Ahead ?of the forthcoming 9th WTO Ministerial Conference in
Bali, which may conclude Afghanistan?s accession negotiation, the technical
capacity ?of ?Afghan ?public ?and private stakeholders to take advantage of
opportunities and address challenges of WTO membership was further enhanced
with ?a ?two-day workshop organized by the South and South-West Asia Office
of ?the ?United ?Nations ?Economic ?and ?Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (ESCAP) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).
The ?third ?in ?a ?series, ?the ?Technical ?Capacity ?Building ?Workshop on
Afghanistan?s ?Accession to the World Trade Agreement held on 28-29 October
in ?New ?Delhi, ?brought ?together ?over ?25 ?officials ?from Afghanistan?s
Ministry ?of ?Commerce ?and ?Industries, the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and
Industries and the Advisory Board of National Entrepreneurs of Afghanistan.
The ? Workshop ?aimed ?to ?deepen ?participants? ?understanding ?of ?highly
technical ?multilateral ?trade discipline under the WTO, in particular with
regards ?to ?agriculture, ?sanitary ?and phytosanitary measures, as well as
technical ?barriers to trade and trade remedies. The Workshop builds on two
earlier sessions held in August 2012 and April 2013.
Delivering ?the inaugural address, H.E. Mr. M. Ashraf Haidari, Deputy Chief
of Mission and Charge d?Affairs, Embassy of Afghanistan, New Delhi stressed
that ?such ?workshops ?build ?the ?institutional ?capacity direly needed in
Afghanistan and encourages public-private dialogues, critical to addressing
complex issues such as those related to the country?s accession to the WTO.
?Afghanistan ?used to be at the heart of the Old Silk Road. Our land served
as ?the cradle of ancient civilizations that thrived on commerce, trade and
exchange ?of ?ideas,? ?he ?said. ??Today, ?the ?New ?Silk Road crisscrosses
Afghanistan. ?We ?are ?naturally destined to connect the East with the West
and ?the ?North ?with ?the South through transit trade, global and regional
investments.?
H.E. ?Mr. ?Haidari ?concluded: ??I ?hope ?that technical assistance in this
critical ?area ?will continue in the future, until we have accomplished our
shared ?objective ?of ?integrating Afghanistan with the regional and global
economies, in part through full WTO membership.?
In ?his ?opening ?remarks, ?Dr. ?Nagesh ?Kumar, ?Chief Economist, ESCAP and
Director, ?ESCAP-SSWA, ?stressed ?that WTO accession for Afghanistan was an
extremely ?important ?initiative ?as ?it ?would provide the country with an
entry ?point ?into ?a ?global, ?rule-based ?multilateral trading framework,
notwithstanding the challenges.
?There ?are two sides of the same coin; benefits and opportunities, such as
special and differentiated treatments and market access at favourable terms
afforded ?to ?least developed countries, versus the many challenges related
to ?complex ?negotiations and the need for ensuing reforms to implement WTO
commitments,? Dr. Kumar stated.
?We ?aim ?to ?assist ?Afghanistan ?in ?this ?process ?and to help build the
country?s ?capacity ?to ?understand the implications, undertake the reforms
required ?and ?seize ?the ?opportunities that will arise from the country?s
accession to the WTO. This is only the beginning of our engagement.?
Mr. ?Rajesh ?Aggarwal, Chief, Business and Trade Policy, ITC noted: ?We are
fully ?aware ?that WTO accession brings in its wake far-reaching changes in
the ? domestic ? economic ?policy ?and ?regulatory ?framework, ?those ?have
implications ?for ?business. ?Countries ?whose businesses have been able to
prepare ?in ?advance ?are ?better placed to seize the new opportunities and
cope with the challenges.?
?This ?latest ?session ?is ?part ?of ?a ?comprehensive programme to support
private ?sector engagement in LDCs? bid for WTO membership. We are ready to
walk ?you ?[Afghan ?officials] ?along ?that ?road,? ?he ?stated, expressing
confidence ?that ?the better understanding resulting from the session would
go a long way in ?allaying the fears that are generally associated with the
opening of an economy.?
South ?and ?South-West ?Asia ?is ?home ?to ?four ?least developed countries
(Afghanistan, ?Bangladesh, ?Bhutan ?and ?Nepal), ?three ?of ?which are also
landlocked (Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal).
