Facilitating access to markets for least developed countries

All countries that announced market access commitments at the High-level Meeting on Integrated Initiatives for Least Developed Countries' Trade Development in October 1997 should implement these commitments fully and expeditiously.

The High-Level Meeting on Integrated Initiatives for the Least Developed Countries' Trade Development convened by WTO in 1997 endorsed the Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance, including for Human and Institutional Capacity Building, to Support Least Developed Countries in their Trade and Trade-Related Activities. The implementation of this Framework has progressed at a slow pace. In order to move the process forward, and bearing in mind that it has to be demand-driven, resources made available by the six agencies involved should be utilized in line with their respective roles. This should also be consistent with the Singapore WTO Plan of Action for LDCs and build upon existing agreements embodied in the 1997 Integrated Framework initiative.

Market access conditions for agricultural and industrial products of export interest to least developed countries (LDCs) should be improved on as broad and liberal a basis as possible, and consideration should be given by developed countries to grant duty-free and quota-free market access for essentially all exports originating in LDCs. Other developing countries should also contribute to improved market access for LDC exports.