📋 Tender Overview
A closing ceremony took place on 5 December to mark the end of three 2022 internship programmes and the Young Professionals Programme for cohorts from developing and least-developed countries LDCs. A total of 36 government officials and 12 young professionals around the world took part in the four programmes which are aimed at enhancing trade expertise and the work of the WTO.The Netherlands Trainee Programme NTP the French-Irish Mission Intern Programme FIMIP the Regional Coordinator Internship RCI Programme and the Young Professionals Programme YPP will formally conclude on 16 December. A total of 628 officials and young professionals from more than 100 countries have participated in these programmes to date.Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala congratulated the trainees. She noted that the feedback on their work has been positive and their presence valuable to the WTO Secretariat and their missions. Be ambassadors of the WTO she said asking them to use the expertise acquired to better explain the work of the WTO and its importance.DG Okonjo-Iweala said that the programmes would not have been possible without the generous and continued support of donors. I would like therefore to express my appreciation to France Ireland and the Netherlands which directly fund several internship positions under the FIMIP and NTP programmes and whose representatives are with us today as well as all donors to the Global Trust Fund which funds additional internships as well as the Young Professionals Programme.This years participants had the opportunity to be involved in the preparatory work and negotiations that took place before and during the 12th Ministerial Conference in June.The NTP funded by the Government of the Netherlands assists government trade officials from developing countries and LDCs in getting useful experience in the economic and development aspects of trade policy by allowing them to participate in ongoing activities within the WTO Secretariat for a period of ten months. A total of 12 government officials worked in various divisions of the WTO Secretariat in 2022.The Netherlands WTO Deputy Permanent Representative Marcel Vernooij said We admire how the trainees have contributed to the work of the WTO and deepened their expertise on the job. It is inspiring to see their dedication to now bring that expertise back home to make trade work as an engine for sustainable economic growth and job creation.He pointed out that feedback collected shows that the programme has greatly benefitted both beneficiary countries and trainees. The Netherlands has extended the programme for another five years and expressed its gratitude to the Secretariat for making the NTP a success.Speaking on behalf of the 2022 NTP trainees Dilys Ankomah Boafo from Ghana thanked the WTO Secretariat for the opportunity and its support during the programme.We are confident that the exposure and experience gained through our internship will assist us as officials to formulate effective trade policies and make appropriate recommendations to our government in the future he said. We also hope to bring to the attention of our various institutions the importance of providing up to date information on the implementation of our national trade policies and programmes to the WTO.Sponsored by the governments of France and Ireland the FIMIP Programme was launched in 2001 with the aim of giving the small missions in Geneva more support through the WTO to assist them in following WTO-related work. The retained candidates work at the Geneva-based permanent missions of the beneficiary members and may represent their country in the various bodies within the WTO. Nineteen government officials participated in this years FIMIP Programme.Irelands Deputy Permanent Representative Clare McNamara praised the participating officials for successfully completing their intensive internship programme and hoped they would contribute to enhanced trade capacity on their return home and perhaps by returning to Geneva in the future. She said Irelands policy on international development our Strategy for Partnership with Small Island Developing States and our Strategy for Africa to 2025 motivate our long-standing support to the French-Irish Mission Internship Programme. Ms McNamara underlined Irelands commitment to help developing countries especially LDCs to build their domestic and international trade capacity and infrastructure so they can access the economic benefits of expanded regional and global trade opportunities.Etienne Oudot de Dainville Permanent Representative of France to the WTO welcomed this programme which contributes to the training of a network of true WTO experts at the service of their country of origin using the richness of an intercultural experience to help build long-lasting links.Phone Myint Naing from Myanmar who spoke on behalf of the FIMIP trainees said We gained more experience than we expected. This programme is an excellent platform that pushes the trade-related young generation like us to seize the situation where we can see the world where we can extend the international network where we can explore the international practice of the multilateral trading system.Five interns participated in the RCI Programme this year. The programme aims to provide support to the mission of the beneficiary members selected to coordinate a WTO regional grouping. Selected interns are based in the mission of a regional coordinator for the period of the coordination mandate and for a maximum of one year. The RCI Programme is funded by the WTO Global Trust Fund.
