The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has planned to organise an International Conference titled Upcoming Ninth WTO Ministerial: Securing the LDCs Deliverables keeping in perspective the upcoming Ninth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC-9) in Bali on 3-6 December 2013. The event, to take place on 25-27 October 2013 at the BRAC Centre Inn (75 Mohakhali) in Dhaka, Bangladesh will be held in partnership with a number of leading organisations which have similar commitments to pursue and advance interests of the least developed countries (LDCs) in the context of the ongoing negotiations in the Doha Development Round. The Dhaka Conference seeks to create a platform to discuss and debate issues to be taken up during MC-9 which are of immediate concern to the LDCs. The idea is to articulate a common stance concerning key deliverables of a possible ‘LDC Package’ in Bali. The Dhaka Outcome Document will hopefully feed into the pre-General Council process and also for mobilising support in favour of the LDCs during the Bali Ministerial.
Objectives
- Create an opportunity to deliberate on key elements of the ‘LDC Package’ being discussed in Geneva.
- Endeavour to come to a common stance concerning key LDC deliverables in Bali.
- Prepare the Dhaka Outcome Document which will highlight elements of a Bali consensus regarding the Bali deliverables.
Speakers
The event will be an exercise in transparency, inclusiveness and knowledge sharing where speakers will include Ministers, Ambassadors, negotiators, high level policymakers, representatives from the WTO Secretariat, civil society groups, academics and experts coming from Asia, Africa, Europe and North America.
Issues to be Discussed
- State of Play as regards Current Negotiations
- Trade Facilitation
- Agriculture Issues (including Food Security, Cotton, etc.)
- Duty-Free, Quota-Free Market Access for the LDCs
- LDC Waiver in the Services Sector
- Systemic Issues and the Way Forward
Co-organisers