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The JITAP I programme was implemented in Ghana from 1998 to 2002. Capacity was built in a core group of trainers on MTS knowledge; this gave the country the ability to develop informed positions on WTO matters, and to participate in trade negotiations. Technical assistance was provided for developing a core group of experts/resource persons on MTS, and for building a support framework for the Government to meet its MTS obligations and exercise its rights under a rule based system. It was also extended to facilitate an understanding of the emerging requirements of the country in the areas of trade information services, export financing, and for understanding markets and developing sector strategies. The work done contributed to building the knowledge base of relevant counterpart institutions and helped the country in participating in on-going multilateral trade negotiations. All planned activities in the country were completed by December 2002.
Main results
1/ MTS Institutional support, Compliance, Policies, and negotiations: The National Steering Committee (NSC) with 18 members was constituted to oversee JITAP implementation. The IIC has 29 members and six subcommittees on: Market Access, TRIPs, Agriculture, TBT/ SPS, Services, Trade and Environment. Their work has contributed to the development of national negotiating positions at the WTO and in dealing with notification requirements, and an improved understanding of the cross cutting nature of MTS issues. It contributed to enlarging the constituencies that are involved in developing positions on MTS matters to include the private sector and the civil society.
Familiarity with emerging rules and issues of the MTS has been much enhanced among public and private sectors stakeholders enabling Ghana to take steps to adapt relevant national Laws to WTO regulations. Basic sensitisation of the concerned institutions to the underlying issues was undertaken and the legal adjustment process has commenced.
2/ Strengthening MTS Reference Centres, and NEPs on TBT and SPS: JITAP established three Reference Centres in Ghana: at MOTI for official use, at GEPC for business purposes, and at GIMPA for academia. The establishment of the Reference Centres increased national awareness of WTO Agreements and the underlying issues. Ghana Standards Bureau (GSB) and NEP (for TBT) within it were given technical advice.
3/ Enhancing MTS Knowledge and Networks: JITAP I has trained 88 trainers directly. Ghana benefited from participation in nine specialized sub-regional workshops and the Geneva Training course, all organized by JITAP to improve the knowledge of participants on MTS issues and to enhance their participation in the ongoing multilateral trade negotiations. Ghana today has a large number of persons available to provide advice on general and specific MTS matters. Ten training modules developed jointly by ITC, UNCTAD and WTO were provided to Ghana as basic reference material which were used by local trainers.
4/ Product and Services Sector Strategies: Sector strategies, along with action plans for their implementation, have been developed and adopted for: Textiles and Clothing, Fish, and Horticulture products. All technical work was done by sector counterpart teams (SCTs), which are public-private sector partnerships.
5/ Creation of a network of MTS trainers and experts: A network of MTS trainers.
Report by the
National Evaluation Consultant