Timor-Leste and WTO Accession
This project offered a welcome opportunity to return to the subject of WTO accession, an area I worked on extensively at the very start of my career.
In this World Bank report, co-authored with Pierre Sauvé and Csilla Lakatos, I examine how Timor-Leste could use WTO accession to support its development ambitions. The central question is how the commitments made during accession can translate into stronger institutions and better opportunities for businesses and households.
Timor-Leste faces high trade costs, limited connectivity and a narrow export base. Membership can provide more predictable access to overseas markets, but the gains depend on sustained domestic reform. We explore the scope for improving services regulation, digital connectivity and trade facilitation, alongside the capacity to meet international standards.
Our argument is that accession provides an opportunity to secure reforms that are otherwise difficult to achieve. Making the most of that opportunity requires investment in skills and infrastructure, effective implementation and support from development partners. It also requires realistic expectations: the benefits take time, and membership alone cannot remove the country’s structural constraints.
Read the report
Pierre Sauvé, Simon Lacey and Csilla Lakatos (2024), Timor-Leste and WTO Accession: Harnessing Momentum to Support Development Outcomes. World Bank. CC BY 3.0 IGO.