Multilateral Trading Environment
09:00 – 09:30 Registration
09:30 – 10:00 Opening Session
Welcoming Remarks by Hon. Popane Lebesa MP, Minister of Trade and Industry, Cooperatives and Marketing and Chairman of the WTO LDCs Group.
10:00 – 10:30 Tea/Coffee
10:30 – 13:00 Open Discussion with negotiating Partners, Invited Heads of International Organisations and Other Invited Guests
This will be a high level interactive session between LDC ministers and representatives of cooperating partners and international Agencies on issues related to the DDA negotiations, Aid for Trade and EIF. Each guest will be given about ten minutes to address the Ministers.
13:00 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 20:00 Cont. Open Discussion with negotiating Partners, Invited Heads of International Organisations and Other Invited Guests
20:00 till late Cultural Night
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