As an LDC member of the WTO, Chad seek to strengthen its institutional capacity to implement its WTO commitments and to be more effective in negotiating multilateral trade agreements.
The institutional strengthening was achieved by targeting the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts, whose mandate include trade policy formulation and implementation. The support included training of officials to promote a better understanding of Agreements signed, and a review and revision of local laws to ensure they are in coherence with WTO provisions.
The project equiped Chad with a core group of local experts who master one or more aspects of MTN and trade-related issues. Besides disseminating information and knowledge on trade issues, it was expected that this group became a local think-tank that advises national policy makers on WTO matters.
As part of the efforts to upgrade the negotiation capabilities of Chad’s trade officials, the project funded impact studies on the effects of liberalisation on priority sectors. The findings assisted Chad’s negotiators in shaping the country’s position during MTN affecting those sectors. To avoid any possible duplication of activities, a close cooperation was developed with the WTO and the PMU for Capacity Building in support of the preparation of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).