Can WTO Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Serve Developing Countries?

34 Pages Posted: 5 Feb 2005 Last revised: 5 Nov 2013

See all articles by Gregory Shaffer

Gregory Shaffer

Georgetown University Law Center

Date Written: January 25, 2005

Abstract

This article is in four parts. Part I sets forth the competing (and sometimes conflicting) rationales for WTO trade-related capacity building and technical assistance efforts. These competing rationales have led to contention over how the funding is used. Part II addresses the political and operational constraints on the secretariat's implementation of a meaningful WTO capacity building program. Part III provides historical background to, and a summary of, the WTO's technical assistance and capacity building initiatives and some of the criticisms that they have generated. Part IV concludes by suggesting how developing countries, donors, and the WTO secretariat could build from current initiatives, while noting the challenges posed.

Keywords: WTO, international trade, developing countries, capacity building, technical assistance

Suggested Citation

Shaffer, Gregory, Can WTO Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Serve Developing Countries? (January 25, 2005). Wisconsin International Law Journal, Vol. 23, pp. 643-686, 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=653842 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.653842

Gregory Shaffer (Contact Author)

Georgetown University Law Center ( email )

600 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
United States

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