WTO

"WTO members noted the sharp decline in least-developed countries’ (LDCs) participation in world trade since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic at a meeting of the Sub-Committee on LDCs on 16 February. The chair, Ambassador Kirsti Kauppi (Finland), underlined the need for the international community to work together to promote trade opportunities in LDCs." More at WTO | 2022 News items - WTO members look at how trade can help LDCs recover from COVID-19

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) has become a new participant of both the WTO’s Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and ITA Expansion (ITA II), making it the first least developed country to join these agreements. More here.

22 October 2021. "Trade ministers from close to 30 least-developed countries (LDCs) adopted a declaration outlining LDCs’ trade priorities in the run-up to the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) and beyond at a virtual meeting on 19 October where they also discussed the state of play in the WTO negotiations.

18 October 2021.  Ahead of the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference, Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group, submitted a communication to the WTO General Council on “A Smooth Transition Package in Favour of Members Graduating from the LDC Category“.

30 June 2021. From the WTO: WTO members agreed to extend until 1 July 2034 the deadline for least developed countries (LDCs) to protect intellectual property under the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Members reached consensus on the 13-year extension of the current transition period, which was set to expire on 1 July 2021, at a formal meeting of the TRIPS Council on 29 June.

29 June 2021. WTO: New Zealand is contributing CHF 50,000 to help the least-developed countries (LDCs) within the WTO membership participate in the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), which will take place the week of 29 November 2021 in Geneva. More information here.