The event aimed to identify individual LDCs' priority areas more systematically for their technological development. It also sought to improve coordination between LDCs and their cooperation partners in support of technology transfer projects addressing development needs, building on related work in several WTO bodies and in other international organizations.

Article 66.2 calls on developed countries to provide incentives to enterprises and institutions in their territories for the purpose of promoting and encouraging technology transfer to LDCs in order to enable them to create a sound and viable technological base.

This year's workshop focused on ensuring a rich exchange of information grounded in the practical needs of LDCs, including through an analytical overview of WTO members' reports of technology transfer measures. It also discussed a note comprising a summary of responses to a questionnaire on LDCs' needs and priorities for technology transfer.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Gberie of Sierra Leone, the TRIPS Council chair, stated that as a permanent representative of an LDC he was conscious of the value of technology transfer in enhancing sustainable development in LDC members.

Speaking on behalf of the LDC Group at the opening session, Ambassador Kadra Ahmed Hassan of Djibouti said: “The LDC Group recognizes that science and technology can provide key solutions across many areas of sustainable development and thus help fulfil a wide range of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” She stressed the importance of exploring how best to implement the TRIPS provision on technology transfer to build a sustainable technological base.

She encouraged LDC participants “to share their feedback on the reports submitted, experience with the programmes reported, and ideas on how more systematically to match technology transfer programmes with priority needs”.

Having recently returned from the Fifth UN Conference on LDCs in Doha, WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang emphasized at the closing session that the dialogue between LDC and developed country members at the workshop is a key ingredient for ensuing that the TRIPS provision delivers on its intended objective for the benefit of LDC members.

TRIPS delegates and representatives from their respective development institutions shared their experience with tailoring technology transfer programmes to LDCs' priority needs and the impact of these programmes whilst providing updates to their respective reports. 

Representatives of international organizations, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) discussed their ongoing and planned initiatives to support LDCs in identifying needs and priorities for technology transfer.

As part of the workshop programme, participants attended the TRIPS Council meeting on 16 March 2023, with their insights from the workshop feeding directly into the Council's annual review of the implementation of Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement.

List of participants

Bangladesh	Ms. Farhana IRIS
Bangladesh	Mr. Mohammad Mashooqur Rahman SIKDER
Benin	Mr. Eustache POMALEGNI
Benin	Ms. Yolande Elvire ADJAHO
Bhutan	Mr. DORJI
Cambodia	Ms. Somnea SOMETH
Djibouti	Mr. BANDJIR OMAR BANDJIR
Haïti	Ms. Edwige JEAN BAPTISTE
Haïti	Mr. Roberto AUGUSTIN
Lao PDR	Mr. Solasin SENGSILAVONG
Lao PDR	Mr. Yottaxay SULINTHONE
Madagascar	Ms. Modeste Joeline HARINIAINA
Madagascar	Ms. Lalaina Priscilla ANDRIANARIVO
Malawi	Mr. Ovilera Noel PHERANI
Mali	Mr. Téréna TRAORE
Mali	Ms. Kourtoume BA
Mauritanie	Mr. Sid'Ahmed ABDEL HAY
Myanmar	Ms. KHINE MYAT MYAT KHINE
Myanmar	Ms. PWINT PHYO WIN
Nepal	Mr. Bimal Prasad BARAL
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Mr. Louis Pascal VEYKOVEY NGAINDAMBU
Senegal	Ms. Codou BADIANE Ep. MANE
Senegal	M. Sadibou BA
Sierra Leone	Ms. Madlyn Esther Kobo SESAY
Sierra Leone	Mr. Mark Tamba NYUMA
Sudan	Mr. Yasser Musa Adam KABASHI
Sudan	Mrs. Iman Mohamed Abdelgadir ALATABANI
Togo	M. Mnanta Komi LAMATETOU
Togo	M. Kouami KOKOU