Workshop on the WTO Information Technology Agreement concludes in Geneva

Speaking at the opening session of the workshop, the Chair of the WTO ITA Committee, Peter Ta-Lin Shih of Chinese Taipei, highlighted the Agreement's transformative impact on global IT trade. “The Information Technology Agreement and the 2015 ITA Expansion Agreement have been the WTO's most successful sectoral trade agreements, together helping to support and facilitate the phenomenal growth in trade in the IT sector since the agreements were signed,” he noted.

The workshop covered the ITA’s positive contribution to promoting affordable IT products, supporting digital infrastructure, and facilitating integration into the global ICT value chain. Participants benefited from lectures, case studies and presentations, gaining insights into how ITA membership can support their national digital transformation goals. They also acquired analytical and technical skills, learning how to use WTO databases and IT tools for effective policy formulation.

Reflecting on the workshop’s practical approach, Patricien Tjletrawatie Bisoen, a participant from Suriname's Ministry of Economic Affairs, highlighted how the experience helped her grasp both the benefits and challenges of ITA participation. “The information from trainers and the national experience shared by participants throughout the week increased my insight and knowledge of the ITA,” she said.

Michael Wairoma, Assistant Director of Trade at Kenya's Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry, highlighted the technical skills gained during the workshop: “The workshop helped enhance my knowledge of the ITA. I gained additional skills related to obtaining and interpreting ITA-related data from the WTO Tariff Analysis Online database, and understanding global value chains in the context of the ITA, trade facilitation, and policy formulation,” he noted.