The UNCTAD secretariat is pleased to announce that the next regional course on key issues on the international economic agenda, which is designed for African economies in transition, will be hosted by the University of Mauritius with the support of the Mauritian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, from 9 to 27 February 2015.
The course will focus on the links between trade, investment, finance and development, including in the context of international trade negotiations. Its aim is as follows:
To enhance understanding of the relationship between these areas and their link to country development strategies
To provide participants with knowledge and skills for the design and implementation of trade and development policies, as well as for trade negotiations corresponding to the needs and interests of their countries.
The course syllabus will draw on the perspective of UNCTAD, its analytical work and lessons learned from its technical cooperation activities and will be enriched by the competence and expertise of representatives of the Economic Commission for Africa and of national experts in these areas of work.
The course is aimed primarily at mid-level government officers in ministries and institutions dealing with trade, investment, finance and development issues and who are involved in the formulation and implementation of national trade and development policies. As appropriate, and depending on the availability of places, other applicants, such as university academics, could be considered.
The course will be given in English, with simultaneous interpretation into French. Training materials will be made available in English, with some documentation in French. Candidates are expected to have a full working knowledge of English.
For the sake of efficiency, the application process has been improved to include two steps. First, UNCTAD member States of Africa are invited to present the names and e-mail addresses of qualified candidates by 7 November 2014 through their permanent missions in Geneva. Second, these candidates will then be contacted by the secretariat to complete an application online on the course website; this process must also be completed by 7 November 2014.
It is therefore advisable that the names and e-mail addresses of candidates be submitted as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for them to submit their applications through the online process. Member States or successful candidates will be notified of the decision of the UNCTAD selection committee by 20 November 2014.
Member States are encouraged to nominate more than one candidate per country, in which case they may wish to rank the candidates. The selection committee will take this ranking into consideration, provided that the preferred candidate meets the eligibility criteria.
