Trade for Peace Through WTO Accessions

Second Regional Dialogue on WTO Accessions for the Greater Horn of Africa

Trade for Peace through

WTO Accessions

3 – 6 December 2018, Djibouti Djibouti Palace Kempinski

For questions and inquiries on the Programme of the Regional Dialogue, please contact: Team in Djibouti • Ms. Maika Oshikawa (tel: +41 22 739 56 43; e-mail: [email protected]) • Ms. Juneyoung Lee (tel: +41 22 739 67 91; e-mail: [email protected]) • Ms. Mariam Soumaré (tel: +41 22 739 50 25; e-mail: [email protected])

Team in Geneva • Ms. Kulé Galma (tel: +41 22 739 55 41; e-mail: [email protected]) • Mr. Walter Mandela (tel: +41 22 739 65 33; e-mail: [email protected]) • Ms. Souda Tandara-Stenier (tel: +41 22 739 63 21; e-mail: [email protected])

For inquiries on travel arrangements and hotel accommodation, please contact: • Mr. Di-Mawete Jean Yanga (tel: +41 22 739 65 46; e-mail: [email protected]) • Ms. Devika Rajeev (tel: +41 22 730 02 34; e-mail: [email protected])

For inquiries on logistics in Djibouti, please contact: • Mr. Hassan Aden Chehem, Directeur du Commerce Extérieur et de l'Intégration Régionale, République de Djibouti (tel: 00253 21 35 51 77/ 32 54 41; e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected])

Cover-photo: © Shutterstock (Ungureanu Catalina Oana)

Background

Following the success of the first Regional Dialogue on WTO Accessions for the Greater Horn of Africa held in Nairobi on 28-30 August 2017, participants have requested the WTO Secretariat to organize a Regional Dialogue on a yearly basis until the completion of all accessions1 in the Region.2

The concrete outcome of the first Regional Dialogue includes the establishment of the Working Party on the accession of South Sudan at the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference. In addition, the accession negotiations of Comoros have been steadily advancing with the holding of its fourth Working Party meeting. Regionally, the continent has also witnessed a historic moment with the official signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) at the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government held on 21 March 2018, in Kigali, Republic of Rwanda. In total, most African Union Member States, including all nine African Acceding Governments 3 have signed the AfCFTA consolidated text. Furthermore, Somalia officially acceded to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa on 19 July 2018.

In light of these positive developments, the WTO Secretariat will organize a second Regional Dialogue on WTO Accessions for the Greater Horn of Africa in Djibouti City, on 3 – 6 December 2018 under the theme: Trade for Peace through WTO Accessions.

Why Trade for Peace?

Trade forms an essential pillar of a country's development strategy. Empirical studies have shown that those who trade successfully tend to make significant progress in alleviating poverty and raising living standards. Liberal internationalists have argued that trade naturally promotes peace as it brings "interactions", "engagements" and "hopes". At the same time, there are a large number of fragile economies that are not reaping the benefits of trade for establishing peace. From this angle, several LDCs and post-conflict countries are outside the multilateral trading system and currently endeavour to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The accession process enables countries to form credible economic and trade policy frameworks and promote transparency and good governance as part of WTO accession-related reforms. This reform process creates an enabling environment for Acceding Governments to strengthen their economies which can consequently foster peace. The Horn of Africa in particular has been under the spotlight for several decades due to factors relating to instability including armed and diplomatic conflicts, droughts and other related force majeure. At present, approximately two thirds of Acceding Governments are considered conflict-afflicted or fragile economies and several of them are located in the Greater Horn of Africa. That said, the narrative is progressively taking a different turn with a renewed and increased will from political leaders to promote peace in the region.

Taking this into account, the WTO officially launched the Trade for Peace initiative at the request of the g7+ WTO Accessions Group – a group which represented conflict afflicted Acceding Governments and WTO Members. This Group was launched on 10 December 2017, on the margins of MC11 in Buenos Aires. The Group is a sub-group of the larger g7+ and comprises eight LDCs associated with WTO accession, including three Article XII Members (Afghanistan, Liberia and Yemen) and five Acceding Governments (Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, South Sudan and Timor-Leste)4. A kick-off seminar of the Trade for Peace initiative was held in collaboration with the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform on 19 September. This seminar was followed by a panel discussion on the "integration of fragile states into the global economy as a pathway towards peace and resilience" at the WTO

1 Comoros, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan 2 See WT/ACC/30 for the Nairobi Outcome 3 Algeria, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Libya, Sao Tomé and Principe, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan 4 Sudan has also expressed its interest in joining the Group

Public Forum on 4 October and a session on "WTO Accession for Peace & Nation-Building" on the margins of the Geneva Peace Week on 9 November.

The second Regional Dialogue, under the thematic focus "Trade for Peace through WTO Accessions" aims to build on the existing discussions across four main sessions: Session 1: Recent Developments in the Greater Horn of Africa Session 2: From Fragility to Resilience: WTO Accession as a Pathway for Peace Session 3: WTO Accession and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Session 4: WTO Accession – Capacity Building through Peer-Learning Session 5: Stakeholder Inclusiveness in Trade and WTO Accession A specialized training for the private sector will take place on day 4 of the Regional Dialogue. This training will be delivered by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and will focus on promoting economic growth by launching a national re-branding agenda.

DAY 1: MONDAY 3 DECEMBER 2018 Venue: Nakheel Room OPENING SESSION Moderator: Ms. Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO 08:30 – 09:00 Registration

09:00 – 09:45 Opening Ceremony - Remarks by Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff, Deputy Director-General, WTO - Remarks by Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, ITC - Remarks by H.E. Mr Hassan Houmed Ibrahim, Ministre Délégué Chargé du Commerce, des PME, de l'Artisanat, du Tourisme et de la Formalisation, Djibouti

09:45 – 10:00 Group Photograph 10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break

SESSION 1

Recent Developments in the Greater Horn of Africa

Moderator: H.E. Ms. Kadra Ahmed Hassan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Djibouti in Geneva

Since the first Dialogue held in Nairobi in August 2017, there have been several developments that have impacted the trade relationships among the countries in the Horn of Africa. These include, inter alia, the establishment of the Working Party on the Accession of South Sudan and of the g7+ WTO Accessions Group at the WTO 11th Ministerial Conference in December 2017, the conclusion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in March 2018, and more recently, the historic peace agreements signed between several countries in the region. It is critical that the benefits from these developments be fully harnessed through deeper integration both at the regional and global levels, including through WTO accession. In this session, experts from regional institutions in Africa will provide insights on the recent economic developments in the region and Ministers/Chief Negotiators from Acceding Governments in the Greater Horn of Africa will provide updates on their respective accessions since the first Regional Dialogue. 10:30 – 12:30 Recent Economic Developments and Regional Integration in the Greater Horn of Africa (10 minutes per - Mr. Joseph Rwanshote, Program Manager (Trade, Industry and Tourism), IGAD Speaker) Accession State of Play — Overview - Ms. Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO

Accession State of Play – Recent Developments - H.E. Mr. Bianrifi Tarmidi, Minister of Economy, Investment and Economic Integration, Comoros - Representative of Ethiopia - H.E. Mr. Dahir Adan Abdullahi, State Minister for Commerce and Industry, Somalia - H.E. Mr. Paul Mayom Akech, Minister for Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs, South Sudan - H.E. Mr. Musa Mohamed Karama, Minister of Industry and Trade, Sudan

Followed by Open Discussion 12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break

SESSION 2

From Fragility to Resilience: WTO Accession as a Pathway to Peace

Moderator: Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff, Deputy Director-General, WTO

Trade liberalization through WTO accession and/or regional integration can create a competitive business environment, which in turn can foster the efficient allocation of economic resources, enhance output and productivity, and, increase overall welfare gains. The reformative nature of the WTO accession process provides an avenue for fragile economies to institutionalize international best-practices in trade-related issues. Such reforms have proven to yield positive results as most economies that underwent the WTO accession process have exhibited more resilience in response to crises. Regional integration further complements these reforms by fostering synergy and harmony between neighbours in the conduct of trade which alleviates the proliferation of inter-state conflicts. This session aims to examine the correlation between "trade" (whether multilateral or regional) and "peace" through various perspectives. 14:00 – 15:30 Empirical Evidence Appraising Trade for Peace (10 minutes per - Mr. Michael Ferrantino, Lead Economist (Trade & Competitiveness), World Bank Speaker) - Mr. Caiphas Chekwoti, Trade Policy Expert, TRAPCA

Followed by Open Discussion

15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break

15:45 – 17:30 Davos-Style Discussion "Assessing the Impact of WTO Membership on Peace-Building"

Moderator: H.E. Mr. Mohammad Qurban HAQJO, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Afghanistan in Geneva

- Ambassador Zorica Marić-Djordjević, Former Permanent Representative of Montenegro to the WTO - Mr. Nagib Hamim, Economic Attaché, WTO Affairs, Permanent Mission of Yemen in Geneva - Ms. Emilia Malavoloneque, Corporate Communications Strategist, Grupo Neosol - Mr. Mohamed Ali Hassan, Secrétaire Général du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères, Djibouti

Followed by Open Discussion

17:30 End of day 1 18:00 Reception Hosted by the Government of Djibouti [TBC]

DAY 2: TUESDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2018 Venue: Nakheel Room SESSION 3

WTO Accession and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Moderator: Mr. Michael Ferrantino, Lead Economist (Trade & Competitiveness), World Bank

All nine African Acceding Governments have signed the consolidated text of the AfCFTA at the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government held on 21 March 2018. The achievements and challenges of the Agreement and its benefits to African Acceding Governments will be explored by the speakers. The session will also provide insights on the business implications of the AfCFTA and the future of African trade.

09:00 – 10:30 The AfCFTA Negotiations – Achievements and Challenges - Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Nigeria's Chief Trade Negotiator and Former (10 minutes per Chairperson of the Negotiating Forum of the AfCFTA Speaker) Maximizing the Benefits of the AfCFTA through WTO Accession - Ms. Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division - Ms. Mariam Soumaré, Junior Trade Policy Analyst, Accessions Division

Followed by Open Discussion

10:30 – 10:45 Coffee Break

10:45 – 12:30 Insights into the Business Implications of the AfCFTA - Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, ITC (10 minutes per Commentators: Speaker) - Comoros – Mr. Youssouf Abdoulhalik Fakriddine, Secrétaire Général/Mr. Housni Mohamed Abdou Conseiller du Président - UCCIA - Ethiopia – Mr. Melaku Ezezew, Yeniene, President, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations/ Mr. Endalkachew Sime Degaga, Secretary General, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations - Somalia – Mr. Osman Abdullahi Nur, Secretary General Somali Business Council/ Mr. Duale Hashim Ismail Deputy Director, Chamber of Commerce - South Sudan - Mr. Buot Manyiel Buot Kon, Lawyer/ Mr. Yowa Asholy Dia Soso, Chairman of Shippers Council South Sudan - Sudan - Mr. Abdalla Idris Mohamed Elbashir/ Mr. Bakri Yousif Omer Osman, Sudanese Businessmen Association

Followed by Open Discussion

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break

SESSION 4

WTO Accession — Capacity Building through Peer-Learning

Moderator: Ms. Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO

Peer-learning remains one of the most effective ways to build accession-related capacity. For the past year, the WTO Secretariat has invested significant resources and effort in the expansion of outreach activities and the establishment of platforms aimed at promoting dialogue among Acceding Governments, especially LDCs. Such platforms include inter alia (i) the g7+ WTO Accession Group — a group of conflict affected acceding LDCs and recently acceded LDCs, coordinated by Afghanistan; (ii) the Informal Dialogue of Acceding LDCs — a periodic dialogue among Acceding LDCs; and (iii) the Informal Group of Acceding Governments (IGAG) — a group of Geneva-based Acceding Governments, coordinated by Belarus. The current set of Acceding Governments in the Greater Horn of Africa are in different stages of the WTO accession process. While Somalia and South Sudan are in the preparatory phase, Comoros, Ethiopia and Sudan are well advanced in the negotiations. This session thus aims to provide a platform for Acceding Governments to learn about the best-practices in different stages of the WTO accession process from their peers as well as Article XII and Original WTO Members. 14:00 – 16:00 Best-Practices in the Preparatory Phase of WTO Accession - Ms. Mariam Soumaré, Junior Trade Policy Analyst, Accessions Division, WTO (10 minutes per - Representative of Somalia Speaker) - Representative of South Sudan - Representative of Equatorial Guinea

Commentators: - Representative of Comoros - Representative of Ethiopia - Representative of Sudan - Ms. Cecilia Klein, Consultant for WTO Accessions and Compliance, Former USTR Director for WTO Accession

Best-Practices in the Negotiation Phase of WTO Accession - Ms. Juneyoung Lee, Accessions Division, WTO - Representative of Comoros - Representative of Ethiopia - Representative of Sudan

Commentators: - Ambassador Zorica Marić-Djordjević, Former Permanent Representative of Montenegro to the WTO - Mr. Nagib Hamim, Economic Attaché, WTO Affairs, Permanent Mission of Yemen in Geneva - Ms. Hilda Al-Hinai, Deputy Permanent Representative of Oman to the WTO and Former Working Party Chairperson on the Accession of Seychelles - Ms. Cecilia Klein, Consultant for WTO Accessions and Compliance, Former USTR Director for WTO Accession

Followed by Open Discussion

16:00 – 16:15 Coffee Break

16:15 – 17:30 Round Table Discussion "The Role and Responsibility of the Chief Negotiator"

Moderator: Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Nigeria's Chief Trade Negotiator and Former Chairperson of the Negotiating Forum for the AfCFTA

- H.E. Mr. Bianrifi Tarmidi, Minister of Economy, Investment and Economic Integration, Comoros - Representative of Ethiopia - H.E. Mr. Dahir Adan Abdullahi, State Minister for Commerce and Industry, Somalia - H.E. Mr. Paul Mayom Akech, Minister for Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs, South Sudan - H.E. Mr. Musa Mohamed Karama, Minister of Industry and Trade, Sudan - Ambassador Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia (Peru), Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of Comoros

17:30 End of day 2

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, 5 DECEMBER 2018 Venue: Nakheel Room SESSION 5

Stakeholder Inclusiveness in Trade and WTO Accession

Moderator: Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, TFPB, ITC

The WTO accession process provides an avenue to establish an inclusive and collaborative mechanism among key stakeholders within an economy i.e. private sector, parliamentarians etc. This session will provide a platform for the private sector, WTO Members including Working Party Chairpersons, and representatives of WTO partner institutions, to share their perspectives on WTO accession including its contributions to peace-building. 09:00 – 10:30 WTO Accession - Perspectives of the Private Sector (10 minutes per - Comoros – Mr. Youssouf Abdoulhalik Fakriddine, Secrétaire Général/Mr. Housni Speaker) Mohamed Abdou Conseiller du Président - UCCIA - Ethiopia – Mr. Melaku Ezezew, Yeniene, President, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations/ Mr. Endalkachew Sime Degaga, Secretary General, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations - Somalia – Mr. Osman Abdullahi Nur, Secretary General Somali Business Council/ Mr. Duale Hashim Ismail Deputy Director, Chamber of Commerce - South Sudan - Mr. Buot Manyiel Buot Kon, Lawyer/ Mr. Yowa Asholy Dia Soso, Chairman of Shippers Council South Sudan - Sudan - Mr. Abdalla Idris Mohamed Elbashir/ Mr. Bakri Yousif Omer Osman, Sudanese Businessmen Association

Commentator: - H.E. Mr. Mohammad Qurban HAQJO, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Afghanistan in Geneva

Followed by Open Discussion 10:30 – 10:45 Coffee Break 10:45 – 12:30 WTO Accession - Perspectives from Working Party Chairperson and WTO Members (10 minutes per - Ambassador Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia (Peru), Chairperson of the Working Speaker) Party on the Accession of Comoros - Mr. Katsuro Nagai (Japan), Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of Sudan - Ambassador Zorica Marić-Djordjević, Former Permanent Representative of Montenegro to the WTO - Ms. Hilda Al-Hinai, Deputy Permanent Representative of Oman to the WTO and Former Working Party Chairperson on the Accession of Seychelles

WTO Accession - Role and Contribution of Partner Institutions - Mr. Alexei Kireyev, Senior Economist and Former IMF Representative to the WTO (Presentation via Skype) - Mr. Daniel Muturi, Programme Manager, TradeMark East Africa - Mr. Michael Ferrantino, Lead Economist (Trade & Competitiveness), World Bank - Mr. Rabibah Mateen, Country Director, USAID - Mr. Melaku Geboye Desta, Principal Regional Advisor, UNECA

Followed by Open Discussion

12:30 – 13:00 CLOSING SESSION AND ADOPTION OF THE OUTCOME DOCUMENT

- Ms. Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO - Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, ITC - H.E. Mr Hassan Houmed Ibrahim, Ministre Délégué Chargé du Commerce, des PME, de l'Artisanat, du Tourisme et de la Formalisation, Djibouti

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 Visit to Djibouti Port organized by the Government of Djibouti

DAY 4: THURSDAY, 6 DECEMBER 2018 Venue: Nakheel Room SPECIALIZED TRAINING BY THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE Open for Business: Launching a National Brand 09:00 – 11:00 A Resilient Private Sector for a Resilient Country - Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, TFPB, ITC

Export and Investment Promotion Strategies - Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, TFPB, ITC

Followed by Open Discussion

11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break

11:15 – 12:30 Championing a National Branding Agenda – the Role of the Private Sector, Women and Youth - Mr. Giles Chappell, Trade Policy Advisor, TFPB, ITC - Representative of Djibouti

Leveraging Media to Develop a National Image - Ms. Victoria Tuomisto, Associate Expert, ITC

Followed by Open Discussion

12:30 – 14.00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 17:00 A business-friendly agenda for a country – A comparative analysis - Introduction: Mr. Giles Chappell, Trade Policy Advisor, TFPB, ITC - Moderator: Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, TFPB, ITC Commentators: - Comoros – Mr. Youssouf Abdoulhalik Fakriddine, Secrétaire Général/Mr. Housni Mohamed Abdou Conseiller du Président - UCCIA - Ethiopia – Mr. Melaku Ezezew, Yeniene, President, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations/ Mr. Endalkachew Sime Degaga, Secretary General, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations - Somalia – Mr. Osman Abdullahi Nur, Secretary General Somali Business Council/ Mr. Duale Hashim Ismail Deputy Director, Chamber of Commerce - South Sudan - Mr. Buot Manyiel Buot Kon, Lawyer/ Mr. Yowa Asholy Dia Soso, Chairman of Shippers Council South Sudan - Sudan - Mr. Abdalla Idris Mohamed Elbashir/ Mr. Bakri Yousif Omer Osman, Sudanese Businessmen Association

17:00 End of day 4

PARTICIPANTS

Host Government

Djibouti o H.E. Mr. Hassan Houmed Ibrahim, Ministre Délégué Chargé du Commerce, des PME, de l'Artisanat, du Tourisme et de la Formalisation o Ambassador Kadra Ahmed Hassan, Permanent Representative of Djibouti in Geneva o Mr. Mohamed Ali Hassan, Secrétaire Général du Ministère des Affaires Étrangères o Mr. Abdou-Razak Ahmed Idriss, Secrétaire Général du Ministère de l'Economie et des Finances o Mr. Dr Mag Terrey, Directeur du centre de recherche de l'Université de Djibouti o Mr. Mohamed Aden Cheick, Autorité des Ports et Zone Franche o Mr. Ali Daoud Abdou, Secrétaire Général du Ministère délégué au Commerce o Maître Mohamed Abayazid, Avocat d'affaires o Mr. Abdi Ilmi Achkir, Secrétaire Général du Ministère des Investissements o Mr. Youssouf Moussa Dawaleh, Président de la Chambre de Commerce o Mr. Ali Daoud Houmed, Directeur du FDED o Mr. Ibrahim Hamadou, Conseiller Principal du Ministre de l'Economie

Acceding Governments

Comoros o H.E. Mr. Bianrifi Tarmidi, Minister of Economy, Investment and Economic Integration, Comoros o Mr. Ahamada Moelevou Ali, Directeur de Cabinet, Ministère de l'économie, des investissements et de l'intégration économique o Mr. Said Abdou Salime, Focal point of the national committee for WTO negotiations and EIF national Coordinator o Mrs. Zalhata Assoumani ép. Dahalani, Conseillère en Politique Commerciale Ethiopia o Mr. Tilahun Kassahun, Trade Advisor, Ministry of Trade and Industry o Mr. Geremew Ayalew Haile, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Ethiopia in Geneva

Somalia o H.E. Mr. Dahir Adan Abdullahi, State Minister for Commerce and Industry, Somalia o Ambassador Faduma Abdullahi Mohamud, Permanent Representative of Somalia to the WTO o Mr. Abdiaziz Ibrahim Adan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry o Mr. Ahmed Elmi Muhumed, Senior Adviser on Trade and Investment, Office of the Minister, Ministry of Commerce and Industry

South Sudan o H.E. Mr. Paul Mayom Akech, Minister of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs o H.E. Mr. Akech Choh Ahou AYOK, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of South Sudan in Geneva o Mr. Agak Achuil Lual Manok, Undersecretary of Trade o Mr. Kuot Madhor Kuot, WTO Focal Point & Director of External Trade o Mr. Stephen Doctor Matatia Gaji, Director General, Department of Foreign Trade

Sudan o H.E. Mr. Musa Mohamed Karama, Minister of Industry and Trade, Sudan o Ambassador Mustafa Osman Ismail Elamin, Permanent Representative of Sudan to the WTO o Mr. Yassin Eisa Mohamed Abdalla, Secretary General, National Secretariat for WTO Affairs o Mr. Khalil Basha Sayrin Amurgail, National Expert, National Secretariat for WTO Affairs

Equatorial Guinea o Ms. Apolonia Mecheba Cupe, Secretary in the WTO Reference Office in Equatorial Guinea, Ministry of Commerce and Business Promotion for Small and Medium Companies o Ms. Dolores Merino Tome, Executive Secretary of the Enhanced Integrated Framework Program in Equatorial Guinea, Ministry of Commerce and Business Promotion for Small and Medium Companies o Mr. Expedito Genaro Osâ Nsomboro Okomo, Focal Point of the Enhanced Integrated Framework Program in Equatorial Guinea in Equatorial Guinea, Ministry of Commerce and Business Promotion for Small and Medium Companies o Mr. Miguel Angel Bolete Borupu, Focal Point in the WTO Reference Office in Equatorial Guinea, Ministry of Commerce and Business Promotion for Small and Medium Companies

Private Sector Representatives

Comoros o Mr. Fakriddine Youssouf Abdoulhalik, Secrétaire Général, UCCIA o Mr. Mohamed Abdou Housni, Conseiller du Président, UCCIA

Ethiopia o Mr. Endalkachew Sime Degaga, Secretary General, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations o Mr. Melaku Ezezew Yeniene, President, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations

Somalia o Mr. Abdullahi Nur Osman, Secretary General Somali Business Council o Mr. Hashim Ismail Duale, Deputy Director, Chamber of Commerce

South Sudan o Mr. Buot Manyiel Buot Kon, Lawyer o Mr. Yowa Asholy Dia Soso, Chairman of Shippers Council South Sudan

Sudan o Mr. Abdalla Idris Mohamed Elbashir o Mr. Bakri Yousif Omer Osman, Sudanese Businessmen Association

Article XII Members

o H.E. Mr. Mohammad Qurban HAQJO, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Afghanistan in Geneva o Mr. Nagib Hamim, Economic Attaché, WTO Affairs, Permanent Mission of Yemen in Geneva o Ambassador Zorica Marić-Djordjević, Former Permanent Representative of Montenegro to the WTO o Ms. Hilda Al-Hinai, Deputy Permanent Representative of Oman to the WTO and Former Working Party Chairperson on the Accession of Seychelles

Working Party Chairpersons

o Ambassador Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia (Peru), Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of Comoros o Mr. Katsuro Nagai (Japan), Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of Sudan

External Experts

o Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Nigeria's Chief Trade Negotiator and Director General of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations o Ms. Cecilia Klein, Consultant for WTO Accessions and Compliance, Former USTR Director for WTO Accession o Ms. Emilia Malavoloneque, Corporate Communications Strategist, Grupo Neosol

International Organizations and Development Partners

o Mr. Joseph Rwanshote, Program Manager (Trade, Industry and Tourism), IGAD o Mr. Alexei Kireyev, Senior Economist and Former Representative to the WTO, IMF o Mr. Daniel Muturi, Programme Manager, TradeMark East Africa o Mr. Caiphas Chekwoti, Trade Policy Expert, TRAPCA o Mr. Melaku Geboye Desta, Principal Regional Advisor, UNECA o Mr. Rabibah Mateen, Country Director, USAID o Mr. Michael Ferrantino, Lead Economist (Trade & Competitiveness), World Bank

WTO Representatives

o Ambassador Alan Wolff, Deputy Director-General o Ms. Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division o Ms. Juneyoung Lee, Legal Affairs Officer, Accession Division o Ms. Mariam Soumaré, Junior Trade Policy Analyst, Accessions Division ITC Representatives

o Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, TFPB, ITC o Mr. Giles Chappell, Trade Policy Advisor, TFPB, ITC o Ms. Victoria Tuomisto, Associate Expert, ITC