The Philippine Global Trade E-Learning Program (PGTEP) conducted an Integrating Workshop on December 14, 2006 at the Philippine Trade Training Center. Professor Jacques Pelkmans of the College of Europe conducted the workshop. The workshop also featured two videocasts– the first by World Trade Organization (WTO) Director– General Pascal Lamy and by Professor Yach Tandon, Executive Director of the South Centre. A total of 84 participants attended. To view the videocasts– visit www.earthcouncil.com.

The PGTEP is a project of the Department of Trade and Industry for capacity building on the global trading system. Primarily a training program for senior technical staffs from the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government and civil society members, the program seeks to develop the capacity of the government and civil society to understand and participate in international trade discussions and negotiations. This initiative is a direct result of proposals submitted by DTI Senior Usec. Thomas G. Aquino with the RP-US Trade & Investment Council (TIC) and USAID– Philippines requesting for financial and technical assistance on capacity building on WTO.

Earth Council-Geneva and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) had established the World Trade eLearning Center (WTEC) as a joint venture to enable the trade and sustainable development community to use technology to address one of the perennial issues of capacity building– how to reach and mobilize a critical mass of trade stakeholders at all levels– local, national, regional, and international.

This project is a partnership between DTI and IATP based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with USAID/EMERGE providing the financial support to cover the cost of the courseware and hosting.

The courses will be hosted at the Earth Council Geneva Learning Center for Sustainable Development. For more information on the project, please visit http://ph.wtoelearning.com.