b. UNCTAD s potential in this field

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1 ! Human resources development in the field of international trade and investment for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and regional organisations in Africa I. Background The Advisory Group on the Strengthening of UNCTAD Training Capacities and Human Resources Development was set up in 2001 following a recommendation endorsed by the 38 th session of UNCTAD s Working Party on the Medium-Term Plan and the Programme Budget. Its mission is as follows: - to examine the evolution of UNCTAD's training and capacity-building activities in order to determine elements needing to be strengthened, developed or modified in the context of the strategy defined; - to put forth proposals to enhance the work being carried out by UNCTAD in this area and increase its access to financial resources required for the development of technical cooperation projects in the field of training and capacity building. Since its inception, the Group has met three times: in December 2002, January 2004 and February The first meeting dealt with the newly-defined TrainForTrade human resources development strategy, the institutional framework to be set up, cooperation between 1

2 UNCTAD s programmes and divisions, and the resources needed to carry out the planned activities. The experts who took part in the second meeting examined the use of new information and communication technologies in the field of training. They discussed the methods of delivery for distance learning courses, and an online platform for UNCTAD training resources, which was being considered by UNCTAD at the time. Last year, the topic of the Advisory Group was the use of distance learning in the least developed countries (LDCs) and the related benefits and difficulties for the beneficiary countries. 1 a. Building training capacities in the field of international trade and investment for the least developed countries and regional organisations in Africa The 2006 annual meeting of the Advisory Group on the Strengthening of UNCTAD Training Capacities and Human Resources Development will look at building training capacities in the field of international trade and investment for LDCs and regional organisations in Africa. In particular, the members of the Group will discuss these countries specific needs in the field of international trade, and how training both at a national and regional level can foster their integration into the global economy. Current challenges in this field reveal the necessity for these countries to develop locally-owned training capacities, especially in the areas of international trade and investment. A crucial issue for African LDCs is the acquisition and strengthening of new skills in several areas linked to international trade and investment; in particular, there is a need for appropriate, locally-available training structures that respond to current demands and help facilitate South- South exchanges and cooperation. b. UNCTAD s potential in this field In this framework, UNCTAD s New Technologies, Training and Capacity Building Branch aims at building national and regional capacities to design and implement trade and investment policies. The Branch comprises three complementary training programmes, the Virtual Institute, the Training Course on key issues of the international economic agenda, and the TrainForTrade programme, all of which make extensive use of information and communication technologies for distance learning and networking. They target government civil servants involved in designing and implementing trade, finance, and investment policies as well as aiming at trade and transport operators, chambers of commerce, NGOs and universities. 1 Cf. report of the 3rd meeting held in Geneva on 1 and 2 February

3 Programmes of the New Technologies, Training and Capacity Building Branch The Virtual Institute is a capacity building initiative which seeks to cooperate with academic institutions so as to support teaching and research on trade, investment and development issues the long term objective of which is to educate future decision-makers, trained by these universities. The Institute operates as a network of member universities that conduct training and policy-orientated research and share knowledge with each other, with the view to enhancing trade- and development-related policies. Website : The course on key issues of the international economic agenda has been set up to highlight the links between trade, investment and development, particularly in the specific framework of multilateral negotiations. The course focuses on building the analytical and negotiating skills of the beneficiary countries decision makers. Website : TrainForTrade is a training and capacity-building programme targeting international trade operators (in the public or private sector). It is based on pedagogic material tailored to the particular needs of beneficiary countries, and on the training of trainers. Web platform : Website : II. Meeting objectives The general objective of the meeting is to advise UNCTAD on training and capacitybuilding strategies and activities in the field of international trade and investment for LDCs and regional organisations in Africa. Within this framework, the specific objectives of the meeting are: To support enhanced, concerted, and efficient cooperation between the three training and capacity-building programmes of the Branch, both at a strategic and an operational level; To encourage the design of a human resources development strategy specifically adapted to the needs of African regional organisations and LDCs; To consider potential cooperation between African universities, especially those with regional influence on international trade issues and investment; To examine how the long-term sustainability of the course on key issues of the international economic agenda can be enhanced by involving universities; To examine how cooperation between regional groupings in the field of training can be developed on the basis of common methodological tools; To evaluate the potential role of distance learning in building capacities in African LDCs, as well as ways to develop it. III. Dates and working languages The meeting will be held at the UNCTAD headquarters (the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland), on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March

4 Two working languages will be used simultaneously: English and French (interpretation will be available where possible). IV. Participants The following participants will be invited to the meeting: Representatives of African regional groupings, including ECOWAS, SADC, COMESA, CEMAC; Representatives of African developing countries, in particular LDCs (including Angola, Benin, Kenya, Mauritius, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia) : civil servants of the Ministry of Commerce or Economy; African universities in charge of research and teaching activities in the field of international trade and investment. V. Meeting agenda 9h30-10h 10h-11h 11h-11h15 11h15-12h45 12h45-14h45 14h45-16h30 16h30-16h45 16h45-17h30 9h30-11h15 Wednesday 22 March (Palais des Nations, Geneva) Opening and outline of the meeting Report of the results of the 2005 meeting Building training capacities in the context of current international trade challenges and investment in Africa. Issues raised Perspectives The case of African LDCs (EXPERTS PRESENTATION + DEBATE) Lunch break The UNCTAD training and capacity-building strategy The New Technologies, Training and Capacity-Building Branch The three programmes of the Branch How to integrate African LDCs and regional organisations in this strategy? (UNCTAD PRESENTATION) The UNCTAD training and capacity-building strategy (DEBATE) Thursday 23 March (Palais des Nations, Geneva) Preparation of recommendations (WORKING GROUPS) The needs of African LDCs and regional groupings in the field of training and capacity-building o The strategy to be undertaken to answer these needs o Objectives 4

5 11h15-11h30 11h30-12h30 12h30-14h30 14h30-15h45 o Technical, financial and human resources o Support and partnerships o Evaluation Preparation of recommendations (continued) Lunch break Presentation of recommendations 5