WTO report highlights improved impact of technical assistance activities in 2024

The report reveals that the WTO delivered more than 300 technical assistance activities in 2024, the highest number in the past decade. Over 19,000 government officials were trained in various trade-related areas, including more than 5,000 from least-developed countries (LDCs).

This represents a 19 per cent rise in the number of technical assistance activities compared to 2023. The increase was largely driven by a significant shift towards e-Learning, which saw the number of participants soar by 45 per cent, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all participants.

The report notes the sustained effectiveness of the activities in assisting beneficiaries in expanding their knowledge and skills. This is reflected by the three percentage point increase in fully or partially met performance targets compared to 2023.

The year was also marked by the successful completion of the WTO accession processes of Comoros and Timor-Leste, both of which benefited from extensive technical assistance throughout their negotiations.

“This support was instrumental in strengthening their capacity to navigate the complexities of WTO accession, which took 17 years for Comoros and nearly eight years for Timor-Leste,” WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang notes in the foreword to the report. “Their successful accession highlights the critical role of technical assistance in building the expertise and institutional frameworks necessary for developing economies to fully participate in global trade.”

WTO technical assistance continued to combine virtual, in-person and e-Learning formats in 2024 in order to provide targeted support aligned with beneficiaries’ evolving priorities. Standards, agriculture, market access for goods (including trade facilitation), trade in services, trade remedies and fisheries subsidies were among the top ten topics covered by technical assistance activities. Meanwhile, existing offerings exploring other WTO topics or responding to emerging challenges and opportunities, such as digital trade and trade and environment, continued to be developed.

However, the report struck a note of caution with regard to increasing financial constraints, as 2024 saw voluntary contributions to WTO technical assistance reach their lowest level in 25 years, with unearmarked funds falling to below CHF 3 million. While the cost-saving measures implemented by the WTO Secretariat have so far ensured that technical assistance delivery levels and quality are preserved, cash reserves are nearing exhaustion. Should the current low level of voluntary contributions persist, activities will inevitably suffer in volume and quality, leading to reduced impact over time.

The full report is available here.

Background

A core function of the WTO, technical assistance and capacity-building activities aim to enhance professional and institutional trade capacities in developing and least-developed WTO members and observers. These activities equip beneficiaries with the know-how to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the rules-based multilateral trading system, and to address related challenges. Within the WTO Secretariat, the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC) oversees these activities.

Share