缅北禁地

Guidelines to facilitate the accession process for least developed countries (LDCs) to the World Trade Organization (WTO) were adopted by the General Council in 2002 () and strengthened in 2012 (2012)). The guidelines encourage WTO members to exercise restraint in seeking market access concessions and commitments on the trade in goods and services from acceding LDCs in these processes. They contain benchmarks on goods and services commitments on transparency in accession negotiations; special and differential treatment and transition periods; and technical assistance. The accession of LDCs was recognized as one of the systemic issues under the work programme of the LDCs. The Subcommittee on LDCs regularly monitors the accession of LDCs and serves as one of the forums in which acceding LDCs and WTO members can exchange views and share experiences. The Director General reports on accessions on an annual basis. Part of China’s “Least Developed Countries and Accessions Programme” under the framework of WTO (the “China Programme”) is aimed at assisting acceding Governments in joining WTO. 

The Protocols of Accession of LDCs Comoros and Timor-Leste were signed at the Thirteenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO (February 2024). These countries will become members of the WTO 30 days after the deposit of their respective instruments of acceptance of the Protocol. 

LDCs currently in the process of acceding to the WTO:  Ethiopia, Sao Tomé & Principe, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.

LDCs that are neither WTO members nor in the process of acceding: Eritrea, Kiribati, Tuvalu.