WTO wraps up regional needs assessment
By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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(L-R) Minister of Finance and International Trade, Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris; WTO Representative Sheri Rosenow and Stephen Fevrier, Representative OECS Secretariat Geneva
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A week of discussions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Self-Assessment of Needs and Priorities ended yesterday (Dec. 5) with a brief closing ceremony, reviewing the major areas of concern affecting the three participating countries: St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia.
The Self-Assessment, held at the Ocean Terrace Inn (OTI) Conference Room, drew public and private sector representatives from each country, as well as trade specialists from the WTO, Organization of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) and the Caribbean Regional
Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) to pinpoint and address the needs of the region. The project serves to identify each country’s needs and priorities, differential treatment and technical assistance necessary to enable it to negotiate more effectively on all aspects of international commerce.
In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, WTO Secretariat Representative and Facilitator of the project, Sheri Rosenow said the week-long discussions served as an eye-opener to many of the participants as it offered a clearer understanding of the specific needs of their respective countries.
“Now, each of the three countries that participated has the results of the needs assessment which they have helped to mould. We assessed the proposed measures by the WTO, one by one, including publications of laws and regulations on the internet and a single window for information on imported products among about 40 other measures.
~~Adz:Right~~“For each measure, each country now knows where it stands and what it would have to do to implement the measure if it is not already in full compliance. So, they have a good overall picture coming out of the needs assessment.
Another benefit is that each country now has a good idea of their import and export regime; they are fully aware of the progress and processes of each agency involved in border clearance, and have a better idea of what its needs are for the private sector.
“So far everybody has been pleased with the results. I think they have all learned a lot. They have participated in the negotiations, before which, they didn’t really have a clear idea of what their needs are but having completed the needs assessment, countries can more clearly identify areas where technical assistance is necessary.”
Rosenow noted that the week’s discussion was a success and indicated that the next phase is to make a plan of how all the other OECS countries can negotiate regionally and perhaps implement a regional technical assistance body.
This plan is to encourage regional cohesiveness to build the foundation for the WTO to ensure policy development through both regional and national negotiations.
