• The first of a series of issue-specific dialogues with civil society will address “The Development Component of the DDA,” from different perspectives, including that of a developing country Member of the WTO, an NGO representative and the WTO Secretariat. The following questions, among others, will be discussed: How are trade and development linked? How can this linkage be further strengthened? To what extent has Special and Differential Treatment (S&D) helped development? What is the way forward on S&D? What kind of issues are key to civil society as the debate on trade and development progresses?

• Issue-specific dialogues provide an opportunity for representatives of Civil Society, WTO Members and Observers and Secretariat staff to exchange information and views on matters related to the multilateral trading system of particular relevance to them. Dialogues take place at the WTO in an informal setting and are off the record.

• The panellists will be H.E. Ambassador Ronald Saborio (Costa Rica), Mrs. Celine Charveriat, Head of Advocacy Office in Geneva, OXFAM International, and Mr. Shishir Priyadarshi, Counsellor, WTO Secretariat. The dialogue will be moderated by Mr. Warren Giles, Journalist from Bloomberg News, Geneva.
   

Please note:

• Interested Civil Society representatives that want to participate in this dialogue should send an email to the following address before Wednesday, 25 April: Susan.Barbier@wto.org, indicating your name and the organization you represent.

• On April 27, NGO representatives will be greeted at the visitors' entrance of the WTO. A valid photo identification card will be exchanged for an entry badge that will grant access to the building.

• The badge must be worn visibly at all times in the premises of the WTO.

• The number of available seats is limited. Allocation of seats will be based on a first-come, first-served basis.