TS4D25-1

As part of the joint Trade in Services for Development initiative - a work programme of technical assistance and capacity building for developing countries on trade in services -, the WTO and the World Bank, along with ECLAC, will oversee the preparation of a study on export promotion in services in developing countries.

The study will consist of a series of country case studies that will follow a similar structure. The objective is to provide more policy-relevant research on this understudied aspect and to distil best practices in the promotion of exports and inward investment in services. Only a handful of developing countries have to date fully integrated services in their export promotion and investment attraction efforts. The study will focus on certain developing countries in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia that have put particular emphasis on the promotion of services exports. Lessons from those experiences would benefit other developing countries that want to diversify their exports through services ., take advantage of opportunities offered through GATS commitments, and leverage services trade for their growth and development.

For the preparation of this study, the WTO would provide support to external consultants for the preparation of 3-4 country case studies. In addition to the contributions of the World Bank and ECLAC, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American Bank, and the African Development Bank would finance the other country case studies.

Key takeaway and lessons from the country case studies will be shared with developing countries in different technical assistance and other dissemination events, including at a conference on trade in services for development in November 2025.