This Regional Consultation was organized in response to a request from ESCAP’s Committee on Trade and Investment held in January 2021. The objective of the Regional Consultation is to strengthen capacity in the region to position the interests of developing countries, including least developed countries, through the multilateral trading regime, especially ahead of the 12th Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held on 30 Nov- 3 Dec 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland. The regional consultation provided a non-negotiating environment for stakeholders from Asia and the Pacific to exchange views and discuss prospects and priorities in the run-up to the conference. It provided a platform to informally discuss, in a transparent and inclusive manner, the state of play on preparation of the WTO MC12 and its relevance for all developing and least developed countries, especially graduating least developed countries. Participation by Government officials, representatives of civil society and selected business representatives facilitated capturing the current dynamics of negotiations and possible innovative options for reforming the global trade regime and accelerating progress towards the SDGs. The Regional Consultation was held in English only.
Please help complete the evaluation survey: https://forms.office.com/r/C40i5ENqYk
Recordings of the Regional Consultation
Capacity Building Segment - September 10, 2021
Read our blog which highlights how Asia and the Pacific voices strong support for the multilateral trade system.