The course was opened by WTO Deputy Director-General Xiaozhun Yi. Kazakhstan's Vice-Minister for Economic Development and Trade, M. Timur Zhaksylykov, also took part in the opening ceremony. He said: “This event lays the foundation for a long term and reliable cooperation between our country and the WTO in the field of training and technical assistance.” Twenty-three government officials from 12 WTO members and observers are attending the course.

Regional trade policy courses (RTPC) are designed by the WTO's Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation and last eight weeks. They are organized in partnership with academic institutions. The courses take place in seven regions: the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Arab region, CEECAC and Asia and the Pacific. The course's objective is to strengthen the participants' ability to participate in ongoing WTO work by expanding their understanding of WTO rules and procedures, placing a specific focus on the regional trade policy context and its linkages with the WTO.

RTPCs cover issues such as accession to the WTO, trade and environment, trade in goods, trade in services and intellectual property rights. The programme includes a trade negotiation simulation so that participants start practising the knowledge acquired.

The RTPC course in Almaty will last until 26 May 2017. It marks the start of the partnership with the University of International Business.
 

Source: wto.org