AITIC / HEI


The Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) in Geneva has asked AITIC to host an intern during the summer as part of the third edition of its Summer School Internship Programme in collaboration with the University of Southern California (USC). This five-week programme took place from 28 June to 30 July 2004. The intern attended classes at the Institute in the morning and work for AITIC in the afternoon in order to apply his knowledge gained on a practical level.

AITIC / AusAid


The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid), fully aware of trade needs of small island States, in particular those of the Pacific region, has made a grant of A$ 500.000 to AITIC in August 2002 and a supplementary one of the same amount in June 2003. These grants shall enable AITIC to organise seminars aimed at enhancing the representation of these countries within the WTO. AITIC organised three seminars financed by the contributions of AusAid:

Brisbane, Australia: regional seminar from 9 to 11 December 2003 (“Trade-Related Capacity-Building for Small Pacific States: The Doha Development Program Negotiations – Review and the Way Ahead”).

Port-Vila, Vanuatu: national seminar from 3 to 5 December 2003 (“Trade-Related Capacity-Building for Vanuatu: National Seminar on Accession to the WTO”)

Suva, Fiji: national seminar from 14 to 16 May 2003 (“Trade-Related Capacity-Building for Small Pacific States: Agriculture, Services and Implementation”)

Three other seminars were held in July 2004:

Papua New Guinea: national seminar from 8 to 10 July 2004 (“Trade-Related Capacity Building for Papua New Guinea: National Seminar on WTO issues”)

Rarotonga, Cook Islands: regional seminar from 14 to 16 July 2004 (“Trade-Related Capacity-Building for Small Pacific States: International Trade and WTO Issues”).

Tonga: national seminar from 19 to 21 July 2004 (“Trade-Related Capacity Building for Tonga: National Seminar on WTO Issues”)

	Dr Esperanza Durán (Director, AITIC) and Mr Rubens Ricupero (Secretary-General, UNCTAD) at the ceremony marking the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
Photo by courtesy of María Amelia Guzmán Martinez-Valls.

On 6 February 2002, AITIC has formalised its collaboration with UNCTAD and the Intergovernmental Agency of the Francophonie (IAF). A Memorandum of Understanding was concluded with UNCTAD in order to strengthen the trade-related negotiating capacity of developing countries, economies in transition and in particular the least-developed countries (LDCs), including those countries not represented in Geneva. A Protocol was also signed with the IAF, under which it will finance a position for a francophone trade expert, intended to assist non-resident LDCs as well as to take part in some of AITIC's translation activities. (UNCTAD press release)

AITIC / UNCTAD


As part of its collaboration with UNCTAD, AITIC organised a brainstorming session on trade and the environment, on 25 February 2002. The purpose of this first meeting was to open up a dialogue amongst the delegates who attended, on questions of particular importance to less-advantaged countries in this area. The next session will be held in three months' time. (see report)

In addition, AITIC and UNCTAD co-organised a seminar on 28 February and 1 March 2002, covering anti-dumping rules and their implementation, disputes that have arisen in the WTO and practical exercises on dumping margin calculation. (see report)

Top