The role of transfer of technology in resilience building:

REINVIGORATE THE discussions in the wto on trade and

transfer of technology

Communication from Namibia, on behalf of the Africa Group 

The following communication, dated 3 July 2023, is being circulated at the request of Namibia, on behalf of the Africa Group.

_______________

1  Introduction

1.1.  This contribution is submitted as a follow-up to the Africa Group submission tabled in the General Council held on 8-9 March 2023 titled "Policy space for industrial development - a case for rebalancing trade rules to promote industrialisation and to address emerging challenges such as climate change, concentration of production and digital industrialisation" (WT/GC/W/868, G/C/W/825, WT/COMTD/W/270, IP/C/W/695, WT/WGTTT/W/33). It is a contribution to the discussions and negotiations towards the reform of the WTO agreed by Ministers at MC12.

1.2.  At the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha in November 2001, Ministers agreed to "an examination, in a Working Group under the auspices of the General Council, of the relationship between trade and transfer of technology, and of any possible recommendations on steps that might be taken within the mandate of the WTO to increase flows of technology to developing countries."^[1]

1.3.   The discussions on the relationship between trade and transfer of technology highlighted that "technology and technical know-how were essential for improving productivity, promoting growth, and attaining the development aspirations of less developed Members; and, that technology transfer can be an important tool to narrow the technological gap between developed and developing countries, and for integrating developing countries into the multilateral trading system."^[2]

1.4.   Over the years, a broad set of themes have emerged, some of which are cross-cutting in the WTO. Currently, the global economy is grappling with the polycrisis of inter alia, the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity, climate change, slow and unequal economic growth, and a widening of the digital divide. As pointed out in the Africa Group submission in WT/GC/W/868, various factors have hampered global recovery including geopolitical volatility exacerbated by unilateral protectionist measures by major industrialised economies.

1.5.   As part of the broader discussion on the need to channel the potential of WTO rules foster industrial development, and build resilience Members can benefit from a reinvigoration of the discussions on trade and transfer of technology across multiple WTO bodies including the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology (Working Group) with a view to developing [possible] recommendations.