Making WTO Membership Work for Least-Developed Countries: Lessons from Nepal and Cambodia

The document analyzes the strenuous WTO accession processes of Nepal and Cambodia, noting that both countries faced complex requirements and stringent commitments despite their LDC status. While initial technical assistance was vital for documentation and capacity building, post-accession support has been inadequate, leading to struggles with implementing obligations. The brief recommends simplifying the accession process for LDCs, limiting commitment levels to those of founding LDC members, and institutionalizing stakeholder participation and technical assistance to ensure effective implementation and human development.

• The WTO accession process for Nepal and Cambodia was arduous and failed to benefit from promised simplifications for LDCs, requiring them to follow the same complex procedures as non-LDC nations.
• Nepal and Cambodia accepted trade commitments in goods and services that are more restrictive than those of existing LDC members and some developing country members, despite WTO assurances of restraint.
• Technical assistance was critical during the accession phase for documentation and capacity building, but has been insufficient since the countries became WTO members.
• Both nations are struggling to implement their accession obligations due to a lack of international monitoring, enforcement of deadlines, and adequate technical support.
• Nepal secured more favorable accession terms than Cambodia, attributed to better stakeholder participation and technical assistance during the process, although most stakeholders still felt excluded.

APA

Dahal,, H. B. A. (2008). Making WTO Membership Work for Least-Developed Countries: Lessons from Nepal and Cambodia. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/making-wto-membership-work-least-developed-countries-lessons-nepal-and-cambodia

Chicago

Dahal,, Heike Baumüller,Ratnakar Adhikari,Navin. Making WTO Membership Work for Least-Developed Countries: Lessons from Nepal and Cambodia. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2008. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/making-wto-membership-work-least-developed-countries-lessons-nepal-and-cambodia.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dahal, |first1=Heike Baumüller,Ratnakar Adhikari,Navin |title=Making WTO Membership Work for Least-Developed Countries: Lessons from Nepal and Cambodia |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=30 September 2008 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/making-wto-membership-work-least-developed-countries-lessons-nepal-and-cambodia |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dahal2008making, author = {Dahal,, Heike Baumüller,Ratnakar Adhikari,Navin}, title = {{Making WTO Membership Work for Least-Developed Countries: Lessons from Nepal and Cambodia}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2008}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/making-wto-membership-work-least-developed-countries-lessons-nepal-and-cambodia}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }