Organization of American States
www.oas.org

 

Press advisory

February 26, 2002

  SEMINAR: PREPARING TO MEET GLOBAL, REGIONAL TRADE CHALLENGES 

High-level officials from the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organization of American States (OAS) and governments in the hemisphere will participate in a seminar Thursday on the challenges countries face as they implement the new WTO development agenda and begin the next phase in the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) process. 

WTO Director General Mike Moore and Deputy Director General Miguel Rodríguez Mendoza will discuss the ramifications of the development agenda approved at the November 2001 ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar. At that meeting, government ministers from around the world recognized the "particular vulnerability" of smaller economies and the need for all countries to be able to benefit from the increased opportunities of free trade. 

OAS Secretary General César Gaviria, the Director of the OAS Trade Unit, José Manuel Salazar, and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier will talk about challenges ahead in the FTAA process as countries initiate market access negotiations. Trade policy experts and ambassadors from OAS member countries will share their national experiences and provide ideas for enhancing cooperation so that all countries can participate effectively in the negotiations. Since its creation in 1995, the OAS Trade Unit has provided training and technical assistance to OAS member countries in this area. 

The seminar -- "The Doha Development Agenda and the FTAA Process: The Challenge of Trade Capacity Building" -- will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, February 28, in the Hall of the Americas at OAS headquarters: 17^th St. and Constitution NW, Washington, D.C.

 

 The event will be Webcast live (www.oas.org).

                                     

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